Here you get my top 5 list of companies with strong open innovation efforts. Your comments and suggestions for other companies are appreciated!
1. GE – for continuously developing the Ecomagination Challenge
GE have turned the Ecoimagination Challenge into a very interesting innovation vehicle – which also doubles as a good PR tool – and they seem to get not only high external engagement, but also high business value out of their efforts. Great work!
2. LEGO – for making different kinds of external sources work together
LEGO is building a strong open innovation program as you can read about in this blog post, which also includes a recent presentation on their efforts.
They also have LEGO Cuusoo, which is a great example of how a company can combine different approaches in order to get external ideas and input into their innovation process. They work with a partner on the platform itself (Cuusoo), they use crowdsourcing (10,000 supporters needed for suggestions) and they reward the individuals (co-creation between LEGO and individuals).
I really look forward to seeing other open innovation portals from LEGO. I know they are working on some great ideas : – )
3. General Mills – for reaping the benefits of a long-term vision
General Mills is often mentioned as one of the most innovative companies in the world and I believe that the success of their open innovation efforts, which started all the way back in 2005 is a key reason for this.
They continue to push the borders of open innovation and I also like how General Mills shares their experiences including this piece, Five Tips to Jumpstart an Open Innovation Program by Jeff Bellairs, Sr. Director of Connected Innovation.
4. Philips – for having a thoughtful approach on open innovation
Not all companies know that the real work of open innovation happens behind the scenes. It is more about building a strong internal infrastructure than having a flashy portal. My interactions with Philips tell me that they know this very well and even though they kind of keep their efforts under the radar, they have too many things going not to make this list.
Besides their internal work, they do have a public portal, they are involved with the High Tech Campus and they also offer their insights and experiences to others through the Philips innovation consultancy.
5. The last spot is up for grabs…
For the fifth spot, I thought about companies such as Unilever, DSM, Beiersdorf, Shell, AkzoNobel, Siemens and Weyerhauser. I could mention several others that they deserve such an “honorary mention” but I was not ready to give them the last spot.
Of course, I could also ask you which companies you would put on a top 5 list for open innovation companies. Let me know what you think!
You can also find some related blog posts here:
40 Examples of Open Innovation and Crowdsourcing
Top 5 Countries for Open Innovation – Nov 2012
