Open innovation is a paradigm shift in the way organizations approach innovation. Traditionally, innovation was seen as an internal process, where companies relied exclusively on their own resources, knowledge and capabilities to develop new products, services or technologies. However, with the emergence of open innovation, the boundaries of innovation have expanded beyond the confines of a single organization.

Coined by Henry Chesbrough, open innovation refers to the practice of actively seeking out and integrating external ideas, technologies and resources into the innovation process. It recognizes that valuable ideas and knowledge can be found both inside and outside an organization, and that collaboration and partnerships with external entities can drive innovation and generate competitive advantage.

In an open innovation framework, organizations actively collaborate with external stakeholders such as customers, suppliers, universities, research institutions, start-ups and even competitors to exchange ideas, co-create solutions and access a broader pool of knowledge and expertise. This collaborative approach enables companies to tap into a broader range of perspectives, leverage external capabilities and accelerate the pace of innovation.

Key principles of open innovation include sharing knowledge and intellectual property, actively seeking external partnerships, adopting a culture of collaboration and openness, and integrating external input throughout the innovation lifecycle. It requires a shift in mindset from a closed, inward-focused approach to a more open, collaborative and networked one.

By embracing open innovation, organizations can improve their ability to innovate, reduce time to market, mitigate risk, access new markets and create value through synergistic collaborations. It fosters a dynamic, interconnected innovation ecosystem where diverse stakeholders come together to drive collective progress and shape the future of industries and markets.

Overall, open innovation represents a strategic approach that recognizes the power of collaboration and external collaboration to drive innovation and growth. It encourages organizations to look beyond their own boundaries, tap into the collective intelligence of a broader network and harness the power of collaborative innovation to remain competitive and thrive in today's changing business landscape.

This year, IQS together with ACCIO and other members of the Catalan innovation ecosystem have developed an intensive course called Open Innovation Sprint. The program aims to provide companies with the skills and knowledge necessary to implement open innovation practices within their organizations. The program consists of six group sessions spread over three months, covering key concepts, networking and interaction with experts who have implemented this type of open innovation. In addition, participants will have access to one-on-one mentoring and hands-on workshops focused on scoping, exploration, selection, evaluation, proof of concept and collaboration.

Through the program, companies can enhance their ability to remain competitive, foster a dynamic and interconnected innovation ecosystem, and drive collective progress and shape the future of industries and markets.

The theoretical block of the Open Innovation Sprint program consists of six four-hour group sessions spread over three months to facilitate attendance and assimilation of the contents.

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these sessions (face-to-face sessions, 2-3 people per company, with the possibility of streaming connection) are structured in three blocks

- first, one hour presentation of key concepts linked to this open innovation
- second, networking opportunities
- third, interaction with experts and people who have implemented innovative initiatives (cases) within their corporations (Torres, Cener, Cementos Molins, Fluidra...) and active involvement and participation of the audience, moving away from the traditional one-way presentations.

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The customized workshops aim to consolidate the company's collaborative innovation model. There will be two workshops in which the topics covered in the theoretical sessions will be specifically addressed:

• Present and future challenges of the company in terms of innovation and strategy.
• Business transformation methodologies and disruptive innovation.
• Intrapreneurship
• Collaboration models used in open innovation.
• Analysis of capabilities, available assets and prioritization.
• Communication channels and contact with the innovation ecosystem.

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1. Scoping: In this step you define the focus and boundaries of the open innovation initiative. You will identify the specific areas or problems you want to address through external collaboration.
2. Scouting: Scouting involves actively searching for potential sources of innovation outside your organization. This may include exploring academic institutions, startups, industry conferences, online communities and other external networks to identify relevant ideas, technologies or knowledge.
3. Screening: Once potential sources have been identified, the selection step consists of evaluating and assessing the suitability of these sources for collaboration. You can take into account factors such as their experience, track record, alignment with your objectives and intellectual property considerations.
4. Evaluation: This step is where you delve deeper into potential collaborations and evaluate them further. This may involve conducting due diligence, assessing feasibility, evaluating risks and benefits, and considering the potential impact of the collaboration on your organization.
5. POC: After selecting the most promising collaborations, we move on to the POC phase. This tests the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed collaboration through a small-scale application or prototype. The POC helps validate the potential value and feasibility of the collaboration.
6. Collaboration: If the POC is successful, it moves to the collaboration phase, where formal agreements are established and work is done with the external partner(s). This may involve joint research and development, knowledge sharing, resource pooling or other forms of collaboration to drive innovation and achieve mutual goals.