Christophe  Deutsch  &  Carl    Viel    November  2011    

2

Bridging university and applied R&D center researchers with real industrial problems

  Step  1  :  Call  for  problems    As  a  call  for  papers  in  a  more    traditional  conference    $  2,000  to  post  a  problem  for  this  first  year  

  Step  2  :  Problems  broadcasting    Selection  of  the  problems  that  would  benefit  most  from  the  approach  

  «  Broadcast  of  search  »    approach  as  for  other  innovation  accelerators    Support  by  IDTEQ  researchers  to  well-­‐define  the  problem    (one  «  ambassador  »  per  seeker)  and  to  

prepare  the  seeker  for  the  conference  day  

  Step  3  :  Finding  and  motivating  solvers    Finding  the  best  potential  solvers  by  specific  broadcasts    Using  IDTEQ’s  networks  (the  power  of  the  R&D  organizations)      Using  social  media  for  general  broadcast  

  Step  4  :  Seeking  for  solution  in  a  cocreation  mode    transfer  from  an  exclusively  online  platform  approach  to  a  real  collaboration  between  potential  

solvers    Networking  opportunities  much  larger  than  the  classical  one  (many  problems  requiring  

multidisciplinary  skills)       3

  December  2010      9  months  after  the  ideation  

  A  laboratory  to  experiment  open  innovation  

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  9  companies  /  10  problems      Small  &  large  companies    Very  precise  as  well  as  complex  problems  

  175  solvers      paying  200$  to  participate  

  Results    Better  understanding  of  the    

problems    New  ideas    Ideas  confirmed    networking  outside  the    

«  traditional  »  network      Feedback  on  the  process  

  Great  experience    No  IP  problem  during  the  day  (possible  to  have  

real  business  discussion  in  a  very  open  approach)    Real  results  after  the  convergence  step    Somehow  destabilizing  for  some  researchers  but  

in  a  very  positive  way   5

  Problems:      Designing  a  smart  urban  

bike  helmet  (Living  LAB  of  Montréal)  

  Sensor  Networks  for  the  analysis  of  Dynamic  Complex  Phenomena:  Challenges  and  Perspectives  (DMR  a  division  of  Fujitsu  Consulting  Canada  inc.)  

  Interesting  facts  during  the  event:      Fusion  of  the  2  solver  teams  

after  half  of  the  process  

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  A  problem  with  critical  consequences    Either  they  find  a  solution  or  the  

manufacturing  plant  closes  down    Finding  innovative  applications  

using  offline  coaters  at  Kruger’s  plant  in  Trois  Rivières  

  3  solutions  proposed    3  new  products  were  proposed  

(paper  tarpaulin  to  preserve  soil  humidity)  

  Possible  only  thanks  to  non-­‐obvious  participation  of  a  researcher  from  the  agro-­‐environment  domain    

  Results    Two  applied  R&D  centers  have  

proposed  a  project  to  Kruger  

  Problem    Remove  Hydraulics  from  refuse  

trucks  

  Context    100  hours  already  spent  trying  

to  find  a  solution    Needed  to  «  get  out  of  the  box  »  

and  far  from  their  own  paradigms  

  Results    This  event  provided  answers  

never  imagined  before    The  proposed  approaches  are  

much  further  than  removing  the  Hydraulics  

  60%  of  the  seeking  companies    have  stayed  in  contact  with  people    met  during  the  event  near  to  one    year  after  the  event    Norbord  has  developed  sustained  relations    

with  FP  Innovation,  Oléotech  &  Serex.    The  largest  perceived  impact  is  the    

networking    “It  would  have  taken  us  months  to  meet    

all  these  people  and  furthermore  they    were  interested  in  our  problem!”  Alouette  

  “I  have  been  able  to  meet  with  a  company    I  tried  to  reach  for  months”  A  solver  

  Real  business  opportunities  appeared  but  not  for  all  participants,  we  expect  that  these  will  increase  in  the  following  years    First  year  was  a  laboratory  and  some  companies  tried  it  with  problems  of  lesser  

immediate  impact  9 9

7,2  

7,0  

6,3  

7,3  

0   1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10  

Problem  solving  progress  

Visibility  

Real  business  dev.  Opportunities  

Networking  

Perceived  Impact  by  the  9  seeking  companies  10  month  after  the  event    

  50%  of  the  seeking  companies  are  actively  working  on  solutions  suggested  during  the  event  and  collaborate  with  partners  met  during  the  event.    Kruger  &  two  applied  R&D  centers  tested  the  proposed  

approach  (paper  tarpaulin  instead  of  plastic)  in  the  field  this  summer.  Feasibility  has  been  demonstrated.  Improvements  required  to  become  a  viable  product,  further  tests  are  planned.  

  Steris  has  subcontracted  a  technology  transfer  organisation  to  validate  the  cooling  system  approach.  

  Norbord  has  confirmed  that  their  approach  is  economically  the  best  on  the  market  at  the  moment  after  a  study  done  with  an  R&D  center  

  100%  seeking  companies  have  an  interest  in  participating  to  a  second  edition  of  the  event.    Even  the  companies  that  have  apparently  no  direct  benefits.      For  smaller  companies  the  cost  may  have  a  negative  impact  

10 10

  Increased  collaboration  amongst  the  applied  R&D  centers    IDTEQ,  a  group  of  5  applied  R&D  centers,  are  increasing  their  collaboration  

through  roadmap  exchange  sessions,  common  training  planning,  infrastructure  exchanges  and  large  implication  in  the  second  QSS  edition  (support  for  the  seekers)    

  Consortium  creation  around  the  «  seek  solutions  »  approach    QSS  partners  are  industrials  (Assentry,  Gris  vert),  applied  R&D  (IDTEQ),  

economic  development  organisation  (QI)  International  organisations  (ISPIM)      QSS  advisory  board:  Open  innovation  expert  (Frank  Piller),  Governmental  

organisations  (CRSNG,  Cefrio)      Visibility  of  Quebec  city  as  a  dynamic  region  to  solve  problems  

  We  have  created  the  local  open  innovation  “seek  solutions”  approach    Better  understanding  of  open  innovation  by  the  local  innovation  

ecosystem    Cultural  change  comes  from  people  understanding  new  paradigms  

  QSS  inspired  events  have  taken  place  since  last  December.    For  industrial  networks    Inside  companies  

  International  interest  for  “local  open  innovation”  11

  Second  edition  of  Quebec  seeks  solutions  -­‐  May  15  &  16,  2012    Quebec  International  in  collaboration  with  ISPIM  and  IDTEQ  will  host  the  event    Call  for  Problem  is  open  until  January  13th.    The  event  will  also  include  a  pre-­‐conference  on  open-­‐innovation  

  A  value  proposition  available  around  the  concept:    The  “seek  solutions”  approach  is  available  for  other  cities  /  regions  to  

experiment  this  problem-­‐solving  event  ▪  A  half-­‐day  «  training  »  session  will  be  held  after  the  2012  QSS  event  ▪  Support  to  organize  and  animate  the  event  available.  ▪  Customized  Web  platform  available  

  Customized  “seek  solutions”  approach  available  to  hold  the  event  within  a  large  companies,  in  parallel  to  a  thematic  conference,  within  an  industry  cluster,  for  governments  or  institutions.  

  The  intent  is  to  further  develop  the  «  Seek  Solutions  »  approach  and  to  help  industries,  conferences,  cities  and  regions  to  use  it  in  order  to  increase  the  productivity  and  collaboration  on  a  local  basis  using  OI  techniques  

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Visit  us  at  www.quebec-­‐solutions.com  

&    See  you  next  May    at  QSS  2012  in  Québec  City  

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  90%  of  the  seeking  companies  have  stayed  in  contact  with  people  met  during  the  event  

  30%  have  signed  NDAs  with  potential  partners  showing  real  collaboration  exchanges  

  Seekers  have  also  confirmed  the  interest  in  non  obvious  networking  possibilities  

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Yes  89%  

No  11%  

Companies  working  on  solutions  initiated  at  QSS  and  that  stayed  in  contact  with  people  met  during  the  event  

Yes  33%  No  

67%  

NDA  or  Contract  signed  

8/10  

9/10  

7/10  

9/10  

0   1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10  

Avancement  de  la  problématique  

Visibilité  de  l'entreprise  

Opportunités  d'affaires  concrètes  

Réseautage  

Fujitsu  -­‐  DMR  Perceived  impact  of  their  participation  

Networking  

Real  business  dev.  opportunities  

Visibility  

Problem    solving  progress