Diversification Pathways for Cambodia: Insights from International Experience
More than 300 students joined Professor Ricardo Hausmann, founder and director of Harvard’s Growth Lab, for a thought-provoking discussion on Cambodia’s economic future held at the Royal University of Phnom Penh.
The Growth Lab is collaborating with Cambodian government officials and the Australian Government’s CAPRED initiative to support national economic diversification, structural reforms, and data-driven investment strategies. Read media coverage about this initiative.
Growth Versus Development: The Peruvian Example
In this Development Talk, Roberto Chang, Professor in the Department of Economics at Rutgers University and Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research, discusses his recently published books “Economia Peruana ¿Milagro o Ficción?” and “Los 10 Números Que Todo Peruano Debe Conocer” and explores relevant lessons for Peru and the developing world.
Speaker: Roberto Chang, Professor of Economics at Rutgers University, Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research
Moderator: Ricardo Villasmil, Senior Research Fellow, Growth Lab
The Startup State: What Drives Economies That Innovate
What does entrepreneurship really mean, and why does it matter? America has a unique entrepreneurial edge. Its innovation engine, shaped by culture, markets, and policy has powered some of the world’s most transformative Ideas. What makes it different, and why does it continue to matter today? This conversation with Howard Wolk dives into his book, “Launchpad Republic: America’s Entrepreneurial Edge and Why It Matters”, the “secret sauce” of entrepreneurship, and examines the past, present, and future of American innovation.
Speaker: Howard Wolk Co-CEO of The Cross Country Group (CCG)
Moderator: Yariv Gabay, Wolk fellow in the Center for Public Leadership and an MC/MPA 2026 candidate at HKS
Ecuador: Economic Reactivation at the Global Crossroads and the New Commercial Era
After a decade of stagnation, Ecuador finds itself at a critical yet promising moment to revitalize its economy. With its recent return to international markets and progress in strategic trade negotiations — such as those with the United States — the country has the opportunity to launch a new stage of economic and productive development.
In this Development Talk, Minister Luis Alberto Jaramillo discusses Ecuador’s economic outlook and, in particular, how, amid a backdrop of growing geopolitical tensions and the reconfiguration of global alliances, Ecuador seeks to redefine its positioning to attract investment, boost production, and secure a future of sustained growth and stability.
Speaker: Min. Luis Alberto Jaramillo, Minister of Production, Foreign Trade, and Investment, Ecuador
Moderator: Sebastián Bustos, Senior Research Fellow
Productivity, Prosperity, and Canada’s Economic Future
In the inaugural lecture of The Canadian Standard of Living, Productivity and Innovation Lecture Series, economist Ricardo Hausmann, founder and director of the Growth Lab at Harvard Kennedy School, examines how emerging forces, including new technologies, alongside enduring factors such as natural resources, are reshaping productivity, prosperity and Canada’s economic future.
How Wyoming and New Mexico are Diversifying Fossil-Dependent Economies
Despite their reliance on coal, oil, and natural gas for revenue and jobs, Wyoming and New Mexico are actively seeking to diversify their economies amid a changing energy landscape.
In this webinar, Growth Lab research fellows Tim O’Brien and Juan Carlos Orrego Zamudio will share research insights from our work in New Mexico, including the fiscal risks of economic reliance on fossil fuels, potential growth industries, and considerations for effective state policymaking.
Industrial Policy in Action: Lessons from Over a Decade at the Department of Energy
The energy sector stands at an inflection point. After 15 years of remarkable change, the convergence of surging electricity demand, climate pressures, and emerging industries promises even more rapid transformation. This presentation and discussion draws on Garrett’s experience at the Department of Energy and Waypoint Strategy Group to explore the path from research to commercialization, the impacts of policy on technology development and deployment, and the broader ecosystem that makes modern energy systems work. We’ll close with a look at what the coming years may hold.
Speaker: Garrett Nilsen, Co-Founder and Partner Waypoint Strategy Group
Moderator: Ketan Ahuja, Growth Lab Research Fellow
Getting Things Done: Issue Spotting in the Infrastructure Development Projects Ecosystem
In this Development Talk, Bill Dobbs shares a front‑row view of how public policy, governance, and engineering intersect in real‑world settings. He offers Insights into how large public works succeed—or fail—depending on governance, institutions, and the quality of decision‑making and practical advice to future policy makers on infrastructure project management.
Speaker: Bill Dobbs, Former Civil and Structural Engineer and Project Manager
Moderator: Ricardo Hausmann, Director, Growth Lab
From Vacant Houses to Growth-Ready Capabilities: A Place-Based Growth Diagnostic
This talk explores housing vacancy as a source of insight into how cities can unlock new growth opportunities. Using Baltimore as a case study, it highlights how strengthening institutional coordination, capital access, and prevention capacity can shape more resilient development trajectories. The talk connects place-based innovation to Growth Lab frameworks on capabilities, complexity, and structural transformation.
Speaker: Terrance Smith, Chief Innovation Officer for the city of Baltimore
Moderator: Tim O’Brien, Senior Manager, Applied Research
Innovation Capabilities Outlook: Key Findings
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) presents the key findings from the inaugural Innovation Capabilities Outlook 2026. This first comprehensive mapping of global innovation capabilities, developed in partnership with Harvard’s Growth Lab, reveals a stark global innovation divide, quantifies massive untapped potential worth hundreds of thousands of missing innovations annually, and demonstrates how successful economies like Vietnam, China, and India have mastered strategic capability building.
This video features insights from Professor Ricardo Hausmann and positions the Innovation Capabilities Outlook as strategic intelligence for innovation policy and economic development decisions worldwide.