An OECD report was mentioned by Senator Conroy, Minister for Digital (in short), this morning. Bottom line — some nations do a better job of supporting innovation. Today, at the AusInnovate Conference at CeBIT Darling Habour, this has been one of the themes.

As Dr David Skellern, CEO of NICTA, later pointed out the collaboration required is not something Australia has been good at. I’d posit, that in any analysis, the size of the Australian market imposes some important constraints on Australian Innovation.

Enabling Innovation.

From a German viewpoint, Professor Dr Dieter Rombach, is giving a presentation on how to accelerate Open Innovation in ICT. In this case, enabled by the Fraunhofer Institute in Germany (1 hour out of Frankfurt, down near Karlsruhe).

When I spoke with one of Senator Stephen Conroy’s advisers just prior to the 2007 election, I put to her that the 3 key planks of Innovation to be addressed for Australia were:

1) National Broadband Network (of which I was one of many voices)

2) Closer ties & exchange with Germany regarding ICT. [A point I repeatedly emphasized.]

3) Barcelona District 22 & similar – Government Start-Up Innovation Initiatives

In 2007-2008, prior to GFC, I presciently wrote a number of articles on related themes of Keynesian spending on infrastructure & nation-building. Keynesian provides trend support for a move towards Government enabling innovation.

It’s interesting to see that these ideas have bloomed. I wouldn’t presume to claim credit (especially given long-standing ties through CeBIT & NICTA), but I’m glad that the ideas are aligned with what 2thinknow viewed as strategic imperatives.

Particularly 2thinknow applaud the closer economic & research ties with German institutes & business. As independent innovation analysts, we see this, in our analysis, as strengthening innovation in both countries.

(Anecdotally, this has been the observation of many Germans in business & Gen Y Germans I speak with regularly).

Innovation Imperatives

For 2thinknow, I continue to research these forces. Here’s some related observations:

> Government & Universities must work together with commercial forces.

> They must enable bright innovators to come forward, without being stopped by innate conservatism.

> On the other hand, innovations only work when implemented & marketed. A good idea is not enough.

2thinknow have built a number of models to explain innovation.

But innovation faces different opposition in different nations; sometimes opposition strengthens; but more often it weakens. 2thinknow model can explain this process.

Support, Enable, Build.

Regardless Cities, States & National Governments need to support Innovators across all levels of business. Rather than waiting for a big firm to attach itself to the initiative.

That’s a lesson from today’s sessions, and my own observations in Europe & Silicon Valley 2005-2008.