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  • PROGRAM INFO

    • Title: Knowledge and Innovation Agenda Social Earning Capacity
    • What: scaling up economic prosperity as well as societal impact
    • Input: the KIA MV is coordinated by CLICKNL
    • Duration: 2020 - today
    • Key words: broad prosperity, transitions, market creation, multiple value creation
    • Project partners: NWO, Regieorgaan SIA, TNO Vector, hbo-thematafel MV, ROM's, topsectoren, Miniseries van OCW & EZK , Bax & Company

Knowledge and Innovation Agenda Societal Earning Capacity

Accelerating and scaling up societal transitions.

Global pressing social issues require new approaches and mission-driven innovation. The complex issues, in areas such as sustainability, broad and inclusive prosperity, health, agriculture, welfare and security, are challenging, often disruptive and offer opportunities. They require an inter- and transdisciplinary approach, connection and collaboration.

The Knowledge and Innovation Agenda on Social Earning Capacity (KIA MV) is about necessity and urgency, about the need for action perspectives and instruments, about growth and balance, about society and enterprise. This KIA develops vision and instruments, offers action perspective and demonstrates examples for approaching transitions and complex social issues, local tasks and systemic change. In order to accelerate mission-driven innovation and realize societal earning power.

The KIA MV facilitates the development, testing, validation and dissemination of knowledge on working ingredients for transitions, mission-driven innovation and market creation, strategies and methodologies. The KIA MV bundles and unlocks knowledge, expertise and tools for accelerating transitions and market creation. With inter- and multidisciplinary research, experiments in regional innovation ecosystems and support for companies, governments and intermediaries in the use of methodologies (KEMs) and instruments.

The KIA MV uses an approach in which (regional) practices are central in the search for approaches and solutions to complex social transition issues. Precisely the niches - the local experiences and solutions - contribute to addressing national and often nation-transcending issues. The process approach (design-oriented, systemic and future-oriented) places different disciplines together in the search for sustainable and supported solutions. These include social disciplines, creative interventions, economic models, legal constructs and technological innovations.

The KIA MV's proposition as a movement gives rise to activities that connect, mobilize and enthuse. Knowledge development is an important component for this KIA. This must always take place in the reality of the issues and challenges; in practices where social change is being worked on. These are central to this KIA, as a focus and working form for developing new knowledge, testing and experimenting and concretely innovating and creating value. The KIA MV emphasizes: region, application and entrepreneurship.

Vliegwiel nieuw KIA MV

KIA SEC Approach: three Intertwined Tracks

The KIA MV approach leads to collaboration on transition issues, resulting in systemic innovation, sustainable solutions and practical applications. These collaborations are a breeding ground for innovation and lead to traction for application of new technology. Market creation takes place where new demand arises, where unexpected insights emerge and innovation ecosystems manifest.

The KIA MV uses three tracks, where in practice there is overlap between the three tracks:
1 Developing knowledge (research agenda)
2 Experimenting and learning
3 Applying and creating value

-Track 1: Developing knowledge (research agenda)
The KIA MV facilitates the development, testing and validation of knowledge on i. working ingredients for transitions, mission-driven innovation and market creation (including the six aspects for MV) and ii. methodologies (including the KEMs and the design approach). Research is integrated, linked to practice, with input of expertise from different sciences. The KIA MV helps the other mission KIAs, for example with knowledge development around governance, monitoring, financing, participation and breaking down old systems.

-Track 2: Experimentation and learning
Using an iterative approach, knowledge from research programming is tested and validated in field experiments. Conversely, these experiments provide data and new knowledge questions for developing new research projects.

-Track 3: Application and value creation
To actually realize value (accelerate transitions and market creation), in this track we ensure that the knowledge base and competencies of 'changemakers'* in the broadest sense of the word are strengthened and then utilized. Furthermore, barriers for entrepreneurs are recognized and removed through systemic and programmatic interventions. This takes place at the local and regional level, where ROMs have a linking and driving role, designers and developers take an application-oriented look at possible solutions and entrepreneurs innovate.

*By 'changemakers' we mean professionals who, from a formal role, are involved in social challenges and transitions with the aim of bringing about a desired change. Changemakers' are not only individuals, but also groups, organizations and networks working together to solve societal challenges.

Aspects for acceleration

THE KIA MV has identified six aspects from an inventory of more than 60 innovation ecosystems that require attention around societal earning capacity. These are common opportunities and bottlenecks that (regional) innovation ecosystems may face and that affect the acceleration of mission-driven innovation.

Support.
Awareness, understanding and involvement of a multitude of stakeholders are needed from the start of programs and projects for successful transitions. Both among companies, governments, knowledge institutions, interest groups, citizens, and intermediaries, at all levels of the organization and for technological, economic, social, and environmental challenges.

Regional embedding
Every region has its own characteristics and contextual factors. As a result, one region, city, neighborhood, or street has different strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and challenges than a nearby location. Scaling up innovations therefore proceeds differently in each region. Nevertheless, there are common denominators that play a role in successfully scaling up innovations and realizing societal earning power.

Organization of collaboration.
In regional innovation ecosystems, the involvement of all stakeholders is desirable. Multi-stakeholder collaboration requires understanding everyone's interests and proactively connecting partners. Developing collaboration and facilitating it optimally also requires attention to potential conflicting interests between established actors and challengers and between local and global players.

Reflection and adaptation
The speed of technological and social change requires continuous monitoring, analysis, interpretation, reflection and adaptation so that the goals, approach and activities of the partnership can be flexibly adjusted.

Measurement and funding
Financing mission-driven innovation proves difficult; innovations with a social purpose are often only economically profitable in the longer term. Moreover, the economic and social impact cannot always be precisely measured. Financing mission-driven innovation requires new ways and new indicators to value economic, environmental, societal and social returns.

Institutions and governance
Mission-driven innovation requires new forms of organization and governance, both within regional innovation ecosystems and in local, regional and national government. Moreover, unanticipated effects of mission-driven innovation policies require attention.

A more detailed overview of the six aspects and the 28 associated sub-aspects is elaborated in the publication "Social Merit: Overview of Aspects for Acceleration'.


Example projects

stichting steenbreek

Stichting Steenbreek

Climate change is leading to urban heat islands, increasing drought and heavy, short showers, resulting in flooding. This also has consequences for health and safety in residential areas. Steenbreek Foundation is a collaboration of companies, government institutions, social organisations, involved residents and research groups to tackle these problems by making living and working areas greener in order to enhance biodiversity. They organise workshops and knowledge days, conduct research and set up innovation processes.