Nestlé: open innovation to minimize the effects of the pandemic

Logistics and data intelligence solutions that ensure supply and keep essential services in full operation. These are some of the challenges to be solved at this time by various companies and institutions and are some of the demands imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to deal with this situation, Nestlé has opened a call based on the concept of open innovation by inviting other companies, startups and institutions to propose solutions. Through the 100 Open Startups platform, the company launched the Covid-19 Super Challenge | Coronavirus. Bruno Oliveira, Nestlé's head of innovation and new business models, explains that the program also aims to bring the company closer to its strategic partners. "I believe that the biggest challenge in developing an open innovation project is to adjust the frequencies among those involved to ensure the proper implementation of the initiatives. Culturally, large companies, startups, universities, among other partners, vibrate at different frequencies about internal processes, speed and mindset", says Bruno. According to him, "orchestrating these universes represents the great value of open innovation. Acting in this environment makes it possible to acquire different lenses for problem solving, in addition to showing what we do not know, because open innovation puts us in contact with an almost infinite world of possibilities that we would not see alone." Nestlé has already developed open innovation projects on other occasions. Worked more than 30 proofs of concept with startups or business partners, generating new business. "As an example of open innovation, we can mention the development of projects with startups Meplis and Insight Technologies, which are being accelerated by Nestlé Health Science, the company's health and nutritional science arm, in a program in partnership with StartSe (business school) and Innoscience (corporate innovation consulting). Startups share a contribution of up to R$1 million for the development of projects that meet the patient's day discharge from the hospital, as well as in supporting the health professional, through tools that assist in decision making, the patient's nutritional therapy demands go up."