Cultural Diversity, Local Capabilities and Green Breakthrough Innovations

Benjamín Cornejo-Costas

No 2620, Papers in Evolutionary Economic Geography (PEEG) from Utrecht University, Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Group Economic Geography

Abstract: This paper examines how cultural diversity of migrant inventors' teams influences a region’s capacity to produce green breakthrough innovations. It posits that highly skilled migrants enhance diversity, driving the recombination of new and impactful green technologies. The research also emphasises the significance of local capabilities in enabling regions to absorb and utilise the diverse knowledge these teams bring. Using patent data and inventor nationalities, the study analyses green breakthrough innovations across 281 NUTS2 regions in Europe over a span of 20 years. The findings reveal that cultural diversity plays a critical role in fostering such innovations. Moreover, this effect is amplified when new technologies are related to existing ones in the region, underscoring the importance of local capabilities. This research contributes to Evolutionary Economic Geography by highlighting how a region’s technological portfolio supports the development of related technologies while emphasising the vital role of diverse knowledge in driving green innovation.

Keywords: cultural diversity; migrant inventors; breakthrough innovations; related capabilities (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: F22 J61 O31 O33 Q55 R11 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026-08, Revised 2026-08
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