Aerotrax is proud to announce that CEO David Bettenhausen has been featured as an expert contributor in The Economist’s Innovation Quotient report. This comprehensive research program and benchmarking tool, developed by Economist Impact and supported by Philip Morris International, examines the strength and effectiveness of innovation ecosystems across 40 countries and five industries.

The Innovation Quotient report leverages data from credible secondary sources, bespoke qualitative research, and an executive survey of 4,000 business leaders globally. The insights gained from over 120 measures of innovation ecosystem enablement offer unique perspectives designed to drive improvements at the country, industry, and firm levels and is strengthened by 40 in-depth expert consultations, including our CEO's perspective.

Bettenhausen joins a distinguished group of global thought leaders and experts, including executives from The Walt Disney Company, Citi, Shell, Volkswagen AG, Microsoft, Colgate-Palmolive, in contributing to this critical analysis. His involvement underscores Aerotrax’s commitment to advancing innovation beyond the aviation and aerospace industry.

The report highlights the importance of coordinated national strategies and the role of innovation hubs. Effective innovation requires synergy between government, private sector, and academia, driven by conducive policies and transparent governance. National strategies can enhance collaboration, ensuring all stakeholders work towards common goals. Furthermore, innovation hubs -- that is, geographic clusters of firms, suppliers, and academia -- play a crucial role in supporting local and global innovation, emphasizing the need for countries to develop or sustain these clusters to remain competitive in a globalized economy.

The interconnectedness brought about by global trade has driven socioeconomic gains, but rising global challenges necessitate a new model of globalization. Coordinated international efforts are required to support innovation, ensuring that progress is sustainable and inclusive. This involves fostering a workforce equipped for the future, through continuous learning and development programs, and rethinking labor and education policies to address demographic shifts and emerging skill requirements.

Aerotrax continues to push the frontier of innovation across numerous sectors. As the Company continues to focus on enabling exceptional customer outcomes through various Digital Transformation and Strategic Information Technology implementations, it will maintain a culture of intellectual curiosity and relentless innovation.

The Economist's website dedicated to this program can be found: https://impact.economist.com/new-globalisation/innovation-quotient/

The Innovation Quotient report can be found: https://impact.economist.com/new-globalisation/innovation-quotient/downloads/keyfindings2023.pdf