The strategy “Innovative Vienna 2020” (IW2020) is the second innovation strategy of the city of Vienna. It was drawn up in the years 2014-2015 and defines three goals:

• Innovation Goal 1 – Vienna as a City of Opportunities: Vienna creates optimal conditions for developing the innovation potential in the metropolitan region.
• Innovation Goal 2 – Innovative City Administration: Vienna is committed to the innovative nature of the public sector and to the role of the city as a developer, procurer and user of innovations.
• Innovation goal 3 – Vienna as a Meeting Place: Vienna creates an innovative milieu and relies on cooperation and openness.

IW2020 is based on the Smart City Vienna Framework Strategy of the City of Vienna, with the following goals: in 2050 Vienna is an innovation leader through cutting-edge research, a strong economy and education by 2050, Vienna is one of the five major European research and innovation centers.

The present evaluation refers to the creation phase of IW2020 and the first three years of implementation (2016-2018). Methodologically, it draws mainly on interviews, documentary research and workshops.

IW2020 has put the focus on implementation as compared to the previous Viennese RTI strategy of 2007 (“Vienna thinks future”). Another innovation is the “inwards” orientation, that is to say that the strategy addresses city administration in itself as an innovation area and goal. The annual innovation conference became an important element of the strategy. The conference brings together people from the city administration and other target groups of the strategy.

The main report is in German and an English summary can be downloaded.

Katharina Warta
Managing Partner

Alfred Radauer