Case Study

Pioneering Innovation Ecosystems in Eastern Europe and Central Asia (2002 - 2014)

Industry: Innovation ecosystems, business incubators, technology parks

Period covered: 2002 - 2014

Published:   2003 - 2014

Organization:   World Bank, UN

From 2002 to 2014, I was deeply engaged in the development of innovation ecosystems across Eastern Europe and Central Asia — a time when the public sector and international donors played a central role in driving the region’s economic transition. I was privileged to be part of what was then a small group of international experts working on innovation ecosystem development in the region.

My journey began in 2002 as a United Nations Volunteer, serving as an SME development expert at the SODBI Business Incubator in Shymkent, South Kazakhstan. Prior to that, in 2000, I explored the potential for software outsourcing to Ukraine while simultaneously studying Russian at the Kharkiv Polytechnic Institute.

My work in Kazakhstan led to further involvement in business incubator development projects — and later, technopark initiatives and early-stage enterprise financing — throught the region of Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Please also see the References section for more details.

Starting in 2006, I was responsible for facilitating the innovation ecosystem and business incubation activities of the World Bank’s infoDev (Information for Development) program in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

infoDev was a World Bank program supporting high-growth entrepreneurship in developing and emerging economies.

My work included:

• Facilitating regional networks and peer-to-peer learning among incubator and technopark managers;
• Designing and supporting early-stage enterprise (and startup financing) support programs, with a strong focus on business incubation;
• Conducting impact assessments and applied research;
• Policy advisory on innovation ecosystem development strategies.

The following articles, conference proceedings, and research papers (all based on my work) provide selected insights into the dynamics of innovation ecosystem development across the region between 2002 and 2014.

Kazakhstan - Incubators for the Middle Class (Brutkästen für den Mittelstand)

Year of publication: 2004

Language: German

Article about my experiences with innovation ecosystem development at SODBI Business Incubator in South Kazakhstan from 2002 to 2004.

Incubating the Incubators (at KEF, INSEAD)

Year of publication: 2009

Language: German

Event:  World Bank VIII Knowledge Economy Forum (KEF) 2009

Lessons learned from innovation ecosystem development in the Eastern European and Central Asian region from 2002 - 2007.

Presented and discussed at the VIII World Bank Knowledge Economy Forum (KEF) 2009 at INSAD in Fontainebleau, France.

About the KEF

In the 2000s, the Knowledge Economy Forum (KEF) was the leading annual World Bank event for Central and Eastern Europe, Russia, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), and Central Asia.

The forum centered on topics such as innovation management, international science-business networks, and key developments across the CEE and Central Asian regions.

As an exclusive gathering, the KEF brought together a high-level audience — from ministers and senior government officials in economics and research, to prominent industry leaders and representatives from internationally recognized universities and research institutes.

Impact Assessment of Business Incubation Models in Eastern Europe and Central Asia

Year of publication: 2014

Language: English

Authors: Humala, H., Olafsen, E., Schandera, S.

By 2014, little research has been done at the national or regional level with regard to the long-term return on (public) investment in publicly funded or co-funded business incubation. This assessment aimed to provide further insights on the outcomes of business incubation for the enterprises directly served by the incubators, as well as for the broader socio-economic environment the business incubators operate in.