IfM Engage hosts inaugural Rethinking Innovation event

Over 80 innovation and technology professionals from industry, government and academia joined the event for a day of talks, roundtable discussions and networking to inspire new thinking in innovation and technology management.

Why does innovation need a rethink?  “A rapidly changing technological landscape means that companies need to think differently about how they innovate, now and in the future,” said David Lott, CEO of IfM Engage. “The shelf lives of specific technical skills are shorter than they used to be, so it’s vital to introduce fresh thinking about how to stay ahead in industry.”

Cambridge is the site of Europe’s most successful technology cluster and an inspiring location to look to the future of innovation. Dr Nicky Athanassopoulou welcomed attendees to Cambridge the evening before the event, highlighting the Zoology Museum, where they gathered, is at the heart of innovative thinking. The building houses hundreds of specimens that Charles Darwin discovered and helped him identify patterns that formed the basis of his theory of evolution.

A lot has changed since Darwin’s time, and modern innovators are challenged by new and constantly evolving obstacles. Kicking off proceedings at the IfM, Professor Tim Minshall, Dr John C Taylor Professor of Innovation & Head of the Institute for Manufacturing, discussed some of the system complexities that get in the way of successful manufacturing innovation today. The volatile, uncertain, ambiguous, and complex environment in which manufacturers operate makes it challenging—but not impossible—to stay sustainable, resilient, and responsible. He urged attendees to approach challenges with creativity, tap into the diverse expertise in the room, and share ideas and experiences.

Following Tim’s introduction, a diverse line-up of experts from industry and academia filled the agenda with new perspectives and real-life examples of how to tackle innovation in an environment of ceaseless technological, economic and political change. Specifically, talks dealt with topics including intellectual property (IP), decision-making, skills development, and portfolio management, all of which offered different approaches to the innovation issue and inspired conversations that continued into the evening over dinner at Gonville and Caius College.

It has been valuable to receive feedback from attendees as we look ahead to next year’s event. Here is what some of this year’s delegates had to say about their experience:

“This was a high-quality event, relevant, with an admirable balance of academic and industrial views on what innovation is, and how it can be perceived in the future, setting clear foundations and valuable information from where the personalised journey of innovation can continue. Thank you to all the team for your professionalism and your hospitality during this event.”

Director Group Innovation, Welding Alloys

“It was great to take a step back and look at how innovation is applied across a variety of different functions and industries. The IfM stretched my thinking with valuable new approaches and frameworks, and high-calibre speakers from industry complemented these with their own insights. I really enjoyed networking with like-minded innovators in the roundtables with some really enriching discussions!”

Digital Transformation Consulting Leader, Schneider Electric

Solving the challenges of innovation takes more than a day, so we hope to keep the conversation going and continue the collaborative work for robust, future-oriented innovation.