Nesta is delivering the programme in partnership with Innovate UK, alongside a consortium of academic and private sector partners. The Global Innovation Policy Accelerator is funded through the Newton Fund, which promotes collaboration in science, technology and innovation between the UK and emerging economies.

The diagram below displays the global network that Nesta will create through the Policy Accelerator. Our UK network of expert partners works with every cohort, coaching and mentoring teams in the design and implementation of a policy prototype, responding to national challenges. Teams benefit from the ability to collaborate at the national and regional levels, expand their skill sets, and develop stronger connections with peers worldwide.

The Global Innovation Policy Accelerator is a nine month development programme for senior policymakers, spanning across six phases: dialogue, diagnose, discover, define, develop, and deliver (as illustrated on the diagram below). During each phase, the teams explore different ways of thinking, helping them look at challenges from different angles. Every phase introduces the teams to a set of tools and methods to help them put theory into practice, developing their innovation policy prototypes and integrating new tools into their day-to-day work.