“In 2021, we partnered with Hub UDEP, the entrepreneurship incubator of the University of Piura (Peru), to help design a 5 step open innovation program that will engage, connect, incubate and promote technological and innovative ventures in agribusiness, fishing, biodiversity and fintech services.”

“In August, we ran a public health focused immersive innovation lab in Atlanta with 24 folks who had little to no exposure to innovation. The growth that happened in those two weeks was incredible. Everyone walked away inspired and energized with both a tangible pilot plan as well as a new perspective with which to approach their public health work.”

“For many, drone delivery may seem far-off or futuristic, but by piloting this technology, we are able to bring the future of drones closer to reality. With one of our clients, we have begun piloting drone technology to demonstrate proof of the future state and show how the technology could be applied to our client’s business. This allows them to proactively prepare for the impact of the technology on the market and retain their position as a leader in their field.”

“We helped one of our partners launch a testing strategy around emerging autonomous technology. In addition to setting up rigorous key performance indicators (KPIs) for testing with specific stakeholder groups, we were also able to run a series of pilots to quickly and efficiently evaluate use cases for the technology. Once validated, the technology was handed back to the business for implementation. ”

“In the last few years, the quick service industry has faced the need to make massive changes to respond to changing customer demands for convenience. These changes have been further accelerated by the global pandemic, forcing us to look at increasing convenience combined with public health and safety. We have been pleased to help bring new delivery service concepts to the marketplace with our clients, leveraging their existing brand awareness and credibility to accelerate the adoption of new service offerings to established customers.”

“With a well rounded, cross-industry view of innovation, we have the unique opportunity to draw connections across different bodies of work and identify emerging trends. This research is then used to create comprehensive plans for testing new initiatives. We utilize small tests of advanced technology or cutting edge processes to gradually build learnings and validate the case for larger applications.”

“Oftentimes, innovation can be slowed by regulatory restrictions, but in some cases, forward-thinking regulatory bodies can really help to accelerate innovation. We came across an example of this during a pilot in Santa Monica where the City of Santa Monica and the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI) launched and deployed a first-in-the-nation Zero Emissions Delivery Zone. For other cities, this zone should be looked to as an excellent example of how government and industry can partner within a community to advance policy as well as technology.”

“Remote work is crucial to how to interact internally at OSB (It’s what made it possible for me to work at OSB) but also helpful in expanding reach and access to clients across the country. We had the opportunity to set up an innovation program in the Midwest and can quickly check in with teams and projects, who are all also separated, and coach them as they implement their pilots.”

“When identifying the needs of communities, there are inherently groups that are left out for various reasons, such as language barriers. For this reason, in 2021 we conducted research to not only identify which communities we needed to reach but how to best do so. Through this we found that by developing outreach materials in Spanish and delivering them through existing networks and channels, we could better reach and understand the needs of these communities.”

“In 2021, we had the opportunity to share our experiences in open innovation with our partners in LATAM, leading programs, webinars, and workshops in Spanish. These helped us to understand the business terminology used in Spanish speaking countries as well as the common adaptation of English words in the innovation ecosystem across the continent.”

“The value of a multilingual organization is a tremendous asset in today’s business world. Bilingualism is growing in the workplace and the importance of offering the diversity of language can only lead to an organization’s ability to influence other markets. Bilingual speakers are available to help bridge the gap between customers or potential clients that otherwise would not be attainable.”

“At the Rollins Innovation Summit, we facilitated the convening of partners from across the state of Georgia, ranging from industry professionals to community champions. The experiences of each person at the Summit brought a unique lens to solving public health challenges faced across the state, and we each learned from one another.”

“One of our clients is Midwest based, but works with communities across the U.S. Thankfully our team is also dispersed, which allows us to navigate regional differences, time zones and perspectives efficiently.”

“Over the last several years, we have gotten to engage with multiple partners in the Peruvian startup and venture ecosystem. In 2021, we continued to brainstorm, support and dream with friends and partners in Peru and can’t wait until we can do so in person!”

“We have the opportunity to meet and work with international startups in sectors such as healthcare, robotics, delivery, and more. By working internationally, we can get a global perspective on trends, landscapes, and regulations that may be viewed differently in different regions. Additionally, we can continue to expand access and adoption by understanding diverse views and approaches.”

“It means the world to me to give back to the education program that got me my start in the digital creative industry. eCommunications is truly a special program that provides access to industry level hardware and software and guidance on industry hard and soft skills that dramatically accelerates high school student’s skill sets going into college or the industry. The eMagine Multimedia Festival is a competition I proudly placed in during my time in eComm and have been delighted to be asked to act as an industry judge and mentor for 7 years running!”

““We were excited to be asked to speak by the Peruvian government innovation organization, ProInnovate. Our ProInnovate “Jueves de Innovación” talk covered open innovation and corporate venturing and gave us the opportunity to share our experience and knowledge with various industry participants, startups, and entrepreneurs. This platform is ideal for the exchange of knowledge and experiences between multiple sectors. We are grateful to Proinnovate and the SNI (Sociedad Nacional de Industrias) for giving us the opportunity to participate.””

“Global reach can seem daunting, but what about when you need to source partnerships specifically for and from other countries? We had the opportunity this last year to source multiple partnership options for a non-profit client spanning multiple countries and continents. When mission alignment and value exchanges guide the process, the hardest thing is only to correctly navigate time zones!”

“When looking for partners to test solutions, it is important to focus on nuance as well as the technology being pitched. By hearing from multiple vendor, you can begin to narrow in on the best solution for a given problem. While technical ability and specifications are critical, paying close attention to transparency, attitude, and team dynamics are just as important. The team that you select needs to be open and willing to work collaboratively toward the solution.”

“This story of government/student/community cross collaboration is an amazing example of an effective sprint and innovation process that brings about real change. R Story is a tool that leverages Federal Open Data from the US Census Bureau to provide relevant data visualizations for community leaders and allows them to be quickly output to be included in economic development presentations. The entire process has been a testament to the power of open innovation in tackling big problems.”

“Public Health+ was born as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, when it became painfully obvious that public health has been long siloed, with dire consequences. We aim to highlight the intersections of public health and other industries to inspire both students and professionals. This past year saw discussions of public health + environmental justice, design, networks and homelessness, to name a few.”

“We created Evolve to establish a community where innovators can have an open dialogue about innovation pain points and where everyone can learn and grow from each other’s insights. In 2021, we’ve had thoughtful conversations with innovation experts and thought leaders across government, industry, and academia with our efforts concentrated around webinars, live podcasts, and blogs.”

“In the autonomy space, regulations are constantly evolving, and in many cases, they are progressing slower than the technology. By understanding the key legislation corresponding to the various types of autonomy, we are able to evaluate most viable locations and make a projected timeline for the adoption of the technology. This foundational knowledge is essential when beginning to talk to startups and plan for pilots.”

“As the pandemic continues, it is extremely important to remain current on science that evolves daily, as well as monitor how regulations evolve around things like testing. Of course, regulations vary by state in the U.S., but also internationally. This remains a complex and evolving regulatory landscape that is key to our work, as well as our personal lives.”

“In 2021, we submitted our first publication around our approach to solving complex public health challenges through Innovation Immersion Labs. We are incredibly excited to see the outcome of that submission and continue contributing our learnings to the scientific community.””

“In 2021, we focused on examining issues surrounding sustainability through an intersectional lens. We are excited to continue sharing our stance on this issue and sharing innovative solutions to tackling these challenges.”

“In 2021, we ran an immersive innovation lab, partnered with the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University. With the backdrop of the pandemic, helping participants design innovative public health pilots was very meaningful. And as a Rollins alum, it was fantastic to make new connections and lasting friendships with many very impressive members of the Rollins community.”

“As Georgia Tech Industrial Design (ID) alumni, as several of our team are, we make a concrete effort to stay connected to the program and professors that helped shape our thinking. By supporting student competitions with awards and feedback, guest lecturing, and attending events, we can stay connected to the school in addition to building ongoing relationships with students. Our application of industrial design principles is different than most common ID trajectories. We are passionate about expanding student’s ideas of what job opportunities for those trained in ID principles.”