IfTI Scientists at Innovation Workshop in Jeddah

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As part of an international research project, professors from the Institute for Trade and Innovation (IfTI) at the University of Applied Sciences Offenburg have developed new approaches to the topics innovation policy and business model innovation. The study also examined how multilateral development banks can benefit from new scientific approaches in the field of design thinking.

[Translate to English:] IDBG-Präsident Dr. Bandar M. H. Hajjar (3. v. l.) und ITFC-Vorstandsvorsitzender Eng. Hani Salem Sonbol (2. v. l.) mit Professor Andreas Klasen (4. v. l.).

For the workshop with the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation (ITFC), the IfTI researchers led by Professor Andreas Klasen and Professor Bernhard Denne chose the approach of the focus group, which is particularly used in qualitative social research. ITFC is the trade finance arm of the Islamic Development Bank Group (IDBG), a multilateral development bank supporting the sustainable development of poorer countries in the Arab world.

Background of the research project: Over the past decades, governments around the world have developed numerous programmes and innovative financing instruments to promote innovation. Examples are research and development grant schemes, equity or venture capital for innovative small and medium-sized enterprises, promotional credit schemes and guarantee instruments. Multilateral development banks such as the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank and the Islamic Development Bank are also increasingly involved in promoting innovation and are planning to develop new financing instruments.