The ability to innovate ensures the competitiveness of high-income countries and its enterprises. At the same time innovations question the classical economic equilibrium models. The course intends to shed light on different typologies of innovations, also considering multiple methodologies of empirical research in innovation economics. The second part of the course deals with different explanatory approaches of innovation economics: amongst others neo-classical, evolutionary and historic-institutional ones. The course studies both theoretical models and their empirical application, changing between micro and macro-economic perspectives. It is held in english.