The general belief that innovation takes places in capital cities and urban areas only is partly a myth, according to researchers from Luleå University.
Innovation is often measured by number of patents and they are usually made in big cities and urban regions. But more diversified methods show that more rural areas can be equally innovative. This and many other issues regarding local smart specialization were discussed at an event held in early June by the Regional Council of Ostrobothnia.
Nordregio Senior Research Fellow Jukka Teräs participated at the event and told the local newspaper Vasabladet, that it is crucial to give a more varied picture of national innovation landscapes.
– Young people need to know that they do not have to move to big cities to become entrepreneurs. There are plenty of options in more rural areas also, he states.
When talking about smart specialization Teräs also pointed out that this may just as well be a matter of smart diversification, using existing expertise in new areas to develop new projects and products, not just doing more of what you are doing already.
Read full article in Vasabladet (in Swedish)
