A broad range of innovations are needed to ensure that Germany remains economically competitive. We must foster technological, economic and social innovation in order to address the challenges facing society today. However, Germany has yet to fully develop the economic and policy environment needed to nurture these innovations. Entrepreneurial activity and efforts to solve social problems are too seldom effectively linked, and innovation policy measures are rarely focused on addressing societal needs and interests.
Sustaining a highly innovative economy and society demands the presence of outstanding research institutions and creative companies. Yet it also requires an ambitious innovation policy that sets strategic goals, provides effective funding instruments and creates high-impact institutions. In order to address the major challenges facing society today, we need a mission-oriented innovation policy that empowers and further develops Germany's research and innovation communities. As these challenges grow increasingly urgent, so too does the need to revise Germany’s innovation policy so that it can become a driver of sustainable transformation.
