Smart moves: How data can help discover what regions could be great at

This webinar was the 26th meeting of the Spatial Productivity Lab.

The Spatial Productivity Lab (SPL) at the OECD Trento Centre for Local Development is a dedicated research laboratory that works with local, national and global partners to improve our collective understanding of the spatial dimension of productivity growth, the relevance of links between different types of places and the role of  regional policy in driving productivity growth, creating better jobs and boosting well-being. 

Regional industrial and innovation strategies increasingly rely on data-driven tools to identify realistic opportunities and pathways for growth.

Among these, the economic complexity and relatedness framework offers a powerful analytical toolkit to uncover hidden regional potential. At its core, the framework provides a means to measure how industries and technologies are interconnected and determine which new activities are most likely to leverage existing strengths and pathways that are both feasible and strategic.

This webinar explored how such tools can support smarter regional policymaking, with Smart Specialisation Strategies as one example of their application. It brought together fresh insights from academic research and concrete examples from practitioners, offering a closer look at how analytical evidence can be turned into actionable strategies. The session spoke to those involved in shaping regional policies, exploring new approaches to regional development, or simply curious about how data can help discover what regions could be great at—and how to get there.

The event was open to civil society and all those interested in the topic upon free registration.

For more information, please contact Carlo.Menon@oecd.org and Wessel.Vermeulen@oecd.org  at the OECD Spatial Productivity Lab.