Innovation: Key to Our Future

On Tuesday, Silicon Valley entrepreneur Judy Estrin paid CSIS a visit in order to discuss her new book, Closing the Innovation Gap. She discussed the decaying state of the United States’ “innovation ecosystem,” writing that we live today off the fruits of the science-driven, innovation boom following WWII, and we are not addressing the sick state of the innovative “roots” of the American economy. Estrin cited a lack of dialogue between researchers, developers, and appliers, as well as a culture of shortsightedness by both government and businesses as major reasons that the United States is beginning to lag in what Thomas Friedman called “our most important competitive advantage.”

Why is an innovation gap such a cause for concern? Economic integration increases daily, bringing Americans into closer competition with others around the world. Information technology will only speed economic integration and competition. If Americans are not able to continue building on our scientific understanding and technological innovation, we will soon find ourselves trailing behind others.

Estrin cited climate change and the energy crisis (resource management) as two of four “Sputniks”  that should be used to galvanize innovation in the United States. Dealing with these complicated issues in the future will not only require innovation in science, however. Innovative thinking in governance and dealing with older and bigger populations will also be required.