Open Innovation in Italy:
The Glass is Half-full
Open Innovation in Italy. The glass is finally filling up. The good news from this year’s report is that almost all large Italian corporates have open innovation on their own agendas. This is also true for a growing number of Italian SMEs, at least the more structured ones.
On top of that, a growing group of Italian companies are going beyond the so-called “innovation theatre” (i.e. initiatives mostly aimed at communication and PR) and are developing a collaboration model with startups and scaleups. We expect this trend to continue as more companies will follow their lead.
That said, the open innovation glass in Italy remains half-empty. Though several Italian companies are performing well and increasingly entering the
open innovation arena, the rest of the world does not stand by idly. Our data confirms that the gap between Italian companies and global innovation leaders remains substantial.
A more results-oriented and globally focused approach is then required by Italian firms, whatever the industry and size. On the bright side – the only
advantage of being a late mover is the opportunity to learn from pioneers’ experiences (and mistakes) and activate a fast track leveraging best
practices. The longer route is not recommended.
Alberto Onetti – Chairman, Mind the Bridge
