Une entreprise énergétique mondiale, présente dans plus de 60 pays et engagée vers la neutralité carbone d'ici à 2050, devait rationaliser la complexité de son écosystème d’innovation. Malgré un modèle d’innovation ouverte sophistiqué et soutenu par la direction, la mise en œuvre restait dispersée entre des feuilles Excel et des outils de communication fragmentés.

Pour gérer son processus complexe d'entonnoir d'innovation — de la collecte des besoins initiaux à la mise à l'échelle de la preuve de concept (PoC) — l'entreprise avait besoin d'une plus grande visibilité, d'une plus grande responsabilité et d'une plus grande évolutivité. Le défi consistait à remplacer les flux de travail décentralisés par un modèle stratégique basé sur les données pour trouver et développer des technologies externes.

Ce cas montre comment l’entreprise a transformé ce modèle avec innosabi, passant de processus éclatés à un écosystème d’innovation unifié et mesurable.

Le défi : un modèle en quatre piliers coincé dans les tableurs

Gérer un modèle d’innovation en quatre piliers dans un écosystème mondial s’est révélé difficile en pratique. La stratégie R&D et innovation de l’entreprise reposait sur une collaboration étroite avec des partenaires externes, les startups représentant environ 90 % de leurs cibles — un choix délibéré axé sur l’innovation ouverte. Chaque pilier jouait un rôle distinct dans la recherche, le financement et la mise à l’échelle des nouvelles idées.

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Mais leur interdépendance amplifiait les inefficacités, et les processus manuels freinaient la collaboration dans tout l’écosystème.

En pratique, ces frictions se manifestaient à plusieurs niveaux critiques :

Goulot d’étranglement des processus‍

L’équipe passait d’innombrables heures à compiler manuellement des données issues de fichiers disparates pour simplement rendre compte de l’état de 163 activités de veille technologique. Les responsables innovation passaient plus de temps à traiter des données qu’à jouer leur rôle de courtiers stratégiques, peinant à relier les besoins R&D aux solutions externes adaptées.

Valeur bloquée (le problème du PoC)‍

Le Proof of Concept (PoC), indicateur clé de succès, était affaibli. Des PoC financés mais non suivis entraînaient la perte d’opportunités cruciales pour la transition énergétique de l’entreprise.

Qualité des données et risque de gouvernance‍

Aucune standardisation des données n’existait. Les informations provenant de la branche de capital-risque et des activités de veille interne étaient stockées dans des systèmes distincts et incompatibles. Les métriques incohérentes rendaient tout reporting fiable impossible. De plus, l’absence de traçabilité numérique unifiée compliquait la conformité et ralentissait les démarches contractuelles externes.

En somme, le système existant ne permettait pas le niveau de coordination mondiale requis ni l’intégration efficace des données issues du vaste réseau d’acteurs de l’innovation.

La transformation digitale : construire la plateforme “Pioneer”

Ce qui avait commencé comme un défi opérationnel est rapidement devenu une opportunité stratégique de repenser la manière dont l’innovation était suivie, mesurée et mise à l’échelle.

Pour agir véritablement en tant que “courtier interne en innovation ouverte”, l’équipe avait besoin d’un noyau intelligent unique connectant les quatre piliers d’innovation. Pour cela, elle a choisi la plateforme innosabi, créant une solution interne qui a immédiatement résolu le problème des données dispersées et apporté une visibilité en temps réel sur tout l’écosystème.

La mise en œuvre a été à la fois rapide et efficace, avec des résultats mesurables obtenus en quelques mois.

• Une équipe interfonctionnelle de 20 collaborateurs issus des quatre piliers d’innovation a dirigé le déploiement.
• Le processus d’achat a duré six mois, suivi de cinq mois de configuration et de personnalisation — un déploiement fluide, sans interruption majeure.
• Le projet a été immédiatement salué par le PDG pour ses gains d’efficacité et son rôle dans l’accélération de la transition vers le biogaz et les énergies renouvelables.

“Avant 2023, notre entonnoir d’innovation était géré avec Excel et Teams — des informations éparpillées et aucune vue d’ensemble en temps réel. Aujourd’hui, nous suivons tout au même endroit, avec tableaux de bord, analyses et IA.”
– Responsable du scouting d’une entreprise énergétique mondiale

3 fonctionnalités clés qui ont transformé les données en vision stratégique

Le succès repose non seulement sur la centralisation, mais aussi sur des fonctionnalités structurées et puissantes soutenant l’ensemble de l’entonnoir d’innovation — essentielles pour les équipes d’innovation.

1. Documenter la valeur réalisée

Pour la première fois, l’entreprise pouvait quantifier ce qui fonctionnait réellement.

La plateforme innosabi Startup centralise désormais des dizaines de solutions ayant mené à un PoC financé et avec succès mis à l’échelle dans l’entreprise. L’accès est réservé aux parties prenantes des Business Units, garantissant la pertinence et l’actionnabilité des informations.

Ce répertoire consultable comprend les données d’investissement, les contacts clés et une checklist de collaboration — facilitant l’identification des technologies validées et leur impact business.
En rendant le ROI visible, il accélère également l’adoption interne de solutions validées à l’externe.

2. Contrôle de processus en temps réel et standardisation des données

Les téléchargements manuels ont été remplacés par des processus automatisés et standardisés, facilement évolutifs.

L’ensemble du processus de veille et de gestion des défis a été migré de dossiers partagés vers une base de données structurée et consultable. L’intégration des startups a été largement automatisée — environ 80 % des entrées étant importées via des modèles Excel normalisés par les partenaires.

Ce changement a offert aux équipes R&D et innovation une visibilité immédiate sur les activités en cours, l’état des projets et la répartition des charges. Le haut niveau de standardisation a également jeté les bases d’analyses de portefeuille basées sur l’IA, grâce à une amélioration notable de la qualité et de la cohérence des données saisies.

En seulement sept mois, la plateforme hébergeait 1 500 solutions, un chiffre ayant augmenté de 40 % l’année suivante.

3. Prise de décision quantitative

Le reporting est passé d’un mode réactif à un mode prédictif, offrant à la direction une vision en temps réel des performances d’innovation.‍

La plateforme fournit au responsable du scouting et à son équipe un accès instantané aux indicateurs clés, transformant un reporting manuel en un pilotage data-driven. La direction peut désormais analyser la dynamique de l’entonnoir en temps réel, identifier les cinq principaux axes technologiques et évaluer la performance des initiatives d’entreprise avec précision.

Ce passage à la prise de décision quantitative a rendu la supervision de l’innovation plus rapide, plus claire et fondée sur des résultats mesurables.

Prochaines étapes : faire évoluer la stratégie grâce à la structure

Cette transformation a révélé une vérité essentielle : le plus grand obstacle à la mise à l’échelle de la R&D n’est pas le manque d’innovation, mais la fragmentation des systèmes utilisés pour la gérer. En digitalisant l’ensemble de son entonnoir, l’entreprise a éliminé le risque de perdre la trace des PoC précieux et a réduit les frictions de gouvernance qui freinaient autrefois les progrès.
Aujourd’hui, elle peut superviser et gérer de manière centralisée un portefeuille croissant d’activités d’innovation.

Pour atteindre une échelle durable dans une stratégie complexe et multipiliers, chaque partie du cadre d’innovation — du suivi à la prise de décision — doit être numérique, connectée et transparente.

La plateforme innosabi a fourni la structure nécessaire pour transformer des efforts d’innovation ouverte complexes — incluant le corporate venturing, le scouting et l’incubation — en un actif stratégique mesurable et performant.

Si votre cadre d’innovation vous semble complexe ou difficile à piloter, la bonne structure apporte clarté, direction et progrès mesurables.

Découvrez comment la plateforme innosabi Startup aide à centraliser les workflows, connecter les données et transformer l’innovation en résultats tangibles.

Demandez une démonstration personnalisée de la plateforme innosabi dès aujourd’hui et découvrez “Pioneer” en action.

Quand on pense à l’innovation au sein d’un géant pharmaceutique, on imagine facilement d’immenses laboratoires de recherche, des pipelines à plusieurs milliards et des équipes de scientifiques travaillant à huis clos.
Mais lors du récent webinaire d’innosabi avec AstraZeneca, les projecteurs se sont braqués sur tout autre chose : comment faire évoluer l’innovation grâce à la collaboration — et comment les enseignements du secteur de la santé peuvent inspirer l’innovation d’entreprise dans tous les secteurs.

La discussion, animée par Madeleine Thun, co-responsable du Catalyst Network d’AstraZeneca, a abordé de nombreux sujets, des partenariats écosystémiques aux indicateurs de performance centrés sur le patient.
Bien que la conversation complète soit riche en enseignements, voici cinq points clés qui méritent qu’on s’y attarde.

Comme l’a partagé Madeleine pendant le webinaire : « Au sein du Catalyst Network, nous travaillons avec l’écosystème élargi de la santé pour stimuler l’innovation au-delà du simple développement de médicaments. »

Principaux enseignements de l’article

• Découvrez pourquoi le mantra d’AstraZeneca « Love the Problem, Scale the Outcome » transforme la façon dont les grandes organisations abordent l’innovation.
• Apprenez comment l’entreprise construit des partenariats de confiance avec les startups — sans revendiquer leur propriété intellectuelle.
• Découvrez comment le Catalyst Network d’AstraZeneca va au-delà du médicament pour améliorer l’ensemble du parcours patient.
• Obtenez des conseils pratiques sur la façon dont les entreprises peuvent éviter de bloquer des collaborations prometteuses et devenir des « gentle giants ».
• Comprenez pourquoi AstraZeneca mesure l’innovation en vies transformées, et non en métriques superficielles.

5 leçons clés tirées de l’approche d’AstraZeneca en matière d’innovation

1. La grande innovation commence par une philosophie simple

AstraZeneca suit un mantra qui guide toute son approche : « Love the Problem, Scale the Outcome » (« Aimez le problème, déployez la solution »).

À première vue, cela peut sembler presque trop simple. Mais sa force réside dans ce qu’il empêche : tomber amoureux d’un projet, d’un outil ou d’une technologie en particulier. Dans une grande organisation, il est tentant d’investir massivement dans une solution prometteuse et de vouloir la déployer partout. Le risque ? Forcer des solutions standardisées sur des contextes très différents.

« Aimer le problème signifie comprendre réellement ce que vous essayez de résoudre — les processus, les personnes, qui est impacté, et ce qui doit réellement changer. »

AstraZeneca mise donc sur une compréhension approfondie du défi réel. Par exemple, diagnostiquer plus tôt les patients peut nécessiter des outils ECG dopés à l’IA dans un pays, tandis que dans un autre, cela peut passer par des parcours totalement différents. Les détails varient, mais l’engagement à résoudre le problème de fond — de meilleurs résultats pour les patients — reste constant.

La leçon pour les entreprises : concentrez-vous obsessionnellement sur le problème, pas sur le projet. Les bonnes solutions en découleront naturellement.

2. Des partenariats sans rapports de force

L’un des plus grands freins à la collaboration entre grandes entreprises et startups est la peur : peur de perdre sa propriété intellectuelle, peur d’être éclipsé, ou peur de se retrouver coincé dans une relation déséquilibrée.

Voir comment les grandes entreprises et les startups dépassent la peur pour collaborer réellement — lisez l’article complet ici.

AstraZeneca adopte une approche rafraîchissante : elle ne demande pas aux startups de céder leur propriété intellectuelle. Au contraire, les collaborations sont présentées comme un « triple win » : bénéfiques pour le système de santé, pour la startup, et pour AstraZeneca.

« Nous ne revendiquons pas la propriété intellectuelle des entreprises avec lesquelles nous travaillons. Nous soutenons et collaborons dans un objectif commun. »

Cela peut sembler idéaliste, mais c’est en réalité très pragmatique. Les startups sont plus enclines à s’engager quand leur travail est protégé et valorisé. AstraZeneca y gagne en accédant à des idées de pointe sans les étouffer. Ce passage de la bataille de propriété à la collaboration orientée résultats est l’une des différences fondamentales de leur modèle.

La leçon pour les entreprises : la confiance bâtit de meilleurs écosystèmes que les contrats.

3. Une portée bien plus large que le médicament

Beaucoup pensent que le rôle d’AstraZeneca s’arrête une fois le traitement développé. En réalité, leur Catalyst Network couvre l’ensemble du parcours patient : de l’identification des populations à risque à la garantie que les patients suivent le bon traitement sur le long terme.

Cette vision élargie rend l’initiative particulièrement ambitieuse. Elle dépasse la science pure pour s’attaquer aux défis systémiques : accès aux soins, retards de diagnostic, observance thérapeutique. Concrètement, cela implique de travailler avec les hôpitaux, les payeurs, les associations de patients et les partenaires technologiques, pas seulement les laboratoires de recherche.

« Pour que les patients soient bien pris en charge, il faut d’abord identifier les personnes à risque, les diagnostiquer, les placer sous le bon traitement et les aider à s’y tenir. Cela requiert tout l’écosystème — pas uniquement le secteur pharma. »

Leur réseau est donc volontairement inclusif, réunissant startups, scale-ups, monde académique et bien plus encore. La santé est trop complexe pour qu’une seule entreprise puisse tout résoudre seule. En élargissant la focale au système global, AstraZeneca maximise son impact.

La leçon pour les entreprises : pour avoir un impact, élargissez votre vision au-delà de votre produit.

4. La collaboration a besoin d’un ancrage dans la réalité

L’un des moments les plus marquants du webinaire concernait les conseils très concrets pour les grandes organisations. Madeleine a été très directe : Ne faites pas perdre leur temps aux startups.

« La clé est de trouver vos champions et vos dirigeants qui osent s’impliquer. La plupart des gens ont un peu peur — mais avec les bons ambassadeurs, les autres suivront. »

Cela signifie deux choses :

• Soyez un “gentle giant” : reconnaissez que vos processus sont plus lents, vos revues juridiques plus longues et vos validations plus complexes.
• Mettez vos “canards en rang” : alignez-vous en interne sur vos besoins, votre soutien et les ressources disponibles avant d’approcher une startup.

Sinon, vous risquez de bloquer des collaborations prometteuses dans des débats internes sans fin. Pour les startups — qui avancent vite et ont peu de marge de manœuvre — ce type de limbo peut être fatal.

Cette lucidité est rare chez une grande entreprise, et c’est pourquoi ce conseil a marqué les esprits.‍

La leçon pour les entreprises : l’auto-connaissance est sous-estimée dans l’innovation. Connaissez votre rythme, assumez-le et ne laissez pas cela freiner les autres.

Lisez notre guide complet sur le scouting de startups pour apprendre à identifier et à collaborer avec les bonnes startups.

5. Le succès se mesure en vies transformées

Les indicateurs d’innovation peuvent vite devenir confus. Trop souvent, les entreprises célèbrent le nombre de pilotes lancés, de projets annoncés ou de partenariats signés. Cela fait bien dans les rapports, mais ne dit rien de l’impact réel.

AstraZeneca inverse cette logique. Leurs indicateurs clés sont centrés sur le patient :

• Combien de personnes à risque ont été identifiées ?
• Combien ont été diagnostiquées plus tôt ?
• Combien ont été placées sous un traitement conforme aux recommandations ?

Cette focalisation sur les résultats (et non les moyens) maintient tout le réseau dans une dynamique saine. Plutôt que de courir après des métriques de vanité, AstraZeneca suit ce qui compte vraiment : les vies améliorées et prolongées.

Si vous ne pouvez pas mesurer l’innovation, vous ne pouvez pas la faire évoluer. Découvrez les KPI qui comptent vraiment dans notre guide ultime.

La leçon pour les entreprises : redéfinissez le succès autour de l’impact, pas de l’activité.

Conclusion

L’approche d’AstraZeneca met en lumière une vérité souvent oubliée : l’innovation ne se déploie pas grâce aux idées seules, mais grâce à l’écosystème et aux fondations qui les soutiennent.

Mais ces points forts ne sont qu’un point de départ. Le webinaire complet explore en détail des sujets tels que :

• Le rôle des champions internes pour surmonter les résistances au changement
• Des exemples concrets de collaborations ayant abouti à un impact réel pour les patients
• La façon dont AstraZeneca utilise des plateformes numériques pour gérer un pipeline mondial d’innovation sans chaos

Comme le dit Madeleine : « Dans une grande organisation où les équipes sont autonomes, la main droite ignore souvent ce que fait la gauche. Des plateformes comme innosabi Startup nous offrent une visibilité à l’échelle de l’entreprise. »

Envie de voir comment tout cela s’articule ? Accédez au replay complet du webinaire et découvrir la conversation dans son intégralité.

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L’innovation peut naître d’une seule idée, mais elle ne devient réellement transformatrice que lorsqu’elle est déployée à grande échelle à travers les bons réseaux, partenariats et écosystèmes. C’est pourquoi les organisations leaders repensent leur manière de collaborer — en passant d’une R&D fermée et cloisonnée à des modèles d’innovation ouverte et orientée vers un objectif commun, qui accélèrent l’impact.

Lors du récent webinaire d’innosabi avec AstraZeneca, un thème s’est clairement dégagé : la réussite ne repose pas seulement sur la découverte de solutions, mais aussi sur la création des structures et des relations qui permettent à ces solutions de croître, de s’adapter et d’avoir un impact à l’échelle mondiale.

Principaux enseignements de l’article

• L’innovation à grande échelle nécessite une structure — le réseau A Catalyst d’AstraZeneca connecte startups, scale-ups, prestataires et monde académique au sein d’un seul écosystème mondial.
• Les partenariats fonctionnent quand la propriété intellectuelle reste à la startup — on passe des batailles de propriété à une collaboration axée sur les résultats.
• L’impact prime sur les indicateurs de vanité — le succès se mesure en patients traités, non en pilotes lancés.
• La visibilité et la gouvernance sont incontournables — la plateforme innosabi garantit conformité, partage des connaissances et prise de décision plus rapide.

Ce qu’il faut pour transformer une bonne idée en solution mondiale

Pour une entreprise mondiale comme AstraZeneca, le défi ne consiste pas seulement à développer des traitements révolutionnaires, mais à créer un impact concret sur l’ensemble du parcours patient. Cela implique de diagnostiquer plus tôt, de traiter plus efficacement et de s’assurer que les patients reçoivent les thérapies qui auront le plus d’effet.

Leur réponse ? Construire un écosystème qui rassemble startups, scale-ups, prestataires de santé, associations de patients, payeurs et monde académique autour de problématiques communes. Grâce au réseau A Catalyst, AstraZeneca a redéfini la manière dont les grandes entreprises peuvent aborder l’innovation — en mettant moins l’accent sur la propriété et davantage sur les résultats.

Ci-dessous, nous explorons le modèle d’AstraZeneca comme une mini étude de cas, en abordant leur philosophie d’innovation, leur structure de partenariat et leurs outils opérationnels.

Le défi : pourquoi AstraZeneca avait besoin d’une collaboration en écosystème

La mission d’AstraZeneca va bien au-delà de la simple vente de médicaments. L’entreprise a identifié une lacune : les défis systémiques en matière de santé n’étaient pas résolus assez rapidement.

Ces problématiques sont trop complexes pour qu’une seule entreprise puisse les résoudre. Les grands groupes pharmaceutiques disposent de ressources et d’expertises, mais ils ne peuvent pas, à eux seuls, créer les outils de diagnostic, les plateformes technologiques ou les solutions systémiques nécessaires pour transformer les résultats de santé. Pour repousser les frontières de l’innovation en santé à grande échelle, AstraZeneca avait besoin de partenaires agiles, avec des perspectives nouvelles et des compétences de niche.

L’approche : structurer les partenariats pour un impact réel

1. Construire un écosystème inclusif

Grâce à A Catalyst, AstraZeneca a créé un réseau volontairement inclusif qui englobe startups, scale-ups, laboratoires de recherche, prestataires de santé et associations de patients. Cette diversité leur permet d’aborder les défis tout au long du parcours patient — de l’identification des personnes à risque jusqu’au suivi à long terme des traitements.

Comme l’a expliqué Madeleine Thun, co-responsable du Catalyst Network, lors du webinaire :

« Nous soutenons les parties prenantes de l’ensemble de l’écosystème de santé élargi : prestataires de solutions, startups, payeurs, médecins, monde académique, investisseurs. L’écosystème est vaste. Pour générer un changement durable, nous avons besoin de cette inclusivité. »

2. Un modèle de partenariat fondé sur la confiance

Contrairement à de nombreuses grandes entreprises, AstraZeneca ne cherche pas à s’approprier la propriété intellectuelle de ses partenaires startups. L’entreprise se concentre sur une “triple victoire” : des solutions bénéfiques pour le système de santé, pour le partenaire, et pour AstraZeneca elle-même. Cette approche élimine l’un des plus grands freins à la collaboration et instaure une véritable confiance.

« Notre modèle économique repose sur la vente de médicaments, pas sur l’appropriation d’IP. Dans le Catalyst Network, nous visons des collaborations gagnant–gagnant–gagnant : utiles aux systèmes de santé et aux patients, bénéfiques pour les partenaires, et pertinentes pour AstraZeneca. »

Ce principe garantit que les startups peuvent collaborer sans craindre d’être éclipsées ou absorbées — un point de friction fréquent dans les partenariats corporate–startup.

3. Une philosophie d’innovation claire : Aimer le problème, faire évoluer la solution

L’élément le plus distinctif du modèle AstraZeneca est peut-être leur mantra : Love the Problem, Scale the Outcome (Aimer le problème, faire évoluer la solution).

Cette philosophie signifie que l’innovation commence par une compréhension approfondie des défis systémiques, plutôt que par des solutions prédéfinies. Chaque système de santé est différent, donc la mise à l’échelle nécessite de la flexibilité. Dans un pays, la solution peut être un outil ECG basé sur l’IA ; dans un autre, une approche totalement différente.

« Ce que nous mettons en avant, c’est l’amour du problème, pas du projet. L’objectif reste les résultats pour les patients et les systèmes, pas la protection d’une solution unique. »
— Madeleine Thun, AstraZeneca

Avec cette mentalité, AstraZeneca évite de s’accrocher à un “projet favori” et garde le cap sur l’objectif ultime : de meilleurs résultats pour les patients, quel que soit le moyen utilisé.

4. Utiliser les bons outils pour le passage à l’échelle

Gérer un réseau mondial d’innovation est complexe. AstraZeneca utilise la plateforme innosabi comme “single point of knowledge” — un hub numérique qui offre une visibilité globale, suit les partenariats, garantit la conformité et évite la duplication des efforts au sein des équipes internationales.

La plateforme innosabi permet de :

• Offrir une visibilité globale sur les projets, partenaires et résultats.
• Suivre les partenariats de manière systématique pour qu’aucun ne passe entre les mailles du filet.
• Maintenir des normes de conformité et de gouvernance à travers les régions.
• Éviter la duplication des efforts, en empêchant plusieurs équipes de travailler en parallèle sur le même problème sans le savoir.

Ce dispositif ne sert pas uniquement à “mettre de l’ordre”. C’est ce qui rend la véritable mise à l’échelle possible : les idées et cadres testés dans un marché peuvent être adaptés ailleurs, avec tout le contexte et les enseignements transmis. Même si la solution elle-même évolue, la base de connaissances et les processus restent en place, permettant à AstraZeneca de déployer des résultats à l’échelle mondiale sans perte de vitesse ni de cohérence.

En d’autres termes, les outils ne se contentent pas de soutenir l’innovation : ils en multiplient l’impact.

Les résultats : pourquoi leur approche fonctionne

En plaçant la collaboration au cœur de sa stratégie, AstraZeneca a mis en place un cadre qui génère systématiquement des résultats mesurables et centrés sur les patients.

Quelques exemples :

• Partenariats réussis avec des startups : par exemple, collaborations avec des startups ECG IA pour aider les médecins de soins primaires à identifier plus tôt les patients cardiaques à risque.
• Mentorat pour les startups en phase initiale : au-delà des partenariats, AstraZeneca accompagne les jeunes startups dans la navigation des réglementations strictes du secteur, renforçant ainsi l’écosystème et assurant une relève future.
• Un modèle évolutif : leur philosophie permet d’adapter des projets éprouvés dans un pays à d’autres contextes, avec des systèmes et partenaires différents.

Leçons pour les leaders de l’innovation en entreprise

Le parcours d’AstraZeneca offre des enseignements pratiques et transférables pour les entreprises souhaitant faire évoluer l’innovation via la collaboration :

Commencez par le problème, pas par la solution.‍

Définissez le défi clairement avant d’impliquer des partenaires.

Soyez un “gentle giant”.‍

Les grandes entreprises avancent lentement — mettez vos processus internes en ordre avant d’impliquer des startups pour ne pas leur faire perdre de temps.

Mesurez ce qui compte.‍

Privilégiez des indicateurs axés sur les résultats et l’impact sur les patients ou clients.

Créez un écosystème inclusif.‍

La diversité des partenaires mène à des solutions plus solides et durables.

Investissez dans des outils de structure et de visibilité.‍

Sans plateforme centralisée, la collaboration à grande échelle devient chaotique et inefficace.

Privilégiez l’humilité.‍

Une collaboration authentique nécessite de reconnaître les déséquilibres de pouvoir et de construire des partenariats bénéfiques pour toutes les parties.

Conclusion

Le réseau A Catalyst d’AstraZeneca démontre comment les grandes entreprises peuvent transformer l’innovation en un processus évolutif et reproductible en se concentrant sur les écosystèmes plutôt que sur la propriété. Leur philosophie — Love the Problem, Scale the Outcome — rappelle que l’innovation ne consiste pas à courir après des solutions “brillantes”, mais à créer des changements concrets et mesurables.

Le succès repose sur des partenariats fondés sur la confiance, des collaborations structurées grâce aux bons outils et une focalisation constante sur les résultats finaux.

Mais ce n’est que la surface. Le webinaire complet explore plus en détail les défis opérationnels, les modèles de gouvernance et la manière dont AstraZeneca mesure le succès au-delà des indicateurs classiques.

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Regardez le webinaire ici.

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FAQ

Comment la collaboration améliore-t-elle l’innovation ?‍

AstraZeneca montre que la collaboration libère le potentiel d’innovation en combinant des expertises diverses — startups, monde académique, prestataires de santé — pour relever des défis qu’aucune entreprise ne pourrait résoudre seule. Au lieu de pilotes isolés, la co-création conduit à des solutions à la fois pratiques et évolutives.

Qu’est-ce que la mise à l’échelle de l’innovation ?‍

C’est le passage des projets pilotes à des solutions ayant un impact mondial. Le réseau Catalyst en est un excellent exemple : des idées validées dans un pays sont adaptées à d’autres, pour générer de vrais résultats pour les patients.

Qu’est-ce qu’une stratégie d’innovation en écosystème ?‍

Il s’agit de bâtir des réseaux de partenaires qui partagent les mêmes défis et co-développent des solutions. Pour AstraZeneca, cela signifie connecter les acteurs tout au long du parcours de soins — du diagnostic au traitement — afin que les innovations ne soient pas seulement créées, mais intégrées dans les systèmes à grande échelle.

Quel est un exemple de collaboration en écosystème ?‍

Le réseau Catalyst lui-même. En collaborant avec des startups healthtech sans revendiquer leur IP, AstraZeneca accélère l’adoption d’outils comme les ECG alimentés par IA — aidant ainsi les médecins à identifier plus tôt les patients à risque et à améliorer les résultats de santé à l’échelle mondiale.

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Depuis 2016, l’organisation s’appuie sur le logiciel innosabi pour recueillir les idées de l’ensemble de ses collaborateurs. Ce qui avait commencé comme une large initiative d’innovation ouverte s’est transformé en un système ciblé, transparent et gratifiant d’innovation interne portée par les employés.

Au fil du temps, l’aéroport de Munich a déplacé son attention de la quantité vers la qualité, privilégiant moins d’idées mais plus solides, avec des processus clairs et des mises en œuvre plus réussies. La transparence est devenue un atout central : grâce à l’historique des décisions expliquant pourquoi certaines idées ont été acceptées ou rejetées, les employés ont gagné en confiance dans le système et se sont sentis motivés à soumettre de meilleures propositions.

Et les résultats parlent d’eux-mêmes – et ils sont mesurables :

• 100 nouvelles idées soumises en 2024
• 205 idées finalisées (mises en œuvre, clôturées ou rejetées avec retour d’information)
• 32 000 € distribués en récompenses financières

Mais ces chiffres ne racontent qu’une partie de l’histoire. Le véritable succès réside dans l’intégration de la gestion des idées à la culture de l’aéroport de Munich – renforçant l’engagement, la reconnaissance et la fidélisation de l’ensemble des collaborateurs.

Dans cette success story exclusive, vous découvrirez :

• Comment l’aéroport de Munich a structuré un processus transparent qui inspire la confiance.
• Pourquoi passer de plus d’idées à de meilleures idées a accéléré la mise en œuvre.
• Le rôle de la reconnaissance et des récompenses dans la stimulation de l’engagement des employés.
• Comment la plateforme innosabi s’intègre parfaitement aux systèmes informatiques et à la culture de l’entreprise.
• Et demain : l’IA, la gamification et l’avenir de l’innovation portée par les employés.

Téléchargez l’intégralité de la success story et découvrez comment l’aéroport de Munich façonne l’avenir de l’innovation interne.

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Aujourd’hui, l’innovation ne se limite plus à des idées audacieuses : c’est une stratégie d’entreprise à part entière. Et pour transformer ces idées en résultats concrets, il faut une gestion structurée des projets.

Pourtant, de nombreuses équipes innovation jonglent encore avec des fichiers Excel, des outils disparates et des responsabilités floues. Résultat : des projets ralentis, des efforts doublonnés, et un manque de synergies.

C’est exactement ce que résout innosabi Project.

La plateforme permet de structurer, suivre et faire évoluer les projets d’innovation à l’échelle de l’entreprise. Qu’il s’agisse d’initiatives internes, de programmes R&D ou de projets transverses, innosabi Project crée un espace de travail commun, où tout le monde est aligné.

Et cela fonctionne.

L’un des leaders européens du secteur de la construction a récemment transformé sa gestion de l’innovation grâce à un outil unique regroupant plusieurs milliers de projets, de partenaires et de contributeurs.

The financial sector is evolving at an unprecedented pace, driven by technological advancements, changing customer expectations, and an increasingly complex regulatory landscape. In an industry where trust, security, and efficiency are paramount, financial institutions must continuously innovate to remain competitive and future-proof their operations.

Why Innovation Matters in Finance

Innovation is no longer just a competitive advantage in the financial industry—it is a necessity. The rise of digital banking, fintech solutions, and AI-driven services has transformed customer expectations. Users now demand seamless digital experiences, personalized financial products, and faster, more secure transactions. To keep up with this rapid transformation, financial institutions must embrace new technologies and rethink traditional processes.

Challenges in Driving Innovation

Financial institutions face several challenges when it comes to innovation. Some of the most pressing include:

• Regulatory Compliance: Adhering to strict financial regulations while implementing new technologies can slow down digital transformation efforts.
• Data Security & Privacy: Protecting sensitive customer information is a top priority, requiring robust cybersecurity measures and careful data management.
• Legacy Systems: Many financial institutions still rely on outdated infrastructure that makes seamless digital integration difficult.
• Customer Trust: While customers expect innovation, they also need to feel confident that their financial data is secure and services remain reliable.
• Internal Adoption: Encouraging employees to embrace new systems and workflows can be a challenge, especially in well-established institutions with deeply rooted processes.

How Financial Institutions Can Overcome These Challenges

To successfully drive innovation, financial service providers must find the right balance between agility and security. Key strategies include:

• Investing in Scalable Digital Solutions that integrate with existing infrastructure while offering room for future growth.
• Prioritizing Regulatory Compliance from the Start to ensure that innovation aligns with industry standards and avoids legal complications.
• Leveraging Data Responsibly to provide personalized customer experiences while upholding privacy and security.
• Encouraging a Culture of Innovation by empowering employees with the tools and mindset needed to contribute to transformation efforts.

For a deeper dive into how financial institutions can implement agile innovation strategies, check out our whitepaper on Agile Innovation in Finance.

A Practical Example of Innovation in Finance

Navigating the complexities of financial innovation requires strategic planning and the right tools. See how BEKB is tackling these challenges and driving innovation.

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The innovation process is basically the journey a company takes to turn those lightbulb moments into something real; something tangible – an exciting new product, a helpful service, or even a better way of doing things. It covers all the steps involved, from that first spark of an idea to its launch.Now, in big companies, this process can be, well… more intricate (i.e. bringing together different areas like brainstorming, keeping an eye on trends, and even managing the technology side).But at its core, the innovation process is there to ensure everything runs smoothly and efficiently, so those bright ideas actually become successful innovations.This article will delve into the key stages of the innovation process, providing insights and actionable tips.Learn more: What Is Process Innovation in Businesses? – Benefits, Examples, Case Studies

So, What's Innovation, Anyway?

Simply put, innovation is about bringing something new and valuable into the world. It’s not simply having an excellent idea. Rather, turning that idea into something that makes a difference.Now, innovation comes in different flavors:

1. Incremental Innovation: Also known as continuous innovation.- Think of this as taking something that already exists and making it a bit better. Like your smartphone getting a faster processor or a longer-lasting battery. Small steps, perhaps. But they add up!
2. Disruptive Innovation: This one shakes things up! It's when you introduce something completely new that changes the way things are done, often making older products or services obsolete. Remember when smartphones replaced those flip phones? Yeah, that was disruptive.
3. Radical Innovation: This is the big leagues! Those groundbreaking discoveries or inventions that completely transform industries and even society. Think of the internet or the discovery of penicillin.

Invention vs. Innovation: What's the difference?

People often mix these up, but there's a key distinction:

1. Invention is creating something entirely new that didn't exist before. It's that "Eureka!" moment in the lab.
2. Innovation is taking that invention and making it useful and successful in the real world; something people actually want and use.

So, Why Is Innovation Such a Big Deal?

We’re glad you asked because innovation has a huge impact on both businesses and society.

1. For businesses: Innovation can help companies stay ahead of the competition, attract new customers, and grow their profits. It's about adapting and thriving in an ever-evolving world that never seems to stop.
2. For society: It drives progress. It leads to better healthcare, improved living standards, and solutions to some of our biggest challenges. In the end, it makes the world a better place.

So, whether it's big or small, for businesses or society, innovation is what keeps us all moving forward!

The 4 Stages of the Innovation Process

• Idea Generation

This is the brainstorming stage - where all those creative juices start flowing. It's gathering as many ideas as possible, no matter how wild or crazy they might seem at first.Why is it so important? Well, you can't build a castle without bricks, right? Similarly, you can't innovate without a pool of ideas to explore and develop.Techniques to Get Those Creative Gears TurningThere are tons of ways to get those ideas flowing:

1. Brainstorming: The classic! Get a group together, throw ideas around, and build on each other's thoughts.
2. Mind Mapping: Visualize your ideas by creating a diagram connecting different concepts and thoughts.
3. Problem Reversal: Instead of solving a problem, try thinking about how to cause the problem. This can lead to some unexpected solutions!
4. SCAMPER: This technique encourages you to Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify, Put to another use, Eliminate, and Reverse different elements of a product or process to spark new ideas.

And the list goes on! The key is to find what works best for you and your team.

Leveraging Innovation Platforms and Challenges

To streamline idea generation and encourage participation, many businesses are turning to innovation platforms, specifically idea management platforms. These platforms provide a centralized hub for collecting, organizing, and evaluating ideas. They can also be used to host innovation challenges, which are contests designed to solve specific problems. Challenges are a great way to engage employees and generate a high volume of creative solutions, especially when employees are busy with their day-to-day tasks.You can learn more about innovation challenges and idea management platforms here.Learn more: 11 Proven Ideation Techniques and Strategies to Ignite Your Team’s Creative Genius

• Idea Selection And Evaluation

Okay, so we've got a ton of ideas swirling around. That's great! But now comes the tricky part: selecting and evaluating those ideas. Why can't we just go with all the ideas? – Great question!As much as we'd love to, resources are limited. You can't pursue every single idea that pops up. So, you need to choose wisely and focus on the ones that have the most potential.How do we pick the winners?This is where we put on our critical thinking hats and evaluate each idea based on a few key criteria:

1. Feasibility: Can we actually do this? Do we have the technology, skills, and resources to make it happen?
2. Market Potential: Is there a demand for this? Will people actually want to buy or use it?
3. Alignment with Organizational Goals: Does this idea fit with our overall strategy and objectives? Will it help us achieve our long-term vision?

And of course, there might be other factors to consider depending on your specific situation.Who Decides and How?The decision-making process for idea selection can vary, but it often involves a combination of expert evaluation and employee input.

1. Expert Evaluation: A team of experts assesses ideas based on the criteria mentioned above, providing an objective analysis of their potential.
2. Employee Involvement: Employees can play a crucial role in selecting winning ideas through:
   1. Voting: Allowing employees to vote on their favorite ideas gives everyone a voice and fosters a sense of ownership.
   2. Crowdfunding: Employees can "invest" virtual tokens or points in ideas they believe in, simulating a crowdfunding process and highlighting ideas with strong internal support.

Innovation platforms can facilitate this process by providing tools for structured evaluation, voting, and crowdfunding. This streamlines decision-making and ensures that the best ideas rise to the top.Note: When involving customers in idea selection, the approach might differ slightly. You can learn more about engaging customers in innovation here.And of course, there might be other factors to consider depending on your specific situation.Bonus: Data-Driven DecisionsIt's important to be objective and avoid falling in love with a particular idea just because it sounds, well… cool. Gather data, conduct market research, and analyze the potential risks and rewards. Let the numbers guide your decisions!This stage can be tough, as it often involves saying goodbye to some ideas that might have seemed promising at first. But remember, focus your efforts on the ideas that have the best chance of success.

• Concept Development And Testing

Alright, you’ve now got your winning ideas! Now, let's roll up our sleeves and start building something real. 3.1 Make it TangibleTransform that abstract idea into something more concrete. It's like taking a rough sketch and turning it into a detailed blueprint.Start by fleshing out the idea, defining its key features, and exploring how it might work in the real world. This might involve creating mockups, storyboards, or even basic prototypes to visualize the concept and get a better understanding of its potential.3.2 Prototyping and Testing (aka, getting real-world feedback)The time has come to put those concepts to the test! Here, you’ll create prototypes – early versions of the product or service – and get them into the hands of your target users.Why is this so important? Because feedback is gold! By observing how people interact with your prototypes, you can gather valuable insights, identify any flaws or areas for improvement, and refine your concept accordingly.3.3 Leveraging Innovation Platforms for Prototype TestingInnovation platforms can be incredibly helpful during this stage, especially when testing with customers. They offer dedicated features for prototype testing, allowing you to easily share prototypes with your target audience, collect feedback, and analyze the results. This streamlines the testing process and helps you gather valuable insights more efficiently. Learn more about how innovation platforms support prototype testing and customer co-creation here.3.4 Embrace the Feedback LoopThis stage isn't about getting it perfect on the first try. It's about continuous improvement. This means testing, gathering feedback, making changes… and testing again. It's a cycle of learning and refinement that helps you create something that truly meets the needs and expectations of your users.

• Commercialization

Your concept is polished and ready to go! Now, it's time for the grand finale. This is where you take your innovation and introduce it to the world.4.1 Launching into the MarketThis stage is where we get your product to your customer. It involves a lot of planning and coordination across different areas such as marketing, sales, and operations.4.2 Marketing: Tell Your StoryYou must create excitement around your innovation and tell people why they should care. To do this, you’ll need to develop a marketing strategy that highlights the key benefits and unique selling points of your product or service.Determine your target audience, craft compelling messages, and choose the right channels to reach them, such as advertising, social media campaigns, public relations… or even good old-fashioned word-of-mouth marketing.4.3 Pricing and Distribution: Getting it to the CustomersYou also need to figure out how much to charge for your innovation and how you'll get it to your customers (i.e. setting a pricing strategy that balances profitability with customer affordability).Also, you'll need to choose the right distribution channels, whether it's through online platforms, brick-and-mortar stores (or a combination of both).4.4 Customer-Centric Approach: Your Secret Key to SuccessKeeping your customers at the forefront is critical throughout this stage. To ensure that your innovations truly resonate with them, you’ll have to deeply understand their needs, preferences, and pain points.

Challenges In The Innovation Process

Okay, fun as it may seem, let's be real, the innovation process isn't always smooth sailing. In other words, get ready, because there are bound to be challenges along the way!

Common Roadblocks

1. Resistance to change: People can get comfortable with the status quo. Introducing something new can be met with skepticism or even outright resistance.
2. Lack of resources: Innovation often requires time, money, and talent. These resources aren't always readily available, especially in smaller organizations or during tough economic times.
3. Fear of failure: Innovation involves taking risks, and not every idea will be a winner. This fear of failure can stifle creativity and prevent people from taking bold steps.

Strategies For Overcoming These Challenges

1. Foster a culture of innovation: Encourage experimentation, celebrate successes, and learn from failures. Make it okay to take risks and think outside the box.
2. Secure leadership buy-in: Get leaders on board with the innovation agenda. Their support is crucial for securing resources and driving change.
3. Empower employees: Give people the autonomy and tools they need to innovate. Encourage them to share their ideas and contribute to the process.
4. Embrace agile methodologies: Break down projects into smaller, manageable chunks and iterate based on feedback. This helps reduce risk and adapt to changing circumstances.

Learn more: 4 Principles of Agile Innovation

Wrapping It Up

The innovation process is a journey, not a destination. So aim to constantly seek out new opportunities, challenge the status quo as you know it, and create a better future.So go out there and innovate! The world is waiting for your next big idea.

Found this helpful? Dive into more resources to continue your innovation journey.

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Innovation isn't something that happens in a vacuum, right? Sometimes the best ideas come from looking at the world around you. Whether it's seeing how people are living their lives, spotting new tech, or checking out what your competitors are up to, there's a whole universe of inspiration out there, just waiting to be explored.We've already talked about how to find fresh ideas within your own company, so now let's look beyond those walls. In this article, we're exploring the most powerful external innovation sources that can help your business think outside the box, grow faster, and stay ahead of the game. External sources of ideas are all about finding those brilliant thoughts outside your company walls. It's looking at the wider world – trends, technologies, even what your competitors are up to – and using those insights to spark your very own creativity. Ready to see what's possible from within? Let's jump in!Learn more:Scaling Innovation Processes Through Internal and External Stakeholder Communication

1. Customers

First, let's talk about your existing customers. They're much more than just people who buy what you sell. In fact, they're a powerhouse of valuable and relevant insights! Think about it: who knows better about what they want and need than the people who are actually using your products or services in the real world?Paying attention to feedback, surveys, and online communities can reveal those hidden pain points you might not even know existed. This way, you’ll have a direct line to the people who matter most, telling you exactly what they love, what they hate, and what they wish you offered.Companies like LEGO have mastered this external innovation strategy. They actively seek out customer ideas through their LEGO Ideas platform, turning fan creations into actual products. And those super-fast Amazon deliveries? That came from understanding customer frustration with slow shipping times.Also, keep something very important in mind: it's not just about asking customers what they want. Sometimes, it's about observing what they do and figuring out their underlying goals. That's how Netflix started recommending shows based on your viewing history. It wasn't just an algorithm; it was a direct response to customer frustration with endless browsing (we’ve all been there).

1. Competitors

Okay, let's switch gears and talk about your competitors. Now, before you roll your eyes and say, "Ugh, not them again," hear us out. Keeping an eye on your rivals isn't about copying their every move; rather, it's about gathering valuable intel that can fuel your own innovation.So think of this like a friendly game of chess. You need to understand their strategies, anticipate their next move, and figure out where they might be leaving gaps in the market.Alas, competitor analysis isn't just about seeing what products they're launching - it's about digging deeper:

• What are their customers saying? Are there unmet needs you could address?

• What technologies are they investing in? Could those open up new possibilities for your business?

• Where are they falling short? That's your chance to swoop in and offer something better!

Remember, though, use their moves as inspiration to create something unique, something that sets you apart. For this example, consider companies like Apple and Samsung. As competitors, they're constantly pushing each other to innovate, but they also maintain distinct brand identities and product offerings. - That's the sweet spot for tapping into external innovation sources, all while maintaining your uniqueness.

1. Suppliers

You might think of your company suppliers as those who simply provide the essentials you need to run your business. But what if they could be so much more?Your suppliers are not just your vendors - they’re highly-valuable external innovation sources. In fact, they have a front-row seat to the latest technologies, materials, and processes in their own industries. They know how their customers operate, the potential challenges they face, and where to innovate.Your suppliers might stumble upon a cutting-edge material that could revolutionize your product - or discover a more efficient manufacturing technique that could save you money.Let’s take the food and beverage industry as an example. Have you ever noticed those new, plant-based meat alternatives popping up on supermarket shelves? Many of those innovations weren't dreamt up solely by the food companies themselves. They often partnered with their ingredient suppliers to develop and perfect those plant-based proteins that mimic the taste and texture of meat.These suppliers, with their deep knowledge of food science and ingredient sourcing, brought their expertise to the table (pun intended!). They helped these food companies navigate the challenges of creating delicious and sustainable alternatives, opening up a whole new market segment.

1. Software and Consulting Companies

Let's face it, keeping up with the rapid pace of innovation can feel like trying to catch a bullet train. Software and consulting companies offer a whole toolkit to supercharge your innovation efforts. From trendspotting and market analysis to strategic planning and execution, they've got your back.Software solutions like innosabi, in particular, can be a turning point for any given company. They can help you gather and analyze mountains of data, turning raw information into actionable gold. Plus, software gives you the tools, consulting provides the roadmap - and together, they create the perfect environment for sustainable innovation.But here's the kicker: the earlier you team up with these external innovation experts, the better. They can help you build that technological leadership from the ground up, so you're not just keeping up with the competition, you're setting the pace.

1. Research Institutions and Universities

These are external innovation drivers powerhouses, where brilliant minds are constantly pushing the boundaries of knowledge and technology.Collaborating with these institutions gives you access to groundbreaking research, emerging technologies (not to mention a pool of talented individuals ready to tackle real-world challenges).These strategic partnerships create a symbiotic relationship where both sides benefit. Companies gain access to fresh perspectives and innovative solutions, while universities get to see their research translated into real-world impact.Take Google's self-driving car project, Waymo. It wouldn't be where it is today without close collaboration with universities like Carnegie Mellon and Stanford. These partnerships provided access to top-tier robotics researchers and cutting-edge AI algorithms, accelerating the development of autonomous vehicle technology.

1. Crowdsourcing

Ever wished you could tap into a global network of brilliant minds to brainstorm your next big idea? Well, with crowdsourcing, you kinda can!Think of crowdsourcing like a giant online suggestion box, except it's filled with bright external ideas for innovation, fresh perspectives, and potential solutions you might never have thought of on your own. Suddenly, you're not just limited to your internal team; you've got a whole world of creative problem-solvers right at your fingertips.And crowdsourcing creates a feeling like we're all in this together. People love to feel like they're participating in something bigger, and when you invite them to contribute, you're tapping into that powerful sense of engagement.Look at how Lay's, the potato chip giant, launched its "Do Us a Flavor" campaign. They invited customers to submit their wildest chip flavor ideas, with the winning concept becoming a limited-edition product. As a result, this not only generated both a ton of buzz and engagement, but it also led to some truly innovative flavors like Wasabi Ginger and Kettle Cooked Bacon Mac & Cheese.Learn more: Scaling Innovation Processes Through Internal and External Stakeholder Communication

1. Social Media and Online Communities:

No, social media isn’t just for cat videos and memes – they're bustling hubs of trends, and insights. In fact online communities are the world's biggest virtual watercooler, where people gather to chat, share ideas, and, of course, vent their frustrations.And this is your business's hotspot for trendy insights and opportunities. Tune into online conversations and get a real-time pulse on what your customers are thinking, feeling, and talking about. This is your direct access into their brains, revealing even their wildest dreams.But don’t think about it only as eavesdropping. In fact, this is a two-way street. Through actively engaging with your audience, you can build relationships and even co-create products with your most passionate fans.Look at how Glossier, the beauty brand, built its entire empire on social media. They actively engage with their community, listening to feedback, incorporating user-generated content, and even co-creating products based on popular requests. This way, their social media presence has become a core driver of their innovation strategy.

1. Startups

Startups are the disruptors, the rule-breakers, the ones currently pushing boundaries and challenging the status quo. They're the window into the future of your industry - a contemporary source of bold experimentation.Keep a close eye on the startup scene to get a sneak peek at tomorrow's trends and technologies. But don't be fooled, just as with social media, observation is just the beginning. In other words, you can also join forces. Collaborating with startups, whether through partnerships, investments, or even acquisitions, can inject your company with a much-needed dose of entrepreneurial energy and out-of-the-box thinking.Consider OpenAI's groundbreaking GPT-3 language model. While not a direct acquisition, Microsoft's exclusive licensing deal for this technology has supercharged its sources of external innovation efforts across various products. From enhancing the natural language capabilities of its search engine, Bing, to integrating GPT-3 into its suite of productivity tools, Microsoft is leveraging this partnership to deliver AI-powered solutions that transform how people work and interact with technology

1. Government and Regulatory Agencies:

Lastly, let's not forget about the government and those regulatory agencies. Sure, they might seem like a bit of a buzzkill sometimes, but they actually play a pretty big role in shaping the innovation landscape.Staying abreast of upcoming regulations and potential funding opportunities can make or break a business. That’s because governments often play an active role in fostering innovation, offering grants, tax breaks, and even partnering with businesses on research and developmentJust look at the rise of electric vehicles. Government incentives and emissions regulations have played a huge role in accelerating their adoption, pushing automakers to innovate and develop cleaner, greener technologies. It's a win-win for businesses…and the planet!

Wrapping it Up

In conclusion, the world is brimming with external innovation sources waiting to be tapped into. From customers and competitors to suppliers and startups, each offers unique insights and opportunities to fuel business growth and stay ahead of the curve.Through active engagement with these external sources, companies can unlock a wealth of creative ideas, accelerate their innovation efforts, and achieve sustainable success.

FAQs

What are external innovation sources?

External factors of innovation are ideas and opportunities for innovation that come from outside a company, such as customers, competitors, and research institutions.

Why are customers considered an external innovation source?

Customers provide valuable insights through feedback, surveys, and online communities, revealing unmet needs and potential improvements for products or services.

How can suppliers contribute to innovation?

Suppliers often have access to new technologies and processes that can enhance product development and manufacturing efficiency.

Why is competitor analysis important for innovation?

Analyzing competitors helps identify market gaps, emerging trends, and technologies that can inspire unique innovations for your business.

What role do research institutions play in external innovation?

Research institutions provide access to cutting-edge research and technologies, enabling companies to collaborate on groundbreaking innovations.

How can social media fuel innovation?

Social media provides real-time insights into customer desires, frustrations, and trends, making it a valuable source for idea generation and product development.

Like what you read? Don't miss these other valuable resources to inspire your next big innovation.

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In our previous exploration of discontinuous innovation, we delved into the transformative power it holds and shared real-life examples that have shaped our world. Now, it's time to equip you with the tools to not just understand this phenomenon, but to master it. Keep reading to discover the top 10 best practices that will empower your organization to become a beacon of discontinuous innovation.

What Sets Discontinuous Innovation Apart?

Forget progressive developments and safe bets. Discontinuous innovation is about shaking things up, rewriting the rules, and creating entirely new markets. Unlike incremental innovation, which focuses on gradual improvements to existing products or services, discontinuous innovation involves radical breakthroughs that fundamentally change the way we live and work. It's about creating something entirely new, something that challenges our assumptions and opens up a world of possibilities.But how can organizations harness this transformative power and drive groundbreaking change? Let’s find out!

Top 10 Best Practices of Discontinuous Innovation Management

To tackle the power of discontinuous innovation, companies need to adopt a new mindset and a new set of practices. That said, here are ten essential strategies for fostering a culture of radical innovation and turning bold ideas into reality:

1. Create a playground for great ideas

Forget the boring old "innovation team" – instead, build a culture where everyone feels empowered to dream big, take risks, and challenge the status quo. The trick here is to celebrate the wild ideas, not just the safe ones.… These might just hold the seeds of the next big thing.

• The Old Way: Top-down innovation teams, stifled creativity, playing it safe.
• The New Way: A company-wide culture of innovation, where everyone is encouraged to dream big, brainstorm without boundaries, and challenge existing conditions.
• How-To: Implement idea management software, host regular brainstorming sessions, create a "no idea is a bad idea" atmosphere, and reward risk-taking.

1. Invest in the unknown

Don't just throw money at incremental improvements. Dedicate resources to exploring technology and science. You never know what breakthrough might be lurking around the corner.

• The Old Way: Focusing solely on short-term gains and incremental improvements.
• The New Way: Dedicating resources to exploring uncharted territories, such as emerging technologies, scientific breakthroughs, and niche markets.
• How-To: Establish a dedicated innovation fund, partner with research institutions, create skunkworks teams, and encourage "moonshot" projects.

1. Build your dream team (and make it diverse)

Diversity fuels creativity and leads to the kind of out-of-the-box thinking that drives discontinuous innovation.Gather a crew of brilliant minds from all walks of life – different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. This mix of ideas is your secret weapon for groundbreaking innovation.

• The Old Way: Homogeneous teams with similar backgrounds and perspectives.
• The New Way: A diverse team of thinkers and doers from all walks of life, bringing together a rich tapestry of experiences, skills, and ideas.
• How-To: Actively recruit from diverse backgrounds, foster an inclusive workplace culture, and create opportunities for cross-functional collaboration.

1. Embrace the unknown

Discontinuous innovation is a high-stakes game. Accept that there will be risks and failures along the way, but those are just stepping stones to greatness.The trick here is to see these setbacks as valuable learning experiences and use them to refine your approach.

• The Old Way: Fear of failure, risk aversion, sticking to the tried and true.
• The New Way: Accepting that risks and failures are inevitable, but also recognizing them as valuable learning experiences and stepping stones to success.
• How-To: Encourage a culture of experimentation, create a safe space for failure, and celebrate lessons learned from setbacks.

1. Think long-term

Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither is a groundbreaking innovation. Be patient and persistent. Big ideas often take time to develop and gain traction. But they’re well worth the wait.

• The Old Way: Short-sighted focus on immediate results, sacrificing long-term potential for quick wins.
• The New Way: Cultivating a long-term vision, investing in research and development, and nurturing ideas that may take years to bear fruit.
• How-To: Develop a strategic roadmap for innovation, set ambitious goals, and create a culture that values patience and perseverance.

1. Break down the silo

Innovation often thrives at the intersections where different fields of expertise converge.Encourage collaboration between departments and disciplines. Often, the most exciting innovations happen when people from different backgrounds come together and spark new ideas.

• The Old Way: Departments working in isolation, hindering communication and collaboration.
• The New Way: Encouraging cross-functional collaboration, breaking down barriers between departments, and creating a sense of shared purpose.
• How-To: Implement cross-functional teams, create shared workspaces, and encourage open communication and knowledge sharing.

1. Look outside your walls

Don't be afraid to partner with universities, research labs, or even other companies. Their expertise (and resources) can help you turn your ideas into reality.

• The Old Way: Relying solely on internal resources and expertise.
• The New Way: Partnering with universities, research labs, startups, and even competitors to leverage their knowledge, technology, and networks.
• How-To: Seek out strategic partnerships, participate in innovation ecosystems, and foster open innovation initiatives.

1. Imagine the future

Think like a sci-fi writer! What could the world look like in 5, 10, or 20 years? Simply by envisioning different scenarios, you can better anticipate and prepare for discontinuous shifts.

• The Old Way: Reacting to change rather than anticipating it.
• The New Way: Thinking like a futurist, envisioning multiple scenarios for the future, and preparing for disruptive shifts.
• How-To: Conduct scenario planning exercises, monitor emerging trends, and engage in strategic foresight activities.

1. Test, tweak, repeat

Don't get bogged down in endless planning. Build quick prototypes, test them out, and iterate based on what you learn. Agile development is key to staying ahead.

• The Old Way: Over-planning and over-analyzing, leading to delays and missed opportunities.
• The New Way: Embracing agile development, building rapid prototypes, testing them in the real world, gathering feedback, and iterating quickly.
• How-To: Adopt a "fail fast, learn fast" mentality, prioritize experimentation over perfection, and use customer feedback to drive continuous improvement.

1. Be flexible, be bold

The world is constantly changing, so be ready to adapt. Don't be afraid to pivot your strategy or even your entire business model.

• The Old Way: Sticking rigidly to existing plans and strategies, even when they're not working.
• The New Way: Embracing change, adapting to market conditions, and being willing to pivot when necessary.
• How-To: Foster a culture of adaptability, encourage employees to challenge assumptions, and be willing to take calculated risks.

The 6 Typical Stages of Discontinuous Innovation

The path to discontinuous innovation isn't a straight line; it's a winding road full of twists, turns, and unexpected discoveries.Here's a closer look at the key stages involved in bringing a groundbreaking idea to life:

Step 1) Recognizing a Fundamental Need or Opportunity

Unlike incremental innovation, which focuses on improving existing solutions, discontinuous innovation begins with identifying a fundamental need or opportunity that hasn't been addressed.This could be a problem that current technologies can't solve, a market that's been overlooked, or a completely new way of thinking about an existing challenge.

Step 2) Conceptualization and Exploration

This phase is all about exploring the possibilities.Researchers, engineers, and designers collaborate to brainstorm potential solutions, drawing inspiration from diverse fields and pushing the boundaries of what's considered possible.The goal is to develop a clear concept for the discontinuous innovation, outlining its potential benefits and how it would work in practice.

Step 3) Research and Development (R&D)

This is where the rubber meets the road.Scientists and engineers delve into the technical details, conducting extensive research, experimentation, and prototyping. The idea now is to overcome technical hurdles, refine the concept, and create a working prototype that demonstrates the feasibility of the innovation.

Step 4) Pilot Testing and Validation

Before launching a discontinuous innovation on a large scale, it's key to conduct pilot tests in real-world settings.This helps identify any unforeseen challenges, gather feedback from early adopters, and fine-tune the innovation to ensure it meets the needs of its target market.

Step 5) Scaling and Commercialization

Once the innovation has been validated, it's time to scale up production and launch it to a wider audience. This involves marketing the innovation, building distribution channels, and educating potential customers about its benefits.

Step 6) Market Adoption and Diffusion

The final stage is all about gaining widespread acceptance and integrating the innovation into the fabric of society.And yes, it can be a slow and gradual process, as people and industries adapt to the new way of doing things. However, if the innovation is truly transformative, it can spark rapid change and revolutionize entire industries.

Tired of Playing Catch-Up?

The pace of change is only accelerating, and discontinuous innovation will continue to reshape industries and our lives in ways we can't even imagine. Equip yourself with the knowledge to unlock its power and translate its potential into a roadmap for future success.But how can you ensure your organization isn't just keeping up, but leading the charge?The world doesn't wait for those who stand still. Don't be left behind by the next wave of discontinuous innovation.Explore how innosabi can empower your business to uncover groundbreaking ideas and lead the next wave of industry disruption.Request a demo today.

Related Articles:

• Disrupt or Be Disrupted: Disruptive Innovation Explained for the Modern Entrepreneur
• 8 Main Innovation Ecosystem Actors and Why They Are Important
• Why Every Business Needs a Chief Innovation Officer to Stay Ahead in 2024

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Idea management is a central component of modern organisations that strive for innovation and continuous improvement. But how do you create an effective system that motivates employees and brings about real change? I.K. Hofmann GmbH provides an impressive example of how to successfully overcome the challenges of idea management and create a culture of innovation. This article highlights the best practices that I.K. Hofmann GmbH has developed to optimise its idea management.

Introduction: The “Ideenhof” as an innovation centre

I.K. Hofmann GmbH realised that its existing company suggestion scheme and continuous improvement processes were not efficient enough in its decentralised, process-oriented organisation. The solution was the “Ideenhof”, a centralised platform that was launched at great expense during the biggest internal event of the year, the company seminar. A hologram show and QR codes for registration attracted attention and initial participation.

Transparent communication motivates

A key element in the success of the”Ideenhof” is transparent communication. A simple submission form lowers the threshold for employees to submit their ideas. The option to submit ideas anonymously encourages honest feedback. Ideas are also clearly categorised and evaluated so that employees always know what happens to their suggestions and who is responsible for them.

Efficient idea process: submission, categorisation and evaluation

The “Ideenhof” makes it easy to submit and classify ideas. There are seven tags for classification, which provide a clear structure. The ideas are evaluated by two experts according to defined criteria for potential and feasibility. This ensures a fair and transparent evaluation and prevents ideas from getting lost in the shuffle.

Incentive schemes to encourage submissions

Motivation and incentives are key to encouraging active participation. I.K. Hofmann GmbH uses a points system where submitters can collect 'nuggets'. These nuggets are converted into tickets to win valuable prizes in an annual raffle. These prizes range from gadgets such as a Nintendo Switch or an iPad to trips. Such incentives create a fun competition and significantly increase participation.

Transparency and regular communication

Traceable processes and regular updates on the status of submitted ideas are essential for employee satisfaction. This transparency means that submitters always know where their ideas stand in the process and feel that they are taken seriously and valued.

Rotate evaluation teams to avoid power imbalances

Although the teams that evaluate ideas are specialised in certain topics, I.K. Hofmann GmbH is considering rotating these teams. They are currently testing this model for their innovation challenges. This will help to avoid power imbalances and ensure that the evaluation remains fair and impartial.

Added value through exclusive content and communication

The “Ideenhof” offers exclusive information and opportunities for interaction that are not available on the intranet. This includes updates on ongoing projects, collaboration with start-ups and live demos of new technologies. This exclusive content makes the platform attractive and increases usage and interaction.

Knowledge management and avoiding duplication

Another important aspect of the “Ideenhof” is knowledge management. Ideas are often submitted for which solutions already exist. An effective system for identifying and communicating these solutions avoids duplication of effort. This saves time and resources and helps to make better use of existing knowledge.

Direct communication with management

Anonymised challenges such as “Mrs Hofmann said” created a direct communication channel to management. Employees were able to ask questions anonymously, which were then answered by management. This direct interaction promotes trust and transparency and shows employees that their concerns are taken seriously.

Regular newsletters to encourage interaction

Regular newsletters, published monthly or quarterly, help to increase performance and interaction on the platform. These newsletters provide information about new ideas, progress and successes, keeping employees up to date.

Challenges before launching the “Ideenhof”

I.K. Hofmann GmbH faced several challenges before implementing the Idea Hub. The existing idea management system was not transparent, with no clear deadlines or responsibilities. Ideas were evaluated in meetings, but without clear roles or responsibilities, resulting in a chaotic process. Many ideas ended up with the same people who already had other important tasks, giving the impression that things weren’t moving forward. The submission of ideas was hampered by unclear categories and there was a lack of strategic innovation communication.

The role of the “Ideenhof” in addressing these challenges

The “Ideenhof” has created a single point of contact for innovation that addresses these challenges. Clear structures and processes, transparent communication and an effective incentive system have motivated employees to actively participate and submit ideas. This has not only increased the number of ideas submitted, but also improved their quality and feasibility.

Conclusion

The implementation of the “Ideenhof” at I.K. Hofmann GmbH shows how well-thought-out idea management can contribute to promoting innovation and continuous improvement. Transparent processes, clear communication, attractive incentives and a central platform have created a culture in which employees are encouraged to actively participate in the improvement and innovation of the company. These best practices provide valuable insights and inspiration for companies looking to improve their own idea management.

In France, FDJ Group has exclusive rights to operate offline and online lottery games, and point-of-sale sports betting. FDJ Group is also extending its online gaming offer open to competition and capitalising on its expertise to create new revenue sources: marketing solutions internationally, local cash collection and payment services, and the entertainment sector.Interview with Pierre Tramon, Senior Analyst @FDJ Group.

What led you to implement an Open Innovation Strategy?

Large groups are generally looking at the changes they need to make in order to sustain and develop their business. Typically, what needs to be accelerated? Who are the new users? What new technologies should we be using?We are convinced that proximity to the tech ecosystem is essential to help us answer these questions. The FDJ Group's open innovation approach was initiated in 2015 to detect new trends early on and gain privileged access to relevant start-ups. And then, ultimately, to be able to integrate their solutions into our offerings, our pathways, and our services. To do this, we rely on our ecosystem. We have forged numerous partnerships with capital sales funds, i.e. investment funds, start-up accelerators, associations, think tanks and academic partners. Thanks to them, every year we identify around 1,000 new start-ups, 500 of which are studied in detail and 20 of which are taken through to the experimental stage. We also invest beyond these partnerships with these start-ups on business issues. With FDJ Ventures, we invest more than €100 million in CVC funds and start-ups. So we're actively participating in the hatching of the French tech ecosystem, and that's also one of our key messages. We are convinced that, especially in an increasingly complex and competitive environment, even if FDJ Group has a monopoly, we must continue to create new growth opportunities. And innovation is necessary precisely to anticipate these risks and look ahead to new models. We need to constantly adapt our consumption patterns. Not only that, but we need to anticipate regulatory changes, particularly in our competitive environment. And that inevitably requires a faultless connection with the ecosystem, both directly and indirectly, with all our partners.

How did implementing an Open Innovation platform change your approach?

We started working with innosabi in 2018, and it has had a real impact on the successful implementation of our innovation strategy for several reasons:The first is that it's a web app platform, which is fairly intuitive and user-friendly, so we have easy access to all the information we need about a start-up. Not just about the start-up, but also about the whole funnel. We've set up statuses so that we can keep track of the stage we're at with the start-up. Typically, we have nurturing, study and hot deal, and we have lots of categories. Having these helps us to categorise start-ups and to have a clear funnel. We also add the actions we need to take on these files, so that we can find our way around more easily, organise things more efficiently and have a centralised point of information.A second point is that it also allows us to monitor all the data in real time. Whether it's where the start-ups are coming from, which partner has brought them to us, which theme is most represented in the sourcing of this deal flow, the gender of the founders, etc. innosabi can provide us with this data in real time very quickly, both in Excel format and in Power BI format, which helps us enormously with our quarterly and annual reporting. Another point is that the platform is collaborative. We made it available to all the innovation representatives of our business lines in the various departments, which are roughly over 50 people. This allows them, if they have questions about start-ups or need some information, to go and look it up in our platform. That way, they can talk directly to these businesses. It's a very collaborative approach.And we also give these representatives access to all the trend reports and strategic reports that our partners produce and that we put on the platform in the monitoring section. So they can look at these reports and gain insights and data and so on. And the last one, the platform serves as an entry channel for start-ups to contact us. We've set up a form with innosabi called the Start-Up Link, which we communicate both externally in our signature, and via a QR code when we're present at trade fairs. They directly can submit their application on this page, if ever during an event, for example, we did not have time to meet. This way, we still can add their profile in our database and process this information later on.

What are FDJ Group’s best practices for successful Open Innovation?

The first one is that we're part of the Group's strategy department. This puts us in a control tower that gives us a 360° view of all the Group's activities. This is a real asset, and we have implemented a prioritisation strategy with the strategy team.Currently, our focus is on 6 major verticals: 1/ Future of gambling: How do we design the next generation of gambling. 2/ Future of player experience: Simplifying and personalising the player experience and strengthening responsible gambling systems through better knowledge of players.3/ Future of omnichannel distribution: Modernising FDJ Group's distribution towards a model that is increasingly omnichannel and closer to the French people. How can we design innovative solutions for tomorrow's points of sale? 4/ Web 3: Understanding and anticipating trends linked to the new decentralised Internet based on blockchain. What new activities based on blockchain can we suggest? 5/ Tech for Good: Set FDJ Group as a pioneer in sustainable, responsible and positive-impact innovation, for the benefit of its activities and the whole society. How to use technology to reduce our environmental impact? 6/ Artificial Intelligence: Finding solution to improve our productivity, to make it easier to find information both internally and externally, notably with the Generative AI.Another best practice is to take an ecosystem approach. We have a fairly extensive network of funds, incubators, and accelerators. We were supported by two pioneering investment funds, in France and internationally, such as Partech, to help us with our deal flow and share their investment expertise with us. Thanks to them, we can really benefit from a watch on emerging markets and technologies. We're also a Limited Partner in specialist funds like Level-Up, which specialises in the mobile games studio sector, or Trust ESport, which specialises in e-sports, or Sparkle Venture, which specialises in Web3. The ecosystem we've built is highly complementary, giving us access to high quality deal flow, co-investment opportunities and the ability to monitor emerging markets and technologies. And lastly, I'd say that we have an evolutionary approach: in 2015 we began our open innovation approach. Then we set up an entrepreneurship programme, with the Innovation Lab, to encourage in-house staff to create innovative projects linked to the Group's challenges. And now, more recently, FDJ Ventures has launched its own direct investment fund. The whole process we've built up around these major partners has enabled us to develop our skills in cultivation, experimentation and now in investment. It's a model that we've iterated over the years and which is now a model of sustainable innovation serving the Group.

What is crucial in open innovation?

The FDJ Group's raison d'être is to see France win, and FDJ Ventures raison d'être is to help FDJ Group win while helping French tech win. We're a huge supporter of the French tech ecosystem, we're a partner with France Digital, with the French tech mission, with the French Tech Corporate Community and with all these institutions that help to promote the growth and success of the ecosystem. And this proximity and close relationship between start-ups and major groups benefits an entire ecosystem. For us, it's fundamental, and because major groups are the natural customers for start-ups, they contribute to their growth. Through our Ventures approach, we directly or indirectly support over 500 French and European start-ups, including 23 start-ups from the 2023 French tech Next40/120 class. We're pretty proud of these metrics! And we're continuing, through direct or indirect investment, to keep a close eye on the success of this ecosystem, by working with them as natural customers and enabling them to spread their wings nationally and internationally.[vc_row_inner css=".vc_custom_1712836786267{background-color: #f7f8fa !important;}"][vc_single_image image="45115" img_size="full" alignment="center" onclick="custom_link" img_link_target="_blank" link="https://innosabi.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/innosabi-Case-Study-FDJ-Ventures.pdf"]

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Our habits and behaviors have changed dramatically in the recent past. The only way to really stay on top of your clients’ needs is to engage them in a constant dialogue and make them part of your development process. Easier said than done. But with the help of our toolsfor customer communities, structured co-creation projects, and scalable ideation, we have everything you need to start getting true customer-centricity done.A company that has put its clients first when it comes to new product development is Deutsche Telekom. Today, over 18,000 of their customers have participated in shaping and improving future products and services. In our webinar, Lara Löhrer, Project Lead for this exemplary initiative, will share Telekom’s key to success and learnings.

In the webinar, we cover several formats for customer collaboration, explain how the right software can assist you, and provide examples from companies who have already turned their customers into partners for innovation.

Watch the webinar video below and learn how to turn customers into innovators!

innosabi and the Technische Universität München (TUM) have always been closely connected. All four founders were once students at this prestigious institution, which not only gave them a world-class education, but also vital support and guidance when founding the company. Even as an internationally recognized leader in its field, innosabi has always stayed true to its roots and maintained close ties with the TUM ecosystem. Over the years, in many guest lectures and mentoring programs, the innosabi team tried to pass on their first-hand lessons to TUM students and the next generation of entrepreneurs. In this history of fruitful knowledge exchange, we have now reached another exciting and significant milestone: The TUM School of Management is writing a case study about innosabi and its most recent history, with a focus on its evolution to become Questel's dedicated innovation portfolio and business unit.

After a previous case study about innosabi and its path to becoming a SaaS business, this will be already the second case study written by TUM about important phases in the company's history. With teaching cases like these, TUM professors and researchers pick relevant, real-life scenarios and shape them into problems to be solved and discussed by students in dedicated courses.

Prof. Dr. Oliver Alexy, Professor of Innovation and Organization Design at TUM, will write the case study together with his colleague Nicole Beaven. To him, it is now just about presenting a real-world example to his students. It is also about connecting students – and potential future entrepreneurs – with the greater TUM ecosystem:

„innosabi is a great example for the entrepreneurial spirit and mindset of the TUM ecosystem. It's amazing to see success stories like theirs unfold and thrive, knowing that all four founders were once students here. But we don't just want to watch – we want to stay connected and collaborate with these companies! They are an invaluable source of information for our own research and offer many first-hand lessons for the next generation of entrepreneurs and business professionals. That's why we are working with innosabi to turn some of the defining decisions in their journey into teachable case studies for our courses. Soon, our students will discuss and try to solve exactly the same challenges that innosabi was facing just a couple of months ago.“

Catharina van Delden, co-founder of innosabi, is certain that the ecosystem of TUM and its focus on fostering entrepreneurial talent has helped to kickstart innosabi's success story:

„innosabi surely wouldn’t be where it is today without the Technische Universität München. Not just because us four founders met there as students, but more importantly because of the amazing network and support it provided us as young entrepreneurs. We’ve always stayed in close contact over the years and love every opportunity to share some of our experiences with future entrepreneurs and leaders. The whole ecosystem of TUM and its close ties to innovative companies and startups makes it so exceptional – that’s why it’s a great honor to for us to contribute to the curriculum with yet another case study about innosabi’s expansion and evolution.“

The teaching case study will be drafted, tested, and refined throughout the upcoming semester. We are looking forward to seeing the final result and sharing it with you as soon as possible. And as always: We are very proud to be part of the TUM ecosystem and appreciate the chance to share some of our experiences with the next generation of innovators!

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Technology cross-pollination and globalization, along with the demise of silo mentality, have put significant pressure on the front-end innovation process to identify ideas worthy enough for development and commercialization. The most efficient innovation processes include Design Thinking and Stage-Gates. We propose a new model where software will help manage data integrity, quality control, multiple outputs and open collaboration. When the chaos serves the efficiency, the ability to get better at innovating will not be lacking.

We wrote an extensive whitepaper on this topic to help you in planning or expanding your innovation programs. Download it here and read how Open Innovation and IP can go hand in hand.

Download the whitepaper

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More and more seeds consider the challenges of climate change, and the market calls for agricultural production systems to achieve better agronomic and environmental performance, which requires innovation.
As an agricultural cooperative owned by farmers and an international seed company, Limagrain takes on these challenges through genetic progress and sustained R&D activity.

Not surprisingly, the Information Research and Analysis team is strongly called upon to deliver landscape reports and competitive analysis. Géraldine Lecomte, research analyst, and Sylvain Liogier, patent librarian, have seen an evolution in the requests sent by the group’s other entities. “In our positions, we see more and more needs for prospective studies for a year. Decision-makers want to get a large view of what’s going on and try to anticipate more the market shifts.”

This trend leads to changing the traditional way of doing market intelligence, exploring more unknown technologies for Limagrain, and gathering a lot of different types of information. “We are solicited more upstream of projects”, said Géraldine.

With the introduction of innosabi Insight, Limagrain has been able to speed up its internal process to feed decision makers with global insights on technologies and market segments. “innosabi Insight is fast, easy-to-use”, explained Sylvain. “It is well-indicated to clear the way and start a study. It helps to quickly get names, companies, and an idea if the market is IP-centric or not.”

In addition, to save time, innosabi Insight brought solutions when innovation intelligence requires going beyond just patent information. “The tool intervenes when the analysis of different sources comes under consideration to outline the evolution of a market,” said Géraldine. “At some point, analyzing just patents or scientific papers separately is not relevant. You need to merge and consolidate mixed information.” Some projects impacted by cross-industrial technology are particularly indicative of the need to break the walls of the databases to identify the opportunities emerging in the market. “You can use the buzz metric to make a link between the R&D of the company and what they are selling. The numerous filters help to focus our work and identify relevant companies or potential partners”, continued Géraldine.

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On December 28, 1951, the American Comedian-Duo Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis concluded their popular NBC network television show with a special appeal to support muscular dystrophy research. Why? To promote awareness for people and families whose lives had been turned upside down by these diseases. Paul Cohen, diagnosed with muscular dystrophy and founder of the Muscular Dystrophy Association, knew that creating awareness was an important step to support the cause of his newly founded Non-Profit Organization. With this, he and several others laid the foundation for an Organization that for more than 70 years now aims to transform the lives of people affected by muscular dystrophy by funding research, supporting families, and providing care and medical services. Why do we tell you this? Because this is the beginning of a story. The story of the Muscular Dystrophy Association. And stories have power: They grab hearts and minds, transport feelings and experiences, help to understand and to connect. The platform “my POWERFUL STORY” is all about the power of stories. By launching this platform, the Muscular Dystrophy Association wants to give people and families affected by neuromuscular diseases a channel to share their story. A channel to tell the story of their community.

“As one more way to advance our mission, we are activating the power of story to create connection, inspire self-advocacy, and build understanding for what it’s like to live with neuromuscular disease.”

Emerged from a cooperation with Collaboration.AI, theDifference and innosabi, the platform will collect stories about living with neuromuscular disease and support those who are affected. Over the next several weeks, everyone affected by these diseases can submit their very own story, focusing on one of the four-story categories:

• My Advocacy Story: Stories about moments when standing up for oneself or others.
• My Meaningful Story: Stories about an impactful moment, an event, or realization.
• My Diagnosis Story: Stories about what it was like receiving a neuromuscular disease diagnosis.
• My Summer Camp Story: Stories about the MDA summer camp and the magic of being part of it.

From all of these amazing stories, some of them will then be selected to be brought to life by artists. These stories will help to draw attention, to build understanding and support the overall mission of the Muscular Dystrophy Association by fostering future initiatives and upcoming campaigns. As a software provider and tech partner in this collaboration, we are very proud to be part of such a great and inspiring initiative.

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Change is happening much faster today than it did a few years ago. Digitalization and new technologies emerging are affecting not only our lives, but also our expectations and needs. This behavioral change has a particular impact on companies targeting consumers and end customers.Therefore, companies must constantly adapt to the changing user needs by improving services and performances and introducing new products. The increasing speed of change means that companies also have to make ever faster adjustments to their product and service portfolios. For this to succeed, a regular exchange between companies and customers is necessary. After all, who knows best about the needs and expectations of users than the users themselves?Our experience shows that collaboration and customer proximity are much more successful than classical market research. The latter is usually time-consuming and costly - and cannot replace a real dialogue between company and customer. After all, dialogue is not a one-way street, nor is collaboration. Rather, both sides must be prepared to work together on the products and services of the future.Such cooperation can happen in small workshops with selected customers. Yet, with the help of digital tools, companies can involve significantly more people in their development – customer or not. Everyone can participate in collaborative idea generation and work on products or services together.innosabi customers rely on collaboration with consumers and users. With the help of now established structures, customer proximity and focus can be accomplished throughout the entire company. Innovative ideas emerge with crowd innovation, while they are then checked for user-friendliness in prototype testing. In addition to companies' own community, the Supercharger can be used to survey people worldwide about their opinions, expectations, and needs. In this way, customer-oriented products or services are created in a real dialogue – in co-creation with customers.

Postbank: Together into the future

What features should a banking app provide to meet the needs of its users? How do people imagine the bank of the future? What has to be improved on the new chatbot so it offers real added value?Since 2014, Postbank has been discussing such questions together with its customers in the Postbank Ideenlabor (German for “idea lab”). There are collaborative innovation projects on the platform, in which customers are involved in every step of product development. It begins with the discussion and consolidation of the entire communities' needs. Possible solutions are then developed in several steps. Depending on the project, this may also include testing a real prototype and continuous improvement up to a finished product. In this way, around 50 projects are launched on the platform each year. All have a direct influence on the development or improvement of a product or service.

In total, more than 8,000 suggestions and contributions from customers were collected in these cooperation projects.From the very beginning, the Postbank Ideenlabor served as a holistic cooperation platform for customers, integrating them from the initial idea all the way to the implementation of the results. The platform forms the central interface for all areas of the company to reach the customers. As of now, the more than 12,000 members of the Postbank Community know that their ideas and feedback are taken seriously throughout the organisation. This way, a positive, constructive environment for feedback developed.

“If you are willing to ask your customers, you absolutely have to make sure that their answers will be heard. Something has to happen when users clearly voice their opinions. That’s why our goal is always to tackle questions holistically. Start with an idea, work on a concept together, and eventually come up with a minimum viable product. We want to take the participants with us on the whole journey. Because in large organizations like ours, the path from new insights to new products can be a little less direct than we would like it to be. And this also means that you have to be willing to let go of your own assumptions and plans if the community thinks differently.” - Martin Brings, Head and Strategic Lead of Ideenlabor

Martin Brings supports this statement with an example. Postbank planned a finance app for children and young people, which they could use to track their spendings and thus learn responsibility in dealing with money. Finding the right target group within the Postbank community — namely parents who wanted to work on such an app with their children — was a challenge. But it was worth it. Even in the early stages of the discussion about the needs of young users, it became clear that the ideas of the adult product managers were going in a completely different direction than the children's expectations. On the basis of the children's feedback, the project team took a step back and revised the entire concept from the scratch. With success! Regular feedback loops and prototype tests resulted in the finished app Young Money.

Telekom: Accelerating decisions and strengthening customer focus

A product portfolio that is always up-to-date means constant development and adjustments. Good customer service means constant adaptation to customer needs. Exactly this focus on the customers' expectations is central for new ideas and innovations.

"Our customers have a clear idea of what they need and expect from us. So what could be better than asking our customers what is important to them and what they like" - Anke Courtial, Project Owner Telekom Ideenschmiede, Telekom

For this reason, Deutsche Telekom has decided to proactively ask its customers about their needs and expectations. With the Telekom Ideenschmiede platform (German for “forging ideas”), which was launched in January 2018, the company is giving its customers the opportunity to actively shape products and services. More than 6,000 members can be surveyed on a wide variety of topics, producing representative results in less than four days. The platform enables Deutsche Telekom to obtain both quantitative and qualitative feedback from customers and non-customers in an uncomplicated and timely manner. Classic market research is more time-consuming and protracted in a direct comparison. With the help of the Telekom Ideenschmiede, decisions that affect customers are accelerated.The Ideenschmiede team is firmly anchored in the company and is the point of contact for all areas of Deutsche Telekom. Projects are implemented on the platform together with experts from the respective departments and the results are fed back into the departments. In this way, needs, expectations and opinions are continually incorporated into Telekom's various projects – and ensure comprehensive customer orientation.

Deutsche Bank: Identifying needs early

In spring 2018, Deutsche Bank organized a hackathon together with the FinTech Incubator FinLeap. The challenge of this female hackathon was: “To develop a solution by women for women: It should support women to overview and plan their financial situation from starting a career, starting a family, re-entering the job up to their retirement”.29 female hackers faced this challenge in seven teams. Within two days, ideas and prototypes were developed. In the end, the best three projects were rewarded. All this is quite characteristic for a hackathon. But what made this one so special was the opportunity for the participants to use the innosabi Supercharger to obtain immediate feedback on their ideas. The teams asked a total of 43 questions to the community and received answers from 180 people virtually overnight. This way, the participants could be sure that they were on the right track.“We used the Supercharger to ensure that we were developing our idea in the right direction – to suit user needs,” says Team SpaceHamster. Another team even completely changed their original idea. The Supercharger survey showed that the needs of potential users went in a different direction than the participants thought.With the innosabi Supercharger, it can be determined at an early stage of idea generation whether the product idea matches the needs of potential users. This ensures that resources are used purposefully.

Federal Agency: Developing target group-oriented services with prototypes

As a public administrative authority, the Bundesagentur für Arbeit (German Federal Employment Agency) does not face the challenges of competition on the market like a private enterprise. But state enterprises are also confronted with changing expectations and needs of their target group — especially with regard to digitalization. The special challenge for the Bundesagentur für Arbeit lies in the variety of topics: from the handling of unemployment benefits to advice on career choices, and the establishment of training programs together with companies. These topics are all rooted in very different customer groups.In order to find out what the expectations and needs of its customers are, the Federal Agency has launched the platform Ideenwerkstatt (German for “Workshop for Ideas”). There, digital solutions and services are developed in direct cooperation with various target groups such as jobseekers or companies. With the help of the Ideenwerkstatt, the Bundesagentur für Arbeit is well-connected with both sides and can tailor its work to the respective needs.

“The danger is always that you do not know the needs on the customer or employer side. And then maybe develop something only in one direction but have not noticed important details. With the direct collaboration in the Ideenwerkstatt, we avoid such undesirable developments."– Christina Bulenda, requirements management online, Bundesagentur für Arbeit

Since November 2015, the Ideenwerkstatt platform has shown that the benefits of collaboration apply to both jobseekers and employers. For cooperation with companies, this means developing new solutions and services in the field of digital recruiting. New offers for jobseekers are also being created. A good example of this is the Federal Agency's App for Young People looking for an apprenticeship. During the development process, the Bundeagentur für Arbeit implemented the first drafts of the functionalities in a digital prototype. This prototype was tested in iterative loops with young people in search of an apprenticeship. Thanks to the fast, qualitative feedback on the platform, the Federal Agency was able to ensure that the app meets the needs of the users optimally. In this way, the Ideenwerkstatt bundles the needs of employers and jobseekers for a digital, user-centered future of the public sector.Our experience with companies such as Postbank, Telekom and Bundesagentur für Arbeit shows that collaboration with external stakeholders is a central component of innovation. In co-creation with customers, products and services can be created that are perfectly tailored to the needs of consumers. In this way, organisations as well as customers benefit from cooperation.

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Good ideas should be rewarded. But what can companies do to ensure that these good ideas don't gather dust on a shelf but are implemented? The answer is: Create idea management that is digital, transparent, and user-friendly.

Most organizations have already implemented a process that collects and evaluates suggestions and improvement ideas from employees and awards prizes to chosen submissions. When exchanging the classical company suggestion scheme for a digital and smart idea management system, the first step will be to achieve greater user-friendliness and simplified submission. Although this might sound quite simple, the effects of these two aspects are enormous.In our experience, the high usability of idea platforms positively influences the quality and quantity of submissions and the motivation of employees to participate in the idea process. However, an easy-to-use platform is not only advantageous for employees who want to submit proposals. The reviewer also experiences a simplified evaluation of proposals. Ideas can be assigned thematically to the appropriate reviewers, so evaluation and decision-making can be made more quickly. The increased speed in the ideas process and the possibility for the submitter to understand where an idea is in the process have positive effects on the motivation to participate and the perception of idea management within the company.Apart from idea campaigns on specific topics, the platform generally offers the opportunity for interaction and open discussion of individual ideas. All employees can contribute to the submitted suggestions and further develop them. The entire organization is involved in idea management. In addition, the assigned likes for an idea can serve as a first pre-selection for the reviewers.

Munich Airport: Collaboration with the Digital Idea Management

Shortly after the launch of the new idea platform Innovation Pilot, Munich Airport recorded a significant increase in the number of ideas submitted — in the first two months alone, 300% more ideas were handed in than in the same period last year. Munich Airport's goal is to replace its existing internal pool of ideas and use it to modernize its idea management and make it more effective.

"We want to establish the idea management of the future that will enable us to stimulate innovation rather than simply manage proposals. The innosabi software offers the ideal infrastructure for this".Sarah Wittlieb, (former) Head of Innovation Management, Munich Airport

The innosabi software enables Munich Airport to permanently open topic clusters. Employees can submit their ideas in a targeted manner and then forward them directly to the right contact persons in the company. But temporary idea campaigns are also a proven method of complementing traditional idea management and promoting a culture of innovation.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8Kel-v-TcUApart from modernizing the processes of the classic company suggestion scheme, the platform also offers the opportunity to carry out open innovation projects. These are characterized by collaboration. An open discussion of ideas within the employee community promotes transparency in all aspects of idea management and increases internal interest in new ideas. In addition, collaboration leads to a higher quality of ideas. In 2018 alone, more than 40 of the ideas submitted were implemented at Munich Airport.But digital and smart idea management was just the beginning. With the LabCampus, Munich Airport is planning one of the most promising and largest innovation centers in Europe — a place for innovation and bringing people together.

"By bringing together a diverse group of thought leaders, philosophers, innovators, smart city planners, technology wizards - and actual part-year residents - we at LabCampus plan to build a true innovation ecosystem at Munich Airport.”Sarah Wittlieb, Vice President Innovation & Creation at LabCampus GmbH

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De bonnes idées se cachent partout. Il suffit de savoir où chercher.

Bien souvent, ces idées sont plus faciles à trouver qu’on ne le pense : elles se trouvent peut-être déjà au sein même de votre entreprise. Chaque collaborateur dispose d’un large savoir technique, d’une expérience précieuse et d’une connaissance approfondie de l’organisation. Autant d’atouts qui créent les conditions idéales pour un éclair de génie capable de faire progresser l’entreprise vers l’avenir.

Mais pourquoi cette source d’idées si précieuse est-elle si rarement exploitée ? Les grandes entreprises, en particulier, sont confrontées au défi de ne pas seulement collecter les idées de leurs collaborateurs, mais aussi de les rendre réellement exploitables. En l’absence de structures internes adaptées, ces entreprises font souvent appel à des cabinets de conseil externes. Bien qu’un regard extérieur puisse apporter une réelle valeur ajoutée (mot-clé : « cécité opérationnelle »), les recommandations externes ne sont jamais aussi parfaitement adaptées aux structures et aux processus internes qu’une idée venant de l’intérieur.

Notre expérience montre que l’innovation avec les collaborateurs constitue le cœur du management de l’innovation moderne. Avec la numérisation, la mise en réseau et la collaboration internes sont désormais possibles non seulement entre les différents départements, mais aussi à travers les frontières nationales. Les outils numériques facilitent la structuration de l’expertise collective et la rendent accessible à l’ensemble de l’entreprise pour rester compétitive dans un monde en constante évolution.

Les clients d’innosabi misent sur les idées de leurs collaborateurs. Grâce à de nouvelles structures internes, ils renforcent leur management de l’innovation. Ils utilisent des méthodes telles que le crowdfunding interne, le solution scouting et la collaboration pour générer de nouvelles idées, les prioriser et mettre en réseau les connaissances. L’objectif n’est pas simplement de faire émerger une idée unique, mais bien de créer et d’ancrer une véritable culture de l’innovation au sein de l’entreprise.

Bayer : Relier les connaissances à l’échelle mondiale

Les entreprises mondiales comme Bayer ont besoin de structures globales pour stimuler l’innovation. C’est précisément l’objectif des initiatives d’innovation de l’entreprise : mettre en place des structures et des processus organisationnels qui garantissent que l’innovation soit durablement ancrée dans la culture d’entreprise. Pour renforcer la transformation de cette culture, il est nécessaire de créer des passerelles entre les collaborateurs, les départements, les pays et les continents. Tous les employés doivent avoir la possibilité de contribuer aux processus d’innovation du Groupe, indépendamment de la langue, de leur localisation, de leur niveau hiérarchique ou de leur domaine d’expertise.

La base technologique de cette ambition est la plateforme numérique interne Bayer WeSolve.
En 2014, Bayer AG a posé les fondations de ses réseaux agiles d’innovation avec WeSolve. L’un des principes méthodologiques utilisés est celui du Solution Scouting. La plateforme permet aux collaborateurs de soumettre des problématiques ou des défis techniques spécifiques, et les incite à « contribuer à la résolution de problèmes techniques ou commerciaux concrets » (source : hbr.org).

Par exemple, un défi soumis peut être rendu accessible à tous les collaborateurs ou envoyé de manière ciblée à des personnes disposant d’une expertise spécifique. Ces dernières peuvent alors proposer ou discuter de solutions. Ainsi, le savoir est partagé efficacement au sein de l’organisation et les bonnes personnes sont connectées entre elles. Des synergies se créent entre plus de 100 000 collaborateurs, et les problèmes n’ont plus besoin d’être résolus plusieurs fois.

Le succès de WeSolve confirme la pertinence de cette « expérimentation business ». En une seule année, le nombre d’utilisateurs de la plateforme a plus que quadruplé. Mais Bayer ne s’appuie pas uniquement sur WeSolve pour développer une culture de l’innovation durable : l’entreprise mise également sur un réseau informel d’ambassadeurs et de formateurs en innovation. De cette manière, l’innovation devient une véritable composante de la culture d’entreprise.

Daimler : Combiner méthodes en ligne et hors ligne pour innover

« Nous avons une particularité dans nos Challenges : la combinaison de l’offline et de l’online. »
C’est ainsi que Frieder Munk, de Daimler Digital Life, décrit le développement de l’innovation chez Daimler AG. La DigitalLife Crowd Idea Platform joue un rôle central en permettant à tous les collaborateurs de participer activement au processus d’innovation.

Daimler exploite ce lien entre méthodes en ligne et hors ligne tout au long du processus. De nouveaux Challenges sont souvent lancés lors d’un événement en présentiel, l’OpenSpace, réunissant 100 participants issus de différents départements pour travailler une journée sur un sujet précis. Les idées générées sont ensuite publiées sur la plateforme DigitalLife Crowd Idea, où elles sont soumises au vote ou au financement participatif. Les idées les plus prometteuses sont sélectionnées par l’ensemble des collaborateurs, soit via des likes, soit par l’allocation de budgets. Cette approche illustre déjà la synergie entre la génération d’idées en présentiel et leur priorisation en ligne.

Mais le processus d’innovation ne s’arrête pas là. Les idées sélectionnées sont ensuite développées dans l’un des programmes d’incubation de l’entreprise. L’avancement de leur mise en œuvre peut être suivi par tous les collaborateurs via la plateforme.

« La plateforme nous permet d’instaurer la transparence nécessaire dans les processus de mise en œuvre des innovations. Les décisions ne sont plus prises en secret : les collaborateurs peuvent suivre à tout moment ce qu’il advient de leurs propres idées. »
— Frieder Munk, Daimler AG

La collaboration joue également un rôle essentiel. Lors des Daimler DigitalLife Days 2018, Frieder Munk a souligné la popularité de la fonction de commentaires sur la plateforme. Elle favorise des discussions de fond enrichissantes, qui font progresser les idées et apportent une réelle valeur ajoutée aux équipes qui les ont soumises.

Notre expérience avec des clients tels que Siemens, Bayer ou Daimler montre que l’innovation avec les collaborateurs est – et doit rester – un pilier central dans les entreprises. Rendre les idées visibles, encourager la collaboration transversale et impliquer les collaborateurs dans la prise de décision sont des leviers déterminants pour le succès.

Nous avons intégré ces principes dans le logiciel innosabi pour continuer à stimuler l’innovation interne au sein des organisations.

The innosabi panel at the Daimler Digital Life Days 2018 provided the perfect opportunity to exchange an in-depth discussion with Frieder Munk about the use of the innosabi software at Daimler AG. Frieder Munk is responsible for corporate culture and innovation at Daimler Digital Life and was one of the organizers of the event. With the help of a Crowd Ideation platform from innosabi, he also supports various departments in the company in innovation projects together with employees. DAIMLER IDEAS is a platform for collaboration and virtual crowdfunding. Through the Innovation Funding approach, innovation becomes the task of all employees: from the generation of ideas to the distribution of budgets to their actual realization.

“The platform gives us the necessary transparency in the implementation processes of innovations. Decisions are no longer taken in a quiet room, but the employees have the opportunity at any time to keep track of what’s happening with their ideas.”Frieder Munk, Daimler AG

Watch the complete interview with Frieder Munk and innosabi CEO, Catharina van Delden. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6TGshQ1M3c

Discover the Possibilities of innosabi

Implement organization-wide knowledge exchange and innovation culture with agile innovation management into your company. Utilize the expertise and ideas of your employees to innovate faster than ever before. Benefit from the specialized funding and solution scouting functions of the innosabi software.

Dr. Bettina von Stamm is a renowned expert in innovation, product development and design. She has been researching and working on innovation for over 25 years, calling herself an innovation philosopher, storyteller or catalyst. In 2004, she founded the Innovation Leadership Forum, a Think & Do Tank that helps organizations understand, unlock and improve their innovation potential and performance. In an interview with Julia Schmidt, Business Development at innosabi, she is giving an exceptional overview of how innovation concepts and our perspectives have changed in recent decades: “Of course people have always innovated. What has changed over time is the degree to which we deliberately and proactively seek to create these various types of innovation.” As the most important piece of advice, the innovation expert gives organizations the following task:

“Define what innovation means to you and why you want that specific kind of innovation to happen in your organization. Most companies I talk to think and claim that innovation is important to them, while most do not even have a company-wide definition. How can you expect innovation to happen, when you do not even know what it means?”

According to Dr. Bettina von Stamm, there is no “one right” definition of innovation: “Understand and define what innovation means for your organization, in your specific context. This will not be only one type of innovation, it is most likely a hole innovation scape. Organizations have to be very clear on where they want to innovate and why they want to innovate there. Success factors vary, depending on the company and the kind of innovation.” [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACdqPS8eXAU[/embed]

The Changing Concepts of Innovation

The overview Dr. Bettina von Stamm can give on the changes in the concepts of innovation within the past 30 years is remarkable. She says that each kind of innovation has always been done in a way, just not as a deliberately promoted concept, but unconsciously, accidentally or even out of emergency situations. Initially, the concept of innovation management only evolved around product innovations in the early nineties. It was simply about improving own products through research and development. Since then, in particular, the breadth and perspective of the concept of innovation has changed. When one saw fewer possibilities in pure product innovation, process innovation followed. For example, cost-efficient machines, simplified processes and intelligent warehousing have been implemented. After this potential seemed largely exhausted, the service innovation followed. Thereby the end of the sales process and the user experience were optimized. In the early 2000s, the targeted business model innovation came along. Thus, the issue of innovation within companies has grown from the smallest unit, the single product, to the largest possible unit, the business model. However, Dr. Bettina von Stamm says that this is just another piece in a much bigger puzzle:

“One thing is for certain: The path of innovation does not end there. It is an endless journey where there is always something else around the corner.”

We thank Dr. Bettina von Stamm and everyone involved in the making of this great interview and look forward to finding out together which concepts of innovation will prevail in the future.

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As part of the innosabi Customer Panel at the Daimler Digital Life Days 2018, we had the opportunity to talk in detail with Nicolas Limbach about the use of innosabi software at Bayer AG. Nicolas Limbach is responsible for the promotion and implementation of innovation in the procurement process in the strategic purchasing department – especially for the areas of health and crops. In doing so, Bayer AG relies on its huge network of suppliers and integrates them into innovation projects with the help of the THRIVE platform. Innosabi’s supplier innovation approach makes it possible to harness the knowledge and innovative strength of external stakeholders to initiate collaborative problem-solving.

“Compared to the traditional process, the ideation process with our suppliers on the platform shortens the time-to-market by about 7 months — which of course translates into additional revenue.”

Nicolas Limbach, Bayer AG

Here is the complete interview with Nicolas Limbach and innosabi CEO Catharina van Delden.

With our Supplier Innovation approach, it is possible to establish a protected, virtual environment in the company to invite selected, relevant experts and to exchange sensitive information.

“Selected suppliers help us to work on problems in the business that we can only describe. For the solution, we lack the specifications, the knowledge or the resources.”Nicolas Limbach, Bayer AG

The structured solicitation and evaluation of ideas quickly result in suitable solutions that can be implemented directly with the respective suppliers. This provides solutions to challenges in the innovation process, even before they arise.

“With the help of the innosabi software, we can quickly give our partners feedback on their ideas and commission them with the implementation. This motivates the suppliers to favorably implement innovative technologies, as they in turn benefit from long-term business relationships.”Nicolas Limbach, Bayer AG

Discover the possibilities of the innosabi software

Take advantage of the knowledge and competence of your suppliers and partners for innovation projects. Shorten the time to market and accelerate the internalization of new technologies. Increase the relationships in your network with Supplier Innovation and gain competitive advantage through collaborative ideation with your ecosystem.

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Innovation. A word that moves the world. Literally. Because without innovations, there would be neither progress nor change. Big, drastic changes in the world would not have been possible without innovation. The industrialization needed the invention of the steam engine, digital transformation the internet. Humans always strive for further improvement and change. With this, mankind is the origin of innovation.

But what is innovation? What exactly does this word mean? One definition of innovation that we think is one of the best comes from Jürgen Hauschildt (2016):

"Innovations are qualitatively new products or processes, which differ "noticeably " - however that is to be determined - compared to a comparison state."

For us, innovation means change, reform, introduction of something new and often the realization of a novel, advanced solution to a specific problem.

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There seems to be a fair amount of meanings for this one word. Even science seems to be disunited on this: These are the two opposing sides:

• Innovation is a novelty or renewal of an object or a course of action
• Innovation is change and application, which means innovation must first be invented, but introduced, used and applied too

This is precisely where the crucial difference between innovation and invention lies. Especially in English-speaking countries, "innovation" and "invention" are often used interchangeably. However, looking more closely at the meanings, it becomes clear that an invention can only be the basis for innovation. Inventions begin with an idea and the development of a prototype. For an innovation to emerge, the prototype must become a product that is brought to the market and used.

What are the different types of innovation?

Without innovation, no company can survive longer then a few years. Just because a corporation is big, does not mean it is undisruptable.In addition to the object of innovation, it is also useful to distinguish for which scope an innovation. Additionally, product, service and business model innovations can be divided by their market impact. These two attributes can be used to differentiate the following types of innovations:

• Performance innovations are new ideas for a already well-known market. Often an improvement of the existing offer is made possible by new technologies.
• Application innovations open up a new market for an already existing idea. New and additional customers can now use an existing offer.
• Incremental innovations are advancements/ the optimization of existing products, services or business models. The adjustments often serve to reduce costs, optimize customer benefit or reposition the market.
• Radical innovation means that completely new ideas are translated into never seen before products, services or business models. Their impact on hole markets can be extreme.
• Sustaining innovations help companies defend their own market position and remain competitive. Any innovation that enhances a supply is therefore a sustaining innovation, whether radical or incremental.
• Disruptive innovations are those that shape new markets or disrupt established ones. Frequently, disruptive innovations are possible through new technologies. The car for example was a disruptive innovation regarding transportation 100 years ago. Whether an innovation is disruptive often depends on the perspective. While the electric car is a radical but sustainable innovation for the automotive industry, it can be disruptive to the petrol industry, because their product is no longer needed.
• Agile innovation means implementing ideas through collaboration and iterative prototype circles/ loops. With the adaptability of agile innovation processes, innovations can be brought to market faster and implemented more seamlessly.

In addition, the trigger for an innovation can be distinguished. So what triggered the innovation? Two main possibilities: Market-pull, where innovations are initiated by customer request, and technology-push, where new technologies enable new applications or products which then are marketed accordingly.

How can innovation processes be implemented in a company?

Agile innovation management is key to innovation success. This is where the different types of innovation come together. There are differences in the people and resources with which ideas are collected and implemented. In Closed Innovation, organizations only involve internal resources in the innovation process. This can be done in classic idea management or via internal innovation projects and knowledge sharing using innosabi Idea. If a company also opens its innovation processes to external partners, this approach is called open innovation. With innosabi software, customers (innosabi Community) or suppliers and research institutes (innosabi Partner) can be involved in developing innovations that way. Interested? Request a demo!

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“Daimler Ideate” is a collaboration platform that aims to involve Daimler employees throughout the world, regardless of internal silos, in innovation projects. On this platform, ideas for new products and technologies are generated and further developed. To this day, more than 33.000 users from various business units are registered. Starting with the collection and elaboration of ideas, until the funding and construction of first prototypes, all activities are carried out via a central innosabi platform. Time for us to ask about the experiences made and the value added so far. To seek answers to these and many more questions, innosabi CEO Catharina van Delden recently talked to Frieder Munk, Corporate Strategy Manager from Daimler AG’s DigitalLife Team:

How do you describe the innosabi platform to your colleagues? With our Crowd Ideation Platform at Daimler, we give all colleagues the opportunity to actively participate in the innovation process. Important principles for the platform are collaboration, transparency, and motivation. On the platform, ideation contests can be carried out in the form of so-called challenges. This takes place in several predefined phases, which work towards an initially defined objective. During this process, the ideas are further developed and improved by impulses, comments, and suggestions by the crowd, i.e. Daimler employees. I describe an intuitively-to-use software for the interested departments, which is also very easily accessible via single-sign-on or mobile phone. We currently use the platform exclusively internally; The goal is, however, to use it externally too, in order to carry out ideation projects with customers, suppliers, or university partners. The most important features are the transparency along the entire process and the collaboration in the community. What is the role of funding on the Daimler Ideate platform? In a funded project, teams can submit ideas in video form. Daimler employees can then finance these ideas with a virtual budget. Project initiators can determine whether a funding goal must be achieved or not. The most successful teams are then given real resources to implement their ideas. Depending on the idea, it’s possible to take advantage of the Daimler Incubator program to validate the approach or to develop a minimum viable product. Through the funding, we see a high motivation for implementation by the applicants – because of the support of all the employees involved in the funding process, a high visibility of the projects naturally arises. Additionally, the funding helps to ensure a fast and accurate prioritization of innovation projects according to the accumulated knowledge and experience of many Daimler employees. The teams of the individual business units configure their homepages and challenges on the platform in self-government. These do not necessarily have to include a funding. Depending on the individual requirements of the projects, certain phases – such as ideation, voting, or even funding – are included in the process and others are left out. In the bigger picture, we see that the funding projects seem to be very successful: Since the start in May 2017, we see a large number of prospects for our challenges with funding on the platform.

Figure 1: Source: https://twitter.com/Daimler/status/897820632712392704

What makes a Innovation Challenge successful in your eyes? Primarily, we measure success by reach and participation. We therefore check the percentage of invited people who actually registered on the platform. India was the most extreme, but at the same time the best example. An incredible 95 percent of the workforce at the Bangalore site registered, voted and collaborated on the platform. This value is, of course, phenomenal and incomparable. In Germany, we have more than 20,000 users signed in on the platform. Since participation is, of course, also dependent on the respective country culture, this too is a success for us. Now, in the next step, we are trying to further expand our user base and to integrate the existing community even more strongly in the entire innovation processes. To measure the success of the entire platform, we are not only guided by the figures of the number of new challenges on the platform. Since they constantly involve and motivate our employees, there is also a change in the overall innovation culture. The more departments start competitions, the more multidisciplinary collaboration takes place – for us, this is the most important success factor. How would you generally describe the benefits of the innosabi platform? Before we used innosabi software, we have been running ideation projects through different channels, such as conventional workshops or in specialized committees of the individual divisions. This was not very transparent, only appointed experts and managers could participate. Now we are online instead of offline, everyone can see the ideas and help shape them. This gives us a much greater reach than in a workshop. In addition, we interact immediately with the relevant groups of people and activate a huge pool of available knowledge and experience. I can reach an enormous number of people and actively integrate them into the value creation process. Thus, we are not only talking about cultural change, but realizing it daily in various situations. I am particularly pleased with the fact that individual projects that started as small ideas do now go into operational implementation. After the ideation phase, we accompany promising ideas and control the necessary implementation steps – depending on the requirements, the close cooperation with our Acceleration and Incubation programs are possible. In general, however, we are not yet at the end of this exciting journey – based on feedback from our users at Daimler locations worldwide, we are continuing to develop the platform together with innosabi. We look forward to the next steps and many successfully implemented innovations!

Figure 2: Source: https://twitter.com/alecmcint/status/869862048892694530 Digital Life Day

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