Cecilia Rikap
Cecilia Rikap | |
|---|---|
 Cecilia Rikap in 2025 | |
| Born | 1984 (age 40–41)[1] |
| Education | Universidad de Buenos Aires (PhD in Economics) |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Digital governance Digital capitalism Intellectual monopolization |
| Institutions | University College London |
Cecilia Rikap (born in 1984) is an Argentine academic. She is an economics professor and the head of research at UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose (IIPP) at University College London. Rikap is also a researcher at the CONICET, Argentina’s national research council and a researcher at University of Technology of Compiègne.[2] She advised the Brazilian government on digital strategy.
Academic research
Rikap academic work brought to focus the concentration in intangible assets in the hands of a few large digital companies. Through her work she coined the term “intellectual monopolies” to designate this concentration of digital infrastructure, information and data.[3] Rikap’s work informs policy discussions on artificial intelligence arms race between the US and China.[4] Rikap studied the numerous ways in which Big Tech gains influence over innovation. This includes research to obtain sustainable energy sources for AI, where Google, Microsoft and Amazon distribute so-called cloud credits to innovators, creating a lasting dependency of smaller companies on Big Tech.[5]
Public cloud infrastructure
Rikap called out the dominance of Amazon, Microsoft and Google in the cloud and the ubiquity of Microsoft and Google in AI technology.[1] She advocated for the development of a public cloud infrastructure as a response to the dependence on large technology monopolies. Rikap advised in favor of a public cloud infrastructure financed by the State both in Brazil and in the EU.[6]
Advising public institutions
Rikap campaigned for support among economists for the decision by the Brazilian governments to resist pressure of Big Tech. She coordinated a joint letter signed by 50 prominent economists expressing concern about the interference by large tech companies in Brazil's sovereign matters.[1] She is advising the Brazilian government on digital sovereignty. In 2022 and 2023, Rikap acted as advisor to the Ministry of Health of Argentina.[7] Rikap is a frequent contributor and speaker at the OECD, especially on questions of competition policy.[2]
Awards
Rikap is a recipient of the EAEPE Joan Robinson Prize for her book Capitalism, Power and Innovation: Intellectual Monopoly Capitalism Uncovered.[8]
Books
- Rikap, Cecilia (2021). Capitalism, Power and Innovation Intellectual Monopoly Capitalism Uncovered. Routledge. ISBN 978-0-367-75029-9.
- Rikap, Cecilia; Lundvall, Bengt-Åke (2021). The Digital Innovation Race: Conceptualizing the Emerging New World Order. Palgrave. ISBN 978-3-030-89443-6.
References
- ^ a b c Pascual, Manuel G. (January 26, 2025). "Cecilia Rikap, researcher: 'Microsoft and Google are like salt: they're on every plate'". El Pais. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
- ^ a b "Cecilia Rikap". OECD. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
- ^ "Cecilia Rikap". UCL. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
- ^ "Cecilia Rikap". W@. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
- ^ Peplow, Mark (March 19, 2025). "How the US tech industry is shaping the transition to green energy". Nature. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
- ^ "Cecilia Rikap". Social Europe. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
- ^ "Cecilia Rikap". UCL. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
- ^ "The Joan Robinson Prize". European Association for Evolutionary Political Economy. Retrieved July 30, 2025.