Continuous and Additive Innovation Systems

In his book Why Industrial Revolution By-Passes Africa Hilary U Nwokeabia contends that:

...with private and un-rewarded knowledge bearers innovating in isolation and dieing in the same fashion, the continent has experienced "continuous but non-additive innovation system" as against "continuous and additive innovation system".

The question could be: How do we nurture, replicate and propagate "additive innovation systems"? From strengthening informal industrial clusters to building on the successful barcamps and makerfaires. Pervasive bottom-up efforts are important in order to initiate a critical mass.