Innovation Ecosystems 2025

Innovation district digital infrastructure components FIGURE 3 Data and digital services Data and APIs Real-time data feeds API marketplaces Urban system-to-system communication Advanced analytics and insightsEnd user services (Open) data exchanges Business match-up Facilities bookings Facial recognition (seamless access) Integrated payment systemsDemonstration Enablement Technology testbeds (e.g. AR/VR/ autonomous vehicles/robotics) Access to world-class prototyping facilities and experts Collaborative,shared- workspaces/labs Knowledge networksFoundations Connectivity High-speed fibre 5G/6G network (private/public) Public wireless networks IoT networks (LPWAN)Assets and infrastructure (IoT) sensors Automated/digital urban services Edge computing Operational technology Note: IoT = internet of things; LPWAN = low-power wide-area network, a type of wireless communication designed for IoT; API = application programming interface; AR/VR = augmented reality/virtual reality. Source: Jacobs. These components relate to areas of ecosystem activity that support and enable collaboration, such as effective governance structures and agreements to share data. The components also need to consider technology drivers, such as AI workloads and its “demand for compute” power, some of which will form part of the digital infrastructure offer within innovation districts. These components embody some of the guiding principles of innovation by ensuring that digital foundations are: Scalable, to support future growth. Resilient, capable of adapting to evolving industry and societal demand. Transparent in their design and operation of data and digital services. Efficient through their creation of a future-proof digital environment – one that encourages experimentation and enables the innovations of tomorrow.The following sections explore digital infrastructure foundations, data and digital services and demonstration in more detail, with reference to case studies including: INNOVATION DISTRICT SPOTLIGHT 8: Knowledge Quarter Liverpool, United Kingdom, demonstrates how public-private partnerships can deliver super-fast connectivity for tenants, while addressing the digital divide. INNOVATION DISTRICT SPOTLIGHT 9: Singapore’s Punggol Digital District shows how digital infrastructure can be integrated into the design from the outset, to create a cutting-edge environment for testing innovation and optimising services. INNOVATION DISTRICT SPOTLIGHT 10: NTT East e-City Labo in Tokyo illustrates how emerging technologies powered by 5G can be effectively scaled and commercialised through a structured testbed approach. It covers four phases: proof of concept, commercial showcase, production testing, and business model development. Innovation Ecosystems: A Toolkit of Principles and Best Practice 35