About the development of this agenda

This agenda provides a framework for multidisciplinary thinking about KEMs and lists the main categories of methods that can be used in tackling missions and transitions. By presenting the current state of research (existing methods) and the most pressing research questions (knowledge gaps), the agenda serves as a basis for research programming around the missions and as inspiration for research proposals that address methodological challenges.

The Top Sector Creative Industries launched the concept of KEMs, as used within the design disciplines, in its KIA Creative Industries 2018-2021. In recent years, the concept of KEMs has been embraced by the (top) sectors as a valuable addition to the KETs (Key Enabling Technologies) and a crucial link in the process of addressing missions. Within the themes of the Mission-Driven Innovation Policy, there is a need to strengthen knowledge about and the development of new KEMs. The KEMs are therefore included in the KIA Key Technologies and they play a prominent role in the KIAs of the mission themes. The latter KIA supports the four theme KIAs with research into overarching knowledge and technology that is relevant to the missions in all four themes. With this positioning, the KEMs will be given a prominent place in research programming for the coming years. This agenda has been drawn up for this programming.

Because this research agenda was developed in the context of the Mission-Driven Innovation Policy, a broad elaboration of the concept of KEMs was sought that does justice to all forms of social and societal innovation. On the basis of a starting document drawn up by the initiators, a request was made in which a broad field of Dutch scientists from the alpha, beta and gamma sciences was consulted about the scientific state of affairs and the required research into KEMs within their various fields. The multicolored input that was collected with this request has been processed by the authors into this agenda.