Exploring the innovation potential of urban space at the micro scale: a case study of Suzhou’s main urban area

As urban areas serve as spatial carriers for innovation activities, exploring the interaction between innovation and urban spaces has become a research hotspot. Previous studies have primarily focused on urban innovation capacity assessment and measurement, with less attention given to the urban innovation potential and issues such as insufficient granularity of research and weak stability in factor weighting. In this study, an urban spatial innovation potential measurement system was proposed from a demand-side perspective, the structural equation model (SEM) was employed to investigate the direct and indirect influences of factors, and micro-scale empirical analysis was conducted in the main urban area of Suzhou, China. Coupling and coordination with innovation outputs were analyzed. The results revealed that (1) the innovation potential exhibits significant spatial clustering characteristics; (2) there is clear core-periphery spatial differentiation in the innovation potential, demonstrating decreasing spatial diffusion effects with distance from the center; and (3) only 8.18% of the plots in the study area occur at the harmonized innovation coupling stage, indicating that the overall innovation conversion efficiency should be improved. This study aimed to provide a sound basis and practical references for optimizing the layout and improving the quality of urban innovation spaces from a detailed scale perspective, thereby enhancing urban competitiveness.