IIPP Director Mariana Mazzucato in Australia: missions, public value and the entrepreneurial state

18 December 2018

Professor Mazzucato visited Sydney and Melbourne, meeting with leaders, thinkers and practitioners across the policy and innovation communities in Australia to discuss reframing public value, the role of the state and the importance of mission-driven innovation.

Professor Mariana Mazzucato delivered the John Menadue Oration in Sydney on the topic 鈥淐an the state deliver?鈥� to an audience of听700 people eager听to hear about the type of work IIPP are leading鈥攁 fantastic event and a broader tour听of the country was made possible thanks to the Centre for Policy Development (CPD),听supported by the University of Technology Sydney and the Monash Sustainable Development Institute.听

Professor听Mazzucato鈥檚 visit to Australia听spoke of the possibility of a new direction听and a new energy to drive some truly big and bold 鈥渕issions鈥� that tackle Australia's听toughest and most urgent economic, social and environmental challenges.听And, in the process, a direction from which Australia might replenish听depleted stocks of public trust and engagement with citizens and communities.

Professor Mazzucato鈥檚 visit to Australia resulted in:

Raising听awareness听of the Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose (IIPP) and Professor Mazzucato's work and encouraging new听thinking about reframing public value, the role of the state and the importance of mission-driven innovation in the Australian innovation and policy community
Engaging听and influencing听the thinking and attitudes of a sufficiently large and diverse group of policymakers, leaders in government, academia, industry and civil society, social and policy entrepreneurs, media and the wider public
Driving听real impact and encouraging听a willingness to take up Professor Mazzucato and IIPP鈥檚 ideas and insights, and turn them into a distinctively Australian project for mission-led innovation to tackle some of their biggest challenges

This was made possible through a number of exciting听potential opportunities听during the trip including:

An IIPP collaboration with Australia鈥檚 Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), including Australian membership of IIPP鈥檚 Mission-Oriented Innovation Network (MOIN)
An advisory function for Professor Mazzucato and IIPP to state and national governments in Australia on public sector capability
Developing a proposal for an Australian version of the Commission for Mission Oriented Innovation and Industrial Strategy (MOIIS) from the UK/IIPP experience
A CPD-IIPP collaboration on an Australian program of 鈥渕issions鈥�, starting with green finance.听If successful, there may be opportunity to collaborate on 21^st century health and care systems, perhaps early childhood or disability services. These initiatives would draw on advice and research from IIPP to help design, activate, implement and measure the 鈥渕ission鈥� projects
Exploring听opportunities to engage IIPP in consulting and advisory work with clients in the public, private and NGO sectors focused on IIPP鈥檚 research on public value, the role of business, co-creation and mission-driven innovation for inclusive growth