Summary

This policy brief provides an overview of public sector innovation, its relationship with the smart specialisation program, and the place specificities of Värmland and Finnish Lapland that enhance it. Both regions are characterised for having a low population density within the European context (Eurostat, 2020), and often classify above the European average for institutional capacities and innovation (European Commission, 2019), which provides a favourable starting point for public sector innovation. Besides this favourable starting point, aspects such as collaborations between key actors based on trust, and regional policies that facilitate agreements around a common agenda, are harnessed by regional practitioners, reflecting innovation from the public sector.