Karina Pallgast, José Vargas-Hernández, Patricia Hammer

• Green Innovation Areas have been developed in the US context of urban development in order to jump-start innovative solutions in abandoned areas. Prospective types of uses in these areas are not predetermined, but should be experimental and innovative. So far they can comprise vast greenhouse uses to less extensive clover fields, but their potential is not yet fully discovered. Implementing new and innovative economic uses in urban areas is relatively new in research for urban areas, in particular, when development types like bioeconomy are implemented. The joint German–Mexican research presented in this article aims at exploring the use of vacant inner urban spaces as Green Innovation Areas—discussing their potentials for sustainable development of shrinking cities.