Innovation brokers help to mobilise innovations, identify opportunities that the current system undervalues and they broker relationships between disparate parts of the system.In particular, they broker relationships between 'innovation creators', 'innovation seekers' (such as commissioner of services), investors and policy makers.
Innovation-rich sectors tend to be highly networked, with a high number of random connections between individuals and organisations and a high level of social, cultural and professional diversity within these social networks. This explains the important role that brokers play in estaboishing and maintaining such networks and relationships.
"Building relationships between innovators in different organisations and creating rules that make it safe to share, be open about problems and potential solutions is important."