Alliander, a leading Dutch energy network company, recognised the urgent need to innovate and collaborate with external partners to keep pace with the rapid changes in the energy sector. To solve strategic challenges and tap into new opportunities, Alliander sought to explore open innovation and structure its activities for effective collaboration with external startups and scaleups.
The Challenge
Alliander faced the challenge of structuring their open innovation activities and bringing together diverse parties to collaborate effectively. They needed to establish a clear strategy to engage with external startups and technology providers, leveraging new capabilities to stay ahead in the energy sector.
Solution and Implementation
We partnered with Alliander to design and execute an open innovation program called "Powered". We leveraged our extensive innovation ecosystem and Alliander’s market position to promote the Powered initiative throughout Europe. This attracted a diverse range of startups and opened Alliander up to a large audience of innovators.
The key phases of the program included:
1. Scouting & Applications Phase: To aid scouting efforts we set up five fast-track events in key innovation hubs across Europe to attract top-tier startups. These in-person events brought Alliander closer to the physical innovation ecosystem, allowing their teams to engage directly with pitching startups and founders. Even before the program officially started, Alliander gained insights into cutting-edge technologies and collaborative opportunities.
Our unique startup selection process which focuses on viability, feasibility, and desirability, ensured that only the most promising Proofs of Concept (PoC's) were chosen. We also conducted a venture readiness assessment to gauge the startups' potential for success. We received over 100 applications for the open innovation program, which is impressive as the scope of the program was so niche.
2. Proof of Concept Phase: During this ten-week phase, the ten selected startups worked closely with the Alliander team to develop and test their innovations. The collaboration was focused on real-world applicability, with an end goal and emphasis on scaling successful PoC’s into full-fledged pilots within Alliander’s operations.
3. Demo Day: The program culminated in a Demo Day where the results of the PoC’s were showcased. Internal teams from Alliander engaged with the startups, discussing potential collaborations and exploring further opportunities for integration.
Results
The Alliander open innovation program delivered impressive outcomes:
- High Success Rate: Approximately 70% of the POCs developed during the open innovation program were completed successfully and showed potential to become pilots within Alliander’s business, far exceeding initial expectations.
- Internal Engagement: The program significantly raised internal awareness among Alliander employees about the possibilities of external collaboration, inspiring further innovation.
- Industry Impact: The Demo Day attracted not only Alliander teams but also other corporates and investors, underscoring the impact and relevance of the innovations showcased. Click here to watch the Alliander Demo Day aftermovie.
Conclusion
This case study highlights the transformative power of open innovation. By structuring a focused and strategic open innovation program, we helped Alliander connect with the broader innovation ecosystem, leading to successful collaborations and positioning them as a leader in the energy transition. The success of this program demonstrates the value of engaging with external partners to drive innovation and achieve sustainable growth in a rapidly changing industry.