Could the use of the "platform economy" to enable sharing, renting, and digitizing – rather than owning – a wide range of physical assets support progress towards the circular economy and sustainable development? Digital platforms can aggregate supply and demand, instill trust, and guarantee transactions. These platforms can open convenient options to access what we need when we need it - from power drills to cars. As the guest in the first episode of the "Innovation Matters" podcast, Professor Michael Munger of Duke University, points out, we may be witnessing the beginning of a development that will fundamentally transform how we consume, produce, and interact. Innovation Matters is a UNECE podcast series that explores how innovation, or experimentation with ideas to create value, is changing our world and could drive progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals in the region and beyond.