Babbage Forum 2024: Industrial Innovation Policymaking in a changing global environment

On the 25th of September 2024, the Babbage Forum brought together senior invited policymakers and academics from fifteen countries to jointly explore the current challenges, trends and opportunities for industrial innovation policymaking in the context of a rapidly evolving global landscape.

Keynote presentations by leading figures from Europe, USA, China and Asia introduced the contexts in their respective regions to provide brief overviews of the international scene as it affects industrial policy. These overviews, informed by the pilot ‘regional’ meetings that the Babbage Forum held in California and Korea, are not detailed in the meeting report however the videos of each presentation are available below.

Attended by influential individuals from major economies – creators of national industrial strategies, former ministers, and high-ranking civil servants with extensive involvement in industrial policy, delegates had the opportunity to network and compare international policy approaches and exemplars.

Convening practitioners and providing a platform for cross-border knowledge exchange to improve policymaking, mutual learning, and industrial innovation policy lies at the core approach of the Babbage Forum, as highlighted by Professor Mike Gregory, the founder and Chair of the Babbage Forum:

“This opportunity to share insights and experiences from different parts of the world is warmly welcomed by participants as enriching the content and process of policymaking. The gathering of notable global leaders in Cambridge addresses an unmet need for a professional meeting place devoted to industrial innovation policy.”

Delegate Rob Atkinson, President of the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, praised the Forum as a valuable opportunity for policymakers to learn from each other and gain insights into industrial policy strategies across different countries and contexts.

“Having the correct industrial policy strategy is essential, which is why attending the Babbage Forum is an excellent way to gain insights into other countries’ activities. The Forum is a rare chance for experts involved in industrial policy to come together and learn from different countries and contexts.”

 

Rob Atkinson, President of the Information Technology and Innovation Foundatio

Keynotes

China Industrial Innovation Policy, 2024 – Professor WU Xiaobo

U.S. Industrial Innovation Policy, 2024 – William B. Bonvillian MIT

European Industrial Innovation Policy, 2024 – Giulia Del Brenna European Commission

Asia Industrial Innovation Policy, 2024 – Professor Arnoud De Meyer

Previous meetings

2023 International Industrial Innovation Policymaker Meeting