Guardians of Tomorrow: Pioneering Future Generations Representation in Wales and the EU
The Democratic Blind Spot In 2014, the Welsh Parliament confronted a fundamental governance challenge: “Who speaks for the future?” This question emerged as Wales, newly empowered through devolution from the United Kingdom, recognized that while democratic systems address immediate concerns of current voters, they systematically neglect those not yet born. This institutional blind spot was […]
Orchestrating Elderly Care: Singapore’s Integration Solution
The Silver Tsunami In 2007, a worrying pattern emerged in Singapore’s hospitals. Elderly patients were being discharged only to return within weeks with preventable complications. The phenomenon, dubbed “revolving door syndrome,” highlighted a critical gap in the city-state’s healthcare system. Despite world-class hospitals and clinics, care fragmentation was creating dangerous and costly gaps for older […]
Space Technology as a Catalyst for Development: Rwanda’s Space Agency
The Satellite Surprise When Rwanda announced the formation of its national space agency in 2020, the news was met with skepticism. How could a small, landlocked African nation with pressing development challenges justify the seemingly extravagant pursuit of space technology? Yet behind this bold move lay a calculated strategic vision. Rwanda wasn’t simply pursuing prestige—it […]
Rewiring Economy and Governance for Shared Prosperity Through Blockchain Solutions
As Istanbul Innovation Days (IID) 2025 invites us to rethink governance, participation, and the role of technology in a changing world, UNDP’s Alternative Finance Lab (AltFinLab), an initiative accelerating alternative & innovative finance for development, is exploring how blockchain can support more inclusive, transparent, and adaptive systems. AltFinLab works across topics such as financial inclusion, […]
In Conversation With Milica Begovic – Rethinking institutions for a complex world
Today, we’re meeting with Milica Begovic, the Head of the UNDP’s Strategic Innovation Unit. Begovic shares her perspective on the growing complexities that institutions face today, such as geopolitical power shifts, societal polarization, climate disruptions, and rapid technological advancements. https://youtu.be/uHEVhUNemMs Begovic argues that current institutions, which are often too hierarchical, rigid, and analog, are ill-equipped […]
Rebecca Henderson in conversation with Geoff Mulgan – The power of purpose in institutions
As we prepare for the Istanbul Innovation Days 2025, we are publishing a series of videos featuring thought leaders who have shaped our understanding of institutions. In this conversation, Geoff Mulgan, co-founder of the Institutional Architecture Lab (TIAL), speaks with Rebecca Henderson, professor at Harvard Business School, about capitalism, purpose and what public institutions can […]
Ai-jen Poo in conversation with Geoff Mulgan – Can care reframe how we build institutions?
As we prepare for the Istanbul Innovation Days 2025, we are publishing a series of videos featuring thought leaders who have shaped our understanding of institutions. In this conversation, Geoff Mulgan, co-founder of the Institutional Architecture Lab (TIAL), speaks with Ai-jen Poo, president of the National Domestic Workers Alliance. Together, they explore how care, work, […]
Yuen Yuen Ang in conversation with Geoff Mulgan – Why the crises of today may be a fertile ground for reinvention
As we prepare for the Istanbul Innovation Days 2025, we are publishing a series of videos featuring thought leaders who have shaped our understanding of institutions. In this conversation, Sir Geoff Mulgan, co-founder of the Institutional Architecture Lab (TIAL), speaks with Professor Yuen Yuen Ang, a renowned political economist and author, about how global development […]
New institutions for care: Rethinking systems for those who sustain society
Bogotá’s Care Blocks are pioneering urban hubs designed to support carers – primarily women – who are traditionally invisible, unpaid, or undervalued. These blocks integrate essential services such as education, training, health, and caregiving support within accessible physical spaces across the city, transforming isolated burdens into collective responsibilities and reshaping how cities acknowledge and support […]
In Conversation With Siddhi Gupta – The necessity of multistakeholder engagement
Today we’re meeting with Siddhi Gupta, the design director of the Inclusive AI Lab, a platform focused on building inclusive and sustainable AI tools, programmes and solutions, with a specific focus on the Global South. https://youtu.be/AVCGvoyogig According to Gupta, institutional innovation is of central importance because institutions are fundamentally inclusive, meaning they are not just […]
