Globally, we are facing unprecedented challenges – ageing and diversifying population, youth unemployment, sustainable cities. As with climate change, environmental degradation and poverty, they are all global issues. Incremental change and business innovation are not enough. Cross cutting responses are needed reaching out to business, public policies, research, education and training, finance and civil society organizations.

A variety of theorists attempted to better understand the sources of creativity and innovation in individuals. The efforts concentrate on the cognitive process behind creativity, the characteristics of creative people and the social environments most conducive to creativity.

Knowledge is all relevant information brought to a problem by an individual, but according to Howard Gardner there is in-depth experience and long-term focus in one specific area which allows technical expertise on one hand. On the other, is also needs the ability to combine previously disparate elements in new ways, implying a need for a broader focus and varied interests.In addition, a non-threatening climate conducive to idea combination and an explicit decision to be creative along with a meta-cognitive awareness of the creative process are key issues.