Article

Why investors are targeting innovation hubs

For today’s cities, innovation and real estate investment go hand-in-hand.

October 14, 2019

With dozens of cities competing for a share of the global investment pot, building – and maintaining - a thriving innovation economy is a sure-fire way to stay in the mix.

Established global cities like London and San Francisco are already known for their cutting-edge start-up scenes while Tokyo is a leader in research and Singapore’s taking connectivity to a whole new level with its smart city plans.

These global players attract the lion’s share of real estate investment – and for good reason. Innovation is a key driver of productivity which in turn boosts economic growth and leads to higher real estate demand.

Look beyond the big-hitters, however, and mid-sized cities are rapidly gaining ground. In Europe, the likes of Amsterdam, Berlin, Munich and Stockholm have flourishing innovation economies built on strong foundations including a highly skilled workforce and high quality of life.

Their real estate is attracting increasing amounts of attention – particularly in the submarkets boasting a compelling combination of amenities, accessibility and affordability for companies and their staff.

So where are these up-and-coming innovation hotspots and how can they compete with the global leaders?

Watch the video to hear Jeremy Kelly, Lead Director of Global Research Programmes at JLL and Alex Colpaert, head of Office Research at JLL EMEA, discuss the key characteristics of a thriving innovation economy, why innovation-orientated cities are punching above their weight for real estate investment, and what the future looks like as cities continue to invest in building their innovation networks.