Ufuk Akcigit is the Arnold C. Harberger Professor of Economics and the Director of the Global Center for Economic Growth at the University of Chicago. He also serves as a Research Professor at the Halle Institute for Economic Research and is an elected Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research, the Center for Economic Policy Research, and the Center for Economic Studies. Akcigit earned his BA in Economics from Koc University in 2003 and his Ph.D. in Economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2009.
As a macroeconomist, Akcigit's research centers on economic growth, technological innovation, entrepreneurship, productivity, and firm dynamics. His work is widely published in leading economics journals, frequently cited in policy reports, and featured in popular media. In his recent book, "The Economics of Creative Destruction," co-edited with John Van Reenen, he examines how technological innovation can drive growth and address challenges such as inequality and climate change. Akcigit was also the lead academic for the World Bank's World Development Report 2024.
Personal Website: http://www.ufukakcigit.com
VoxEU Column
From shadows to sunrise: How to overcome the middle-income trap
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- Development & Growth
VoxEU Column
Tapping into talent: Coupling education and innovation policies for economic growth
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- Education ![](../../../../../../../../../../var/folders/34/zq18d8kx7kbgby0j06p_j6t40000gn/T/TemporaryItems/NSIRD_screencaptureui_EM2XPo/Screenshot 2022-01-04 at 17.01.16.png)
- Productivity and Innovation
VoxEU Column
The war of Tech: Cross-border venture capital, technology flows, and national security
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- Competition Policy ![](../../../../../../../../../../var/folders/34/zq18d8kx7kbgby0j06p_j6t40000gn/T/TemporaryItems/NSIRD_screencaptureui_EM2XPo/Screenshot 2022-01-04 at 17.01.16.png)
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- Productivity and Innovation
VoxEU Column
Business dynamism in Turkey
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- Productivity and Innovation
VoxEU Column
Synergising ventures: The impact of venture capital-backed firms on the aggregate economy
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- Industrial organisation ![](../../../../../../../../../../var/folders/34/zq18d8kx7kbgby0j06p_j6t40000gn/T/TemporaryItems/NSIRD_screencaptureui_EM2XPo/Screenshot 2022-01-04 at 17.01.16.png)
- Productivity and Innovation