Ufuk Akcigit

Ufuk Akcigit holds the prestigious Arnold C. Harberger Professorship in Economics at the University of Chicago, where he serves as director of the Global Center for Economic Growth. He maintains significant research affiliations as a research associate with the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) in both the Productivity, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship and Economic Fluctuations and Growth programs, and as a research affiliate with the Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR).

His research focuses on macroeconomics, economic growth, technological innovation, entrepreneurship, productivity, and firm dynamics. Akcigit examines how technological innovation drives economic growth while addressing contemporary challenges including inequality and climate change. His work demonstrates how innovation patterns connect to broader economic phenomena, with particular attention to the relationship between tax policy and innovation incentives, the dynamics of inventor employment, and cross-border knowledge spillovers.

Akcigit's research output reveals a strong emphasis on understanding the mechanisms of economic growth through innovation networks, the impact of policy interventions on entrepreneurial activity, and the historical patterns of technological development. His work frequently employs large-scale datasets, including patent records and business registries, to trace innovation dynamics across time and space.

As academic lead for the World Development Report 2024 and co-editor of The Economics of Creative Destruction: New Research on Themes from Aghion and Howitt, Akcigit has shaped important scholarly conversations about innovation and growth. His leadership extends to co-directing the Growth Academy, which likely serves as a hub for research and policy discussion on economic development.

Before joining the University of Chicago, Akcigit served as an assistant professor of economics at the University of Pennsylvania. He earned his BA in economics from Koç University in Istanbul in 2003 and completed his PhD in economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2009, establishing a strong foundation for his research career focused on the intersection of innovation and economic growth.