Brookings Institution Report offers recommendations for Pennsylvania’s innovation policy

The Brookings Institution recently released a report titled Ideas for Pennsylvania’s Innovation Policy, which examines innovation policy in Pennsylvania and other states.

The report noted that Pennsylvania has historically been an innovation leader and has innovation assets such as its university system and technology-based economic development programs.

It also said that the state has scaled back public investment in its innovation resources and that its economy has stalled.

Pennsylvania, the report said, lacks a comprehensive, evidence-based state innovation strategy, has below-average industry research and development, has reduced investment in state resources for early-stage companies and has a significant spatial divergence between its largest innovation centers.

This report examines ongoing initiatives in other and highlights 20 initiatives that address these challenges.

“While Pennsylvania’s innovation economy has lagged in recent years, another path exists,” Brookings said in a press release. “Through a renewed commitment to inclusive innovation-oriented economic development, the commonwealth can chart a new course that bolsters economic growth and improves the living standards of its citizens throughout the state.”

Allegheny Conference on Community Development CEO Stefani Pashman said that the report reinforces a view that the organization shares.

“The Pittsburgh region is pioneering self-driving cars, leading the way in artificial intelligence and robotics, developing life-saving medical research and more,” Pashman said. “We’re inventive, we’re problem-solvers, and we are pushing innovation beyond the imagination. We are experiencing success, and with an even more competitive operating environment, we can go further, faster. As Brookings highlights in its report, Pennsylvania could use additional strategies and tools to propel the statewide economy into the future. We stand ready to work with our public, private, and nonprofit partners to make the Pittsburgh region and the entire commonwealth an innovation leader, both domestically and globally.”