The low participation of those groups in innovation activities is frequently due to their lack of adequate capacities and/or their lower access to opportunities (Figure 1). These are acquired through formal education, vocational education and on-the-job training, and include notably the ability for problem solving, critical and creative thinking, ability to learn and to manage complexity, ability for team working and communication, having initiative and motivation, being receptive to innovation, and leadership and entrepreneurial skills, among others (OECD, 2010a). For example, solid scientific training, complex problem-solving ability and good communication skills are critical to engage in academic research or participate in R&D activities in high-technology sectors, vocational education and entrepreneurial skills might be relevant to adopt technologies or organisational methods created elsewhere to improve the productivity of small-sized enterprises (SMEs), or to expand the market outreach of start-ups through the use of new digital platforms.