Creation of Innovation Ecosystem (GE0046)

Creation of innovation ecosystem; An idea to take commitment on creating innovation ecosystem derives from the reseach prepared by the World Bank. In order to create an innovation ecosystem, it is important to have a complex infrastructure that would inspire forming innovative society and the knowledge-based economy. By taking the two-component commitment in the framework of this Action Plan, Georgia’s Innovation and Technology Agency (hereinafter,GITA) aims to create easier citizen access to the modern high-tech units, computer technologies and high-speed internet. This will develop computer literacy in the society and relevant skills for business commercialization. Component I – Innovation Agency plans to develop the innovation infrastructure (techno-park) currently available in the capital city and create additional innovation infrastructure in other Georgian regions through financial assistance from the World Bank.The development of innovation infrastructure envisages: 1. Development of innovation infrastructure currently available in the capital; 2. Establishment of regional innovation hubs in the big cities; 3. Establishment of innovation centers (innovation centers will be established on the basis of the available infrastructure (libraries, educational institutions) in close cooperation and with active participation of the municipalitites in the countryside; 4. Increase access to internet in the regions. To measure the results, IT-based beneficiary management system will be developed. A regional innovation hub (center) is a mini-technopark. One regional hub will be established in a big city of a region, which will be connected to a number of district innovation centers. The location of innovation centers will be selected based on the preliminary researches. These hubs will provide various training services. Based on the findings of the skills feasibility study, trainings will be conducted in response to the needs of a particular location. In addition to educational service, the innovation centers will have meeting-rooms to conduct meetings, presentations or monitoring on various topics. The services will be delivered free of charge. Component II – Provides population with increased access to innovation services by conducting trainings, Olympiads, distant learning, consulting services, improves basic computer literacy and relevant skills of individuals and entrepreneurs. Date of Implementation: 2016-2017; Issues to be Addressed: Currently, neither universities nor scientific research organizations conduct applied research focused on finding the needs of bussness sector, or creating and testing new products. Access to the computer facilities, high-speed internet and modern high-tech units is especially limited in the regions. Access to the innovative services (trainings, Olympiads, distant learning, consultation services for entrepreneurs) is also limited for citizens in the regions. It should be noted that along creating internet-infrastructure in the region (to overcome this challenge, the internetization project is underway which will provide access to the high-speed internet across the country), it is also important to increase access to computer technologies, to enhance computer literacy level, as well as relevant skills so that citizens can have better chances of employment. Main Objective: Support individuals and entrepreneurs in innovative activities; establishment of innovation firms; development of innovation awareness in the country skills development and form the knowledge-based economy.

5. Creation of innovation ecosystem

Commitment Text:

An idea to take commitment on creating innovation ecosystem derives from the research prepared by the World Bank.

In order to create an innovation ecosystem, it is important to have a complex infrastructure that would inspire forming innovative society and the knowledge-based economy.

By taking the two-component commitment in the framework of this Action Plan, Georgia’s Innovation and Technology Agency (hereinafter, GITA) aims to create easier citizen access to the modern high-tech units, computer technologies and high-speed internet. This will develop computer literacy in the society and relevant skills for business commercialization.

Component I – Innovation Agency plans to develop the innovation infrastructure (techno-park) currently available in the capital city and create additional innovation infrastructure in other Georgian regions through financial assistance from the World Bank. The development of innovation infrastructure envisages: 1. Development of innovation infrastructure currently available in the capital; 2. Establishment of regional innovation hubs in the big cities; 3. Establishment of innovation centers (innovation centers will be established on the basis of the available infrastructure (libraries, educational institutions) in close cooperation and with active participation of the municipalitites in the countryside); 4. Increase access to internet in the regions. To measure the results, IT-based beneficiary management system will be developed.

A regional innovation hub (center) is a mini-technopark. One regional hub will be established in a big city of a region, which will be connected to a number of district innovation centers. The location of innovation centers will be selected based on the preliminary researches. These hubs will provide various training services. Based on the findings of the skills feasibility study, trainings will be conducted in response to the needs of a particular location. In addition to educational service, the innovation centers will have meeting-rooms to conduct meetings, presentations or monitoring on various topics. The services will be delivered free of charge.

Component II – Provides population with increased access to innovation services by conducting trainings, Olympiads, distant learning, consulting services, improves basic computer literacy and relevant skills of individuals and entrepreneurs.

Responsible institution: LEPL – Innovation and Technology Agency, Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia

Supporting institution(s): Advisory Body of Georgian Government – Research and Innovation Council, The World Bank

Start date: June 2015 End date: December 2017

Commitment Aim:

Citizens living in rural areas of Georgia have limited access to continued education and training resources which in turn contributes to the lack of qualified candidates for the country’s job market and low productivity levels. To address this, the Innovation and Technology Agency committed to supporting entrepreneurship and job creation by developing an innovation ecosystem of techno-parks and innovation centers, which would provide citizens with free access to modern technologies and skill-building. More specifically, the commitment aimed to:

• Develop innovation infrastructure in the capital, Tbilisi;
• Establish regional innovation hubs in big cities;
• Establish innovation centres in rural areas;
• Increase internet access in the regions; and
• Enhance public access to innovation services by providing skill-building training for interested citizens and entrepreneurs.  

Status

Midterm: Limited

By the midterm point, the commitment saw limited implementation. The Agency opened one techno-park and three innovation centers instead of the initially planned two techno-parks and 13 innovation centers. This delay in implementation was mainly due to problems related to the lack of funding and the dire conditions of old buildings slated for those centers.

End of term: Limited

The status has not changed since the midterm evaluation. As of October 2018, the Innovation and Technology Agency had not opened any additional techno-parks or innovation centers but planned to open a techno-park in Telavi and two innovation centers in Akhmeta and Rukhi by the end of 2018. [17]

Did It Open Government?

Access to information: Did Not Change

Civic participation: Did not change

Public accountability: Did not change

Despite providing free access to high-tech products, co-working space, and grants for various innovation projects, the techno-parks and innovation centers in their current form are not meant to open up government decision-making processes. According to Agency representatives, these centers occasionally host informative public meetings with local government and private sector representatives; these meetings mostly focus on youth, innovation, online technologies, computer literacy, and entrepreneurship-related issues. [18] However, they do not serve as a platform enabling citizens to voice local concerns directly to their elected representatives or contribute to policy-making around those issues. Neither do the centers conduct surveys to measure user-satisfaction with existing services provided nor solicit feedback on future improvements. Therefore, this commitment fell short of increasing public access to information in the OGP context.

Carried Forward?

The commitment was not carried into the new Action Plan 2018−2019, but the government intends to continue opening techno-parks and innovation centers outside of the OGP process.

[18] Gugushvili (Innovation and Technology Agency), interview with IRM researcher, 22 Aug. 2018.