In the fast-paced digital and sustainable transformation, innovation is no longer an isolated process within companies and institutions. It requires collaboration, exchange of ideas, and the ability to bring together different experiences to achieve faster and more effective results. This is the core concept of ‘open innovation,’ a model gaining traction in the private and academic sectors, enabling companies, universities, research centers, and other entities to work together to create innovative solutions.
In the episode ‘Open Innovation’ of the podcast Roots of Innovation, promoted by the Agricultural Research Development Foundation (Fundepag), airing from March 27th on the Foundation’s YouTube and Spotify channels, the topic is explored by the General Director of the Food Technology Institute (Ital), Eloísa Helena Garcia; the Head of Climate Change and Circularity at Natura, Fernanda Fachini; and the Technological Innovation and New Business Development Specialist at Fundepag, Luciana Teixeira; moderated by journalist Monaliza Pelicioni.
Each of them brings a unique perspective on the importance of collaboration between the private sector, research institutions, and emerging technologies to promote innovation that meets the real needs of the market and society. For Eloísa, in practice, open innovation allows leveraging expertise from different areas without needing all the knowledge in-house. ‘Often, companies lack the intellectual capital to do everything alone. Collaboration is essential to achieve results that would be harder to attain individually,’ she states.
Fernanda, in turn, highlights Natura as a successful example of open innovation, as over 70% of its innovations arise from this collaborative model, connecting different sectors to develop more comprehensive solutions. ‘This approach allows us to integrate diverse knowledge and create more effective solutions,’ says the expert, who has led open innovation projects at the company for 20 years.
Challenges and Advantages of Open Innovation
While closed innovation confines the process within the walls of a company or research institution, open innovation allows different actors to contribute their knowledge and experience. According to Luciana, however, for open innovation to work effectively, legal instruments ensuring security for all parties involved are essential. ‘Since the results of these projects may take years to materialize, it’s crucial to define upfront the rights and obligations of each participant. Companies often focus on the benefits they’ll reap at the end, but it’s necessary to mature the mindset and see the bigger picture. Many challenges are too complex to solve alone, and collaboration with well-defined rules is the path to solutions that wouldn’t be possible individually,’ she states.
The episode also explores the role of open innovation in accelerating sustainable agendas. Without collaboration, the transformation needed to address environmental challenges would be impossible. ‘No one does anything alone,’ says Fernanda, emphasizing that the private sector increasingly needs to look outward for knowledge to create viable and sustainable solutions.
The third episode of the podcast ‘Roots of Innovation’ can be watched on Fundepag’s channels on YouTube and Spotify and is an excellent opportunity to understand how the ‘Open Innovation’ model is transforming Brazil.
Access the Foundation’s digital platforms, such as YouTube and Spotify.
