President Obama Follows Global Trends to Develop Innovative Manufacturing Hubs

"Innovation and ingenuity has the ability to transform the way we do almost everything.... and we should do all that we can to encourage this type of innovation economy all across America". These were the resounding statements of a speech delivered on May 09, 2013, by United States President Barack Obama, in one of the United State's innovation hubs, Austin, Texas. Innovation was the theme that resounded throughout a speech meant to focus on US economic revival. With a promise to develop three new innovative manufacturing hubs throughout the US and another 12 to come, after receiving congressional approval, the President of the United States follows a trend that has been resonated by leaders throughout the world in recent years. From the United States to China, promoted as the source of economic development that will revitalize a struggling global economy into a self-sustaining juggernaut of the future, innovation is the 'buzz word' of choice by leaders and politicians.

When businessmen, to activist to politicians begin to unanimously utilize a certain 'buzz word', does it speak more to the evolution of a movement or just a very popular fad or trend. One has to wonder what is at the root of the innovation movement? What is the big problem that innovation is set to fix? What is the big thing that has leaders from the public and private sectors of almost every country in the world having a conversation about the significance of innovation? It must be huge. IT IS HUGE!

Whether or not you belong to the facet of people that saw the inevitable onset of a global recession, signs that the world's collective infrastructure and combined economic system could not support the toils of time, population growth and increased urbanization, were and are in plain sight. Over the last decade, the world's urban infrastructure has been challenged with the influx of over 25% of its population into urban cities. As the economics of the past several centuries that utilized rural towns as centers for manufacturing and output are replaced by a need to create greater economic density, the urban population steadily rises. By all fair and credible estimates the United Nations predicts that the world will add 2.6 billion new people and another 25% of the world' current population to urban cities in the next 30 years. The world is facing the biggest challenge of its existence. Serious overcrowding issues in the current urban cities accompanied by a gross misuse of energy, a massive shortage of resources to grow food and many other challenges lead to one conclusion, the world cannot continue in its current state. The world must find innovative solutions to its growth challenges.

To combat urbanization and fuel the innovation economy, a study by investment bank CIBC World Markets, cited that governments are expected to spend $35 trillion in public works projects during the next 20 years.. One more time, half of all the money in the world will be spent on innovative cities over the next 20 years. It is hard for anyone to wrap their arms around the magnitude and scale of the global initiative to change the world landscape without actually being on the ground and seeing it. Atlanta based GeniusCorps will do just that, take innovation minded professionals to see and discover the region of the world that is both in the lead and at the beginning of what is quickly becoming known as "The Instant City" initiative.

The GeniusCorps' Geeks Gone Global Innovation Excursion to East Asia in November of 2013, will take a group of 40 to the newest and smartest innovative city in the world, New Songdo City, Korea followed by a five country, 16 day innovation excursion through Mongolia, China, Malaysia and India. The Geeks Gone Global East Asia Innovation Excursion is meant to uncover the aggressive work that is being done, has been done and is about to be done to build the innovative cities of tomorrow and today. Starting in New Songdo City, Korea the newest, smartest and most advanced city in the world and ending in Auroville, India, a city where everything is up for innovation, the 16 day innovation excursion will provide the attendees of the trip a solid grasp of how innovation is literally shaping the world's future.

Geeks Gone Global is driven by an initiative, set by its founders, to physically connect the innovative communities and initiatives of over 180 countries by the end of 2015. "Geeks Gone Global wants to redefine the concept of a trade mission and pioneer the concept of innovation diplomacy" says Aliyyah Terborg, one of the trips organizers. "Each attendee pays his own way, so it is very important to us that we go the extra mile to insure that real connections are made and that each individual involved has the opportunity to receive exponential returns on their investment. We assign every attendee a staff liaison who interviews them regarding their purpose for joining the trip and insures that those needs are met on the trip and off the trip". The organization's website describes the East Asia Innovation Excursion (www.geeksgoneglobal.com/eastasia2013) "we will make long lasting connections, meet great innovators, connect, collaborate and above all have so much fun that you won't be able to tell work and party apart.... you will be lifted off your feet from the start of the trip and not touch ground until a month after you get home."

If innovation is the fuel of change and prosperity then the innovative hub is its engine.

ENDS