The new model (Open Innovation + sustainability) is based on the crowdsourcing activities of the best talents, ideas and technologies to make them grow, transforming them into new business models. In this way, we are connecting all Company areas with startups, industrial partners, small and medium-sized enterprises (SME), research centers, universities and entrepreneurs, through the openinnovability.com platform, to face new challenges, in consideration of the drivers of the Group’s Strategic Plan and the sustainable development goals (SDG) of the United Nations 2030 Agenda.
Since 2017 we have launched the openinnovability.com platform, with more than 13,000 evaluated opportunities, more than 210 challenges, 34 of which only in 2022. Over the past year, the challenges for which the most solutions were proposed concern: innovative ways for improving the albedo in solar generation plants, sustainable approaches for reusing cement, a new design for primary and secondary substations. Those who propose solutions for solving the challenges can win monetary awards and start collaborations with the Group.
We can count on a global network of Innovation Hubs and Labs (10 Hubs, three of which are also Labs, and three Labs dedicated to startups) that collaborated with the local ecosystems to expand our vision, promoting open innovation and sustainability.
The Hubs, which are located in the most relevant innovation ecosystems for the Group (Catania, Pisa, Milan, Silicon Valley, Boston, San Paolo, Madrid, Barcelona, Santiago de Chile and Tel Aviv), handle a network of relations with all players involved in innovation activities and are the main source of scouting for startups and SMEs, with the objective of responding to the innovation needs of the Business Lines. The scouting activity also focuses on promoting the adoption of solutions that can maximize our sustainable profile, such as promoting circularity, guaranteeing inclusiveness and attempting to face social problems.
The Labs make it possible for startups to work alongside the technicians and experts of our Business Lines in order to develop and test solutions in the most fertile environment possible. In addition to the laboratories in Milan, Pisa, Catania, San Paolo and Be’er Sheva, in September 2022 we inaugurated the new AI & Robotics Lab in Tel Aviv, which is specialized in developing artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics for renewable energies and energy networks. This is the fourth innovative initiative launched by the Group in Israel and is managed by Enel Green Power and Enel Grids (the Group Business Lines dedicated to the generation and distribution of clean energy).
Open Innovation also means creating partnerships with key players. We are currently committed to 43 collaborations for innovation that cover the areas that are the most strategic for the Group and that concentrate on relevant topics, such as the new sustainable materials for Enel assets (Novamont), innovative technologies for improving the generation and storage of renewables (BASF), the promotion of space applications in the energy sector (ESA and Thales Alenia Space) and the codevelopment of innovative digital solutions (Cisco and Microsoft).
We have created specific interfunctional work groups (Innovation Communities) in order to face topics relevant for the business and new technologies and create value in an innovative manner. The active communities concern the following topics: blockchains, drones, energy storage, the metaverse, robotics, sensors and quantum computing. There are also work groups dedicated to so-called wearables, additive manufacturing, data monetization, AI and machine learning, materials and hydrogen. The Communities continuously monitor potential technological improvements and share new useful business models, added value services or use cases for types of technologies that could be adopted in various Group areas.
We constantly promote and spread the culture, knowledge and behaviors of Open Innovation in the countries in which we operate, favoring an approach called “learning by doing”, which allows people to think and act in a different way and disseminate methodologies and tools for strengthening the generation of ideas and supporting their development. There are many tools and initiatives for innovation that are useful for the dissemination of the Open Innovation culture. In addition to the recurring newsletters, surveys and webinars, periodic meetings are held with all Business Lines on many levels, not just managerial, but also with the non-hierarchical communities. We make the necessary resources available for promoting a culture of knowledge and its value on all levels, increasing awareness among people also thanks to training courses, events and meetings.