ABSTRACT

This chapter discusses the opportunities for innovation even at a location that is apart from the continental centre of Europe, or the so-called Blue Banana. Repeatedly there has been the argument that innovative regions predominantly emerge in the established centre of Europe. In fact, almost exclusively the Islands of Innovation can be found in an area stretching from London to Milan and from Paris to Berlin. The Blue Banana is even more narrowed down regionally: it has less East-West extension.