CONTEXT
In a rapidly changing world, there is an urgent need to accelerate innovation through collaboration and to find radically new ways of solving problems, such as globalization, digitization and the climate crisis.
The InnoBooster funding instrument responds by supporting 1/ the identification of important challenges and 2/ the effective development of ideas to address them.
____________________________________
VISION
To create an environment that fosters radical and sustainable science-based innovation and provides a competitive advantage for Swiss companies and organizations.
____________________________________
MISSION
To stimulate radical innovation in Switzerland through a culture of open innovation with a focus on the user in the innovation process.
___________________________________
GUIDING PRINCIPLES
1 Stimulate radical innovation
To go beyond incremental innovation by solving problems in a new way for products, services and processes.
2 Foster open innovation
Collaborative and cross-sectoral activities open to participants from diverse backgrounds. Pragmatic and equitable treatment of intellectual property based on a balance between trust and protection allowing for knowledge transfer.
3 Ensuring diversity
"IBs recognize that diversity of perspectives and skills is a key driver of radical innovation. They ensure equal gender representation and inclusion of diverse backgrounds in their innovation alliance, committees and teams as well as among their participants."
4 Promote a culture of learning
Encourage learning within innovation communities; know how to experiment, learn iteratively, share lessons from successes and failures, thereby increasing the ability to generate viable radical innovations.
5 Invest in problem exploration
Time and effort to bring together research, business, policy and society stakeholders around a common challenge to explore relevant and meaningful problems. Help with user-centered methods to understand problems and discover opportunities for radical innovations.
6 Efficiently test ideas
Rapidly and effectively explore ideas for radical solutions. IB provides support to test desirability, viability and feasibility to determine next steps; implementation, pivoting or abandonment of the idea.
7 Focus on the user
Key element of problem and idea exploration. Provide methodological resources and skills to involve future users of innovations to understand difficulties and needs.
8 Focus on sustainability
Sustainability as a holistic vision and choice criterion: radical solutions must have a positive impact on SD society, economy and environment by minimizing potential negative effects.
9 Maintain good governance
Balanced and transparent organizational structure with fair processes that facilitate active support from all alliance members in clearly defined roles. Avoiding conflicts of interest and conflict management procedures.