Status Report: the Rise of Innovation Districts

Last year, the "innovation district" rose to prominence as a way to describe urban knowledge economy epicenters. This report from Bruce Katz and Brookings describes how the phenomenon continues to evolve.

2 minute read

July 12, 2015, 1:00 PM PDT

By Philip Rojc @PhilipRojc


Boston innovation district banner with lofts

izzointeractive / flickr

Unlike the suburban office parks associated with tech firms, today's innovation district is central and urbane, boasting an equal spread of MacBook entrepreneurs and baristas. According to this article, there's not a lot to complain about. "The growing application of 'open innovation'—where companies work with other firms, inventors, and researchers to generate new ideas and bring them to market—has revalued proximity, density, and other attributes of cities."

The phenomenon has been quick to spread. "A simple Google search will reveal the extent to which the language of 'innovation districts' (or 'innovation quarters,' 'innovation neighborhoods,' or 'innovation corridors') has rapidly permeated the field of urban and metropolitan economic development and place-making.

Several observations from the article about how innovation districts are evolving:

  • In some cases, the label "innovation district" has been misapplied by regions seeking to drive up demand and attract high-value enterprises. 
  • Innovation districts aren't necessarily yoked to existing knowledge centers, i.e. university campuses. This is a good thing. 
  • Some ostensible innovation centers need to become friendlier to networking. "When designed and programmed well, a district's public spaces facilitate open innovation by offering numerous opportunities to meet, network, and brainstorm [...] districts anchored by medical campuses have significant work ahead."
  • Intermediaries (cultivators, incubators, accelerators) are becoming crucial enablers for collaboration between firms. 
  • Innovation districts must "ensure that nearby neighborhoods and their residents connect to and benefit from new growth opportunities in innovation districts and beyond. Scaling such efforts will be critical in the years to come, as the success of these districts will be defined in large part by their broader city and regional impacts."

Wednesday, June 24, 2015 in Brookings

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Use Code 25for25 at checkout for 25% off an annual plan!

Redlining map of Oakland and Berkeley.

Rethinking Redlining

For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

May 15, 2025 - Alan Mallach

Interior of Place Versailles mall in Montreal, Canada.

Montreal Mall to Become 6,000 Housing Units

Place Versailles will be transformed into a mixed-use complex over the next 25 years.

May 22, 2025 - CBC

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

May 21, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Canada geese and ducks on the shore of a lake with red brick boathouse in background across the lake in Lincoln Park, Los Angeles.

Connecting Communities to Nature Close to Home

Los Angeles County’s Nature in Your Neighborhood program brings free, family-friendly wellness and nature activities to local parks, making it easier for residents to enjoy and connect with the outdoors.

1 hour ago - Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation

Children inside large slide at water park.

Palmdale’s Beloved Water Park Gets $2 Million Upgrade

To mark its 20th anniversary, DryTown Water Park has undergone major renovations, ensuring that families across the Antelope Valley continue to enjoy safe, affordable, and much-needed water-based recreation in the high desert.

2 hours ago - Antelope Valley Press

Close-up of black and yellow oak borer beetle.

Help Stop the Beetle Killing Southern California’s Oak Trees

Claifornia residents can join a volunteer “blitz” this June to help detect and map infestations of an invasive beetle that is killing thousands of oak trees across Southern California.

3 hours ago - University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.