Innovation Networks and Partnerships

Solutions and concepts for most innovation needs can be best met by looking at places beyond the traditional sphere. Increasingly, companies are realizing that the innovation potential that lies outside of a company is exponentially larger and often, much more effective & viable than the in-house capability. Innovation networks and partnerships are all about systematically tapping into these external innovation assets.

• Innovation networks: Innovation networks bring together either problem solvers or power brokers (who have access to problem solvers) on a single platform so that a specific innovation need or problem can reach out to the best possible solution provider.


• Open Innovation ecosystems: Open innovation ecosystems revolve around the philosophy of like-minded organisations with complementary needs being co-located in a single campus/location, pooling manpower and other resources and working together on new innovations relevant to all participants in this ecosystem.


• Strategic partnerships: Industry-Government partnerships & Industry-University alliances deliver innovations to solve real-life problems in a model that brings together industrial funding and the best brains together in win-win relationships.

Innovation Tools, Systems and Structures

What are the various breakthrough tools, systems and structures that have been leveraged to maximize the innovation throughput in organisations? Is there a way to systematically learn and draw out systems and structures from other industries and sectors? What are the learnings (and guiding principles) around customizing Innovation tools and processes for individual organisations?

Some of the tools employed by successful innovators are:

• Innovation enabling tools: Systematic innovation in organisations can be driven through focused exercises that encourage the practitioners to think outside the box and look for solutions in places they would not normally look for.


• Knowledge management systems: New ideas and learnings developed in-house need to be captured, mapped and made available to everybody else who might benefit from this journey. Knowledge management systems include “learning reports”, technology chat groups, blogs, etc.


• Technology mapping: A pre-requisite to driving new innovations is to understand the current state of technology, and also map new “white spaces” where new proprietary innovations are possible.

Commercializing Innovations

Recognizing the challenge and creating breakthrough solutions is one thing and commercializing Innovation is quite another. The session would primarily evaluate the various go-to-market models for Innovative ideas. What are the learnings, guiding principles and pitfalls around commercializing Innovation? What are the various ways and mechanisms available for innovators to generate commercial value for their innovation? What are the challenges in commercializing innovations –regulatory, infrastructure, Intellectual property, ROI measurement etc that India Inc faces today?

Funding Innovations

How do organisations create a fund for nurturing innovation? How do innovators & entrepreneurs within and outside the organisation get their ideas/ventures funded? While examining Innovation proposals what do Venture Capitalists and Angel Investors look for? What are the emerging trends in areas like – Concept uniqueness and relevance, Market Acceptance, Business plan – revenue generation, profitability and exit options, and Leadership – Innovators passion, expertise and competence etc? What are the various parameters along which Innovation successes are measured? Given the unknown territory and unseen results how do innovators make their funding propositions more innovation friendly?

Innovation in Large Organizations

Many large organisations have innovated successfully to catapult India Inc.’s reputation at the global stage. Many others in sunrise sectors like Retail, Health Care, Hospitality and Biotech etc are poised to follow suit. Also, when it comes to functional disciplines, Innovation has transformed the very fabric of these organisations – Manufacturing, Supply chain, Marketing & Positioning, Human Resource Management, Technology etc.

What has made this happen? What have been some of the successes and learnings in stimulating Innovation in Large organisations? What are the paradoxes and dilemmas that these organisations typically face? How do they strategically balance their existing profitable businesses with creating ‘never seen before’ solutions?

Leadership in Innovation

How do leaders develop create and nurture aspirations, identify breakthrough propositions, unleash the passion and energy in teams, explore new ways and challenge old assumptions/behaviours & mindsets, and identify and build leadership competencies?

New innovations in organisations are primarily driven by a broad innovation culture coupled with top management ownership. Building an innovation culture involves creation of an organisation that is set-up to continuously look-out for new ideas and concepts, either inside or outside the organisation, and reapply them rapidly to drive both incremental and disruptive innovations.

What does an Innovation friendly culture mean? What are the reward & recognition structures? What is the Leadership attitude towards Innovation failure? How the learnings from the failures are crystallized, harvested and made available continuously for the organisation. How is the Innovation culture embedded in the Organisational DNA?