Foreword Cities are living laboratories of human ambition. Within their boundaries, we witness the continuous interplay between tradition and transformation, between the communities we’ve built and the futures we imagine. Today, as urban populations surge towards 70% of humanity by 2050, innovation districts have emerged as critical catalysts for reimagining how cities generate prosperity, foster collaboration and create opportunity. The rapid proliferation of innovation districts worldwide, from Singapore to São Paulo and Detroit to Dhahran, reflects an urgent search for new models of urban development. Yet amid this investment surge, a fundamental question persists: how do we ensure these districts deliver not just economic returns, but meaningful benefits for the communities they serve? This challenge becomes more pressing as the pace of technological change accelerates. The average lifespan of companies has plummeted from 67 years to just 15 over recent decades, forcing organizations and cities to reimagine their approaches to innovation. Meanwhile, the climate crisis demands that we build differently, more sustainably, with the recognition that our urban environments account for 40% of global carbon emissions. Innovation districts represent our best opportunity to prototype solutions to these interconnected challenges. When designed thoughtfully, they become crucibles where diverse talents converge, where established institutions collaborate with emerging start-ups, where global knowledge meets local wisdom. They offer the promise of economic transformation while addressing societal needs. Innovation districts cannot succeed through technology or capital alone. They require principled approaches that balance multiple imperatives – economic vitality with environmental sustainability, global competitiveness with local inclusivity, technological advancement with human flourishing. The path forward demands courage to move beyond conventional approaches and wisdom to learn from both successes and failures. It requires us to see innovation districts not as isolated developments but as integral parts of our urban fabric, accountable to the communities they serve and the planet we share. By embracing the principles and practices outlined in this toolkit, we can create environments where innovation serves not as an end in itself, but as a means to address humanity’s most pressing challenges. The choices we make today about how we design, govern and operate innovation districts will shape the cities our children inherit. Let us ensure those choices reflect our highest aspirations for human progress and collective prosperity.Jeff Merritt Head of Centre for Urban Transformation, World Economic Forum Innovation Ecosystems: A Toolkit of Principles and Best PracticeOctober 2025 Innovation Ecosystems: A Toolkit of Principles and Best Practice 3

Innovation Ecosystems 2025