Piero Formica

Piero Formica is a Professor and Senior Researcher and Thought Leader at the Innovation Value Institute within the School of Business at National University of Ireland, Maynooth. With over 144 publications and 13,487 reads according to ResearchGate, he is a prominent figure in the fields of entrepreneurship, innovation, and business development. His work bridges the gap between business and the arts, emphasizing the importance of creative thinking in driving innovation.

Professor Formica's research interests focus on the intersection of entrepreneurship, innovation, and creativity. He advocates for an 'Entrepreneurial Renaissance,' drawing parallels between the historical Renaissance period and contemporary innovations in human and physical sciences. His work explores how 'creative ignorance' - the willingness to venture into the unknown - can drive radically creative innovation. Formica emphasizes the integration of open innovation, sciencepreneurship, and humanities with business to foster economic transformation and societal progress. He has extensively examined how cities can cultivate innovation ecosystems and why educational systems must be reinvented to nurture imagination and entrepreneurial thinking, arguing that 'Education, starting with primary school, does not need to be reformed; it needs to be reinvented.'

His recent publications reveal a consistent focus on the relationship between innovation, entrepreneurship, and societal challenges. Formica has drawn historical parallels between Renaissance workshops and modern coworking spaces, suggesting collaborative environments have always been crucial for innovation. His work increasingly addresses the integration of health, nature, and human well-being through concepts like 'One Health,' while examining how pandemics and global crises can catalyze innovation and transformation. He has developed frameworks for understanding innovation diffusion in manufacturing and championed the integration of humanities studies with business education to foster empathy and creative problem-solving.

Professor Formica has collaborated extensively with Martin Curley and other international researchers, influencing thinking on university ecosystems as creative spaces for startup experimentation and on the role of cities in fostering entrepreneurial cultures. His concept of 'Econaissance' - an economic renaissance driven by innovation and entrepreneurship - represents a significant contribution to innovation economics.