Abstract:The suitability evaluation of urban innovation space is the basis for identifying urban innovation space and formulating urban innovation policies, and is of great significance for building an innovative city. Based on the perspective of niche, this paper discusses the conceptual connotation of the urban innovation space niche, and constructs the suitability evaluation index system of urban innovation space from three dimensions: resource niche, environmental niche and technology niche. The index system is then applied in an empirical study on Nanjing. The results show that the overall distribution pattern of the suitability of urban innovation space in Nanjing presents a significant "center-edge" feature, which is not completely consistent with the urban innovation space structure outlined in Nanjing’s master plan. In addition, the three different dimensions of niche suitability also show great differences in their spatial distribution patterns. On this foundation, this paper further discusses development strategies of urban innovation space.