• New report outlines seven core principles to help innovation labs scale, endure and deliver measurable national impact

Doha, Qatar – PwC Middle East has launched a new report titled, Turning Labs into Innovation Engines: A Playbook for Building National Innovation Programmes, offering governments and organisations a practical blueprint to transform innovation labs into strategic platforms that accelerate economic growth and deliver measurable impact.

Drawing on insights from global case studies and leading models including GovTech Labs in Singapore, Nokia Bell Labs in the USA and the European Innovation Council Labs, the report offers an action-oriented guide that helps decision-makers move labs beyond pilots and into national systems that deliver outcomes that matter.  

Yazen AlSafi, Consulting Partner at PwC Middle East, said: “Innovation labs are national assets. They deliver real outcomes when they operate with a clear mandate, strong governance, and an ecosystem-driven approach that accelerates the digital economy. This playbook equips leaders with a practical and outcomes-focused guide to build labs that scale and sustain impact. This is especially important in the Middle East, where countries are rapidly shaping a leading global innovation hub.”

Seven principles for labs that deliver real impact

The playbook outlines seven core principles for designing labs that become engines of national transformation. These include:

  • Delivering early wins to build credibility
  • Progressing from local validation to global recognition
  • Structuring labs for longterm sustainability
  • Leveraging existing digital infrastructure
  • Designing around people rather than processes
  • Measuring value through meaningful outcomes instead of activity
  • Activating the wider ecosystem by bringing together startups, government, corporates, academia and investors.

These principles are supported by lessons from international success stories as well as cautionary examples of labs that faltered due to weak governance, unclear mandates or limited commercialisation pathway.

Why this matters for the Middle East

The Middle East is at a pivotal point in its transformation. Countries are pushing forward national visions that prioritise diversification, digitalisation, sustainability and AI adoption. Governments across the region are investing in cloud capacity, compute and next-generation digital platforms to support this shift.

With deep sovereign capital pools and one of the world’s youngest populations, the region has a strong foundation to accelerate digital health, climate technologies, modernised public services and stronger R&D commercialisation.

The playbook provides leaders a clear structure to build new national labs, strengthen existing ones, diagnose where innovation systems are stalling and establish sustainable governance, operating models and funding pathways.

To download the full playbook or learn more about PwC Middle East’s ongoing efforts to shape the innovation landscape, visit this link.

About PwC

At PwC, we help clients build trust and reinvent so they can turn complexity into competitive advantage. We’re a tech-forward, people-empowered network with more than 364,000 people in 136 countries and 137 territories. Across audit and assurance, tax and legal, deals and consulting, we help clients build, accelerate, and sustain momentum. Find out more at www.pwc.com.   

With over 12,000 people across 12 countries in 30 offices, PwC Middle East combines deep regional insight with global expertise to help clients solve complex problems, drive transformation, and achieve sustained outcomes. Learn more at www.pwc.com/me.

 
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Contact:
Dana Safawi | dana.safawi@pwc.com

More details: @PwC_Middle_East on LinkedIn and Twitter