Naturex Launches INGENIUM, an Open Innovation Program
09 Mar 2016 --- Naturex is launching INGENIUM, an Open Innovation Initiative with the goal of advancing technological breakthroughs by sourcing and supporting innovative ideas from various sources. As part of this program, Naturex will be partnering with new start-up companies whose business ideas and technologies may be valuable to the company’s development.
Partnerships will include extensive advice and mentoring on various levels, such as regulatory, legal, logistics and marketing and Naturex will also make the company’s facilities – for example the analytical or application labs – available to the chosen candidates.
Marc Roller, Chief Science Officer for Naturex told FoodIngredientsFirst he thinks INGENIUM is great news for the food industry: "Naturex has always been at the leading edge in the evolution of the ingredients market and this new program will help structuring innovation efforts. In this ever-changing context, companies need to differentiate themselves and must be able to rely on natural ingredients manufacturers for their capacity to provide innovative new ideas to market."
Naturex is also planning to establish a Technology Advisory Group (TAG) which will include highly respected technology business actors and/or key academic opinion leaders. Privileged research areas shall include biotechnologies, new extraction and cultivation processes, identification of new botanicals or digital marketing technologies.
Doug Klaiber, CEO of Naturex-DBS division, has been asked to set up this Open Innovation Initiative. Doug’s background as an entrepreneur in innovative ingredients at Decas Botanical Synergies (DBS), a company acquired by Naturex in 2012, make him the ideal candidate for this mission.
Olivier Rigaud, CEO of Naturex, comments: “Open Innovation is key to our BRIGHT2020 strategic plan. Our aim is to generate 10% sales through new product developments by 2020, and we know that innovation cannot be provided solely by our own research. By crowdsourcing innovation, Naturex can improve customer value, drive advancements across industries and, last but not least, foster local economic development. We are very proud to be shaping the future of the ingredients industry.”
Innovation has always been strongly rooted in Naturex’s DNA. The company’s R&D department has developed long-standing relationships with academic and scientific authorities, leading to successful launches like the recent Eutectys cosmetic collection. Another important aspect is licensing. For instance, Naturex recently signed a licensing agreement with Barry Callebaut for marketing cocoa extracts. This agreement with a worldwide player allows Naturex to bring the benefits of cocoa flavanols to the dietary supplement market.
