”Maximize the coincidence. Prototype rapidly and experiment. Harness the bottom-up activity and nurture the first followers – don’t restrict too much. Pull up your sleeves and act as much as you can. Keep learning.”, were Change2020 program’s workbook writers’ concluding messages for all regional developers. Urban Mill as a globally active thematic open innovation platform, and as a co-working space, an innovation community, as well as a change orchestration tool and service for urban developers is one of the RIS3 Workbook cases. Urban Mill’s innovation accelerator process – which re-defines the way how to support people accomplishing joint innovation work, and aiming to make societal impact in a global urban context –  was bechmarked within the program and reflections shared with its participants.

. This presentation is one outcome of the Change2020 development program. It was written and put together by Toni Pienonen and Mikko Markkanen from Business Arena Oy, a Finnish company specializing in university-business- cooperation, high-impact projects and learning networks, and a collaborative partner of Urban Mill. Change2020 development program was part of the operations carried out by INNOFOKUS project which was funded by European Social Fund, Ministry of Education. INNOFOKUS project was managed by Aalto University School of Business Small Business Center (SBC). www.innofokus.fi