Covid-19 made the importance of the ongoing digital transformation evident and revealed how some countries are lagging behind in the process. At the same time, the pandemic has reduced resistance to digitalization, paving the way for the adoption of innovative digital solutions at scale across the globe.

Local tech ecosystems are essential in the digitalization process and tech hubs – incubators, accelerators, co-working spaces, fab labs – are frontline enablers in this context: they provide affordable infrastructure and support to digital start-ups, and they create the type of community that cushions shocks and stimulates innovation. The session will discuss the roles and challenges of tech hubs pre-crisis, how they have been impacted by the pandemic and how they are re-inventing themselves and the start-ups they support to build back better local innovation ecosystems.

In the second portion of the session, the floor will open for a moderated audience discussion guided by the question:

How can governments best support the development of innovation ecosystems in a manner that properly involves local tech hubs?

Continue the conversation in the dedicated chat on the Beyond Trade Network.

This session will be simultaneously translated into French, Spanish and English (when needed) via the Interactio application, by entering the code GTW2020 (please use headphones). Open the application in your Web browser or download it for iOS Mobile App or for Android App.