CLIENT MAX-RUBNER-INSTITUT FOR INNOVATIONSRAUM NEWFOODSYSTEMS
Sustainable innovation management for NewFoodSystems
fors.earth, together with the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging (Fraunhofer IVV), developed a Sustainable Innovation Process (SIP) for the innovation space NewFoodSystems.
CHALLENGE
Development of innovative and sustainable approaches for the food of the future
NewFoodSystems is one of a total of four innovation spaces in the "Bioeconomy Innovation Spaces" program of the "Bioeconomy 2030 National Research Strategy" of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). The consortium includes nearly 60 partners from industry and research who are working together on innovations for new food systems, including vertical farming, sustainable protein ingredients, insects, microalgae and grasses.
Food and nutrition systems today and in the future face major challenges: rapid increases in the world's population are increasing pressure on global food security, and the expansion of industrial agriculture is contributing to land degradation and biodiversity loss. In order to meet these and other challenges of food production and supply in the future, new, sustainable and innovative approaches are needed.
This is where the innovation space NewFoodSystems comes in: in close cooperation between science, industry and society, high-quality products and environmentally friendly production systems for feed and food are to be created in an open dialogue, which will lead to the greatest possible acceptance and social benefit in the food industry. This task requires efficient, sustainability-oriented innovation management with a transparent structure and coordinated utilization activities.
SOLUTION
Designing innovation management processes in a new and sustainable way
Since the start of the project in 2019, fors.earth has been part of the innovation hub in the innovation space NewFoodSystems. The task of the interdisciplinary team is to accompany the individual projects along the innovation process and to help ensure that each individual project is not only economically successful but can also make a positive contribution to social challenges and sustainable food systems.
Our claim in the innovation management team is therefore to help shape innovations from the very beginning along the entire value chain, taking a holistic view of the ecological, social and economic impacts. To this end, together with the Fraunhofer IVV, we have rethought innovation and developed a sustainable innovation management process in 2020, the so-called Sustainable Innovation Process, or SIP for short.
The SIP is based on existing innovation management processes, such as Stage-Gate® models (after Cooper 1996) but expanded to include key sustainability aspects.
Success factors of SIP include
- a clear objective at the beginning of the innovation process with a holistic focus on sustainability and social added value, which serves as a guideline for the entire process,
- early and continuous involvement of stakeholders (internal and external) and consideration of entire value chains to explore social acceptance, as well as
- iterative processes and flexibility, which help to repeatedly sharpen the focus on the goals and optimize the innovations
"Thinking about the social added value of an innovation from the very beginning, beyond one's "business focus," makes all the difference: it creates a completely different basis for collaboration with partners and offers new opportunities and perspectives in the implementation of sustainable innovation ideas."
Alice Kratky, Global Head of Innovationmanagement at Zentis Group / Partner in the Innovation Space
This is SIP
The SIP is a process model that is suitable for innovations in both the product and service sectors. It consists of a total of six phases: the upstream phase 0, which establishes the "sustainability framework" of the innovation, and five implementation phases. Each phase is described in the SIP with concrete guiding questions, checklists, recommendations for action and useful tools that help shape sustainably successful innovation. Due to its modular structure, the SIP is applicable for innovation projects that are still at the very beginning as well as for those that are already one step further in development.
Navigate through the SIP yourself and learn more about the individual phases, possible activities and methods.
©Innovationsraum NewFoodSystems
Continuous Update
Of course, even beyond Phase 5 and the innovation process, the acceptance and benefits of the innovation products or services created, as well as the fulfillment of sustainability criteria, must be reviewed and, if necessary, adjustments made to changing framework conditions.
Stakeholder Corridor & Consumer Acceptance
For the acceptance of the innovation products or services and their subsequent added value or market sales, it is important that you know the society’s expectations and requirements. For this purpose, you should involve internal, but also external stakeholders at an early stage.
Phase 0 – Target Setting & frame
In Phase 0, discuss the framework for your innovation project, identify the intended (societal) benefits, and set a clear target direction. Use key societal and or policy frameworks as a guide, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the concept of Planetary Boundaries, or international or national policy frameworks.
- Stakeholder Analysis / Mapping
- PESTEL Analyse
!Crosscheck Phase o
Keep an eye on your goal alignment throughout the entire innovation process. Regularly cross-check with the goals and guiding principles you formulate in Phase 0.
Checklists for each phase help to monitor progress in the SIP
Phase 1 – Idea Generation & Idea Assessment
In phase 1, deal with the concrete design of your innovation idea. In a first step, collect or consolidate ideas and possible solutions for your innovation. Make a selection and question, compare and evaluate. It is important that you also take into account the sustainability perspective established in phase 0.
Possible Activities and Methods:
Idea generation
- Design thinking
- Open innovation
- Blue Ocean approach
Idea assessment
- SWOT analysis
- Market potential analysis
- Materiality analysis
!Crosscheck Phase
Keep an eye on your goal alignment throughout the innovation process. Regularly cross-check with the goals and guiding principles you formulate in Phase 0.
Checklists for each phase help to monitor progress in the SIP
Phase 2 – Concept Development & Product Planning
The focus in phase 2 is on the more detailed design of the selected innovation idea. The focus here is on conception, planning and elaboration of the innovation product. Analyze your innovation idea in terms of economic viability at this stage and also keep an eye on the sustainability perspective.
- Materiality analysis (continued)
- Economic viability analysis / business case
- (Foresight) lifecycle analysis (LCA)
- Consumer acceptance analysis / customer convenience
!Crosscheck Phase
Keep an eye on your goal alignment throughout the innovation process. Regularly cross-check with the goals and guiding principles you formulate in Phase 0.
Checklists for each phase help to monitor progress in the SIP
Phase 3 – Product Development and Prototype Creation
Phase 3 is about implementing the innovation idea – about the actual manufacturing of a product or the development of a service. You should already consider the interaction of supply and value chains as well as target group-oriented and sustainable product characteristics. In addition, the sustainability of the product / service plays an important role here insofar as the developed solution should provide as much social benefit as possible while leaving an as small (ecological) footprint as possible.
- Materiality analysis (continued)
- Economic viability analysis / business case (continued)
- Lifecycle analysis (LCA)
- SCRUM
- Lean startup
!Crosscheck Phase
Keep an eye on your goal alignment throughout the innovation process. Regularly cross-check with the goals and guiding principles you formulate in Phase 0.
Checklists for each phase help to monitor progress in the SIP
Phase 4 – Pilot Application & Testing
In Phase 4, create a pilot version of the product or service and plan an extensive testing phase. Once you have completed your product, launch a pilot version and take the opportunity to conduct consumer testing. Also deal with the scaling of the product or service and prepare for serial production or the ultimate rollout.
- Consumer acceptance analysis (continued)
- Market analysis
- Produkt design
!Crosscheck Phase
Keep an eye on your goal alignment throughout the innovation process. Regularly cross-check with the goals and guiding principles you formulate in Phase 0.
Checklists for each phase help to monitor progress in the SIP
Phase 5 – Production & Market Launch
Phase 5 is about the start of production of the final product or the rollout of the service and the introduction to the market – the launch. By means of targeted, fact-based communication and (sustainability) marketing, you can set yourself apart from competitors. For long-term customer acceptance, the focus here should also be on customer orientation and sustainability.
- Consumer / customer acceptance analysis (continued)
- 4C marketing
!Crosscheck Phase
Keep an eye on your goal alignment throughout the innovation process. Regularly cross-check with the goals and guiding principles you formulate in Phase 0.
Checklists for each phase help to monitor progress in the SIP
©Innovationsraum NewFoodSystems
Stakeholder Corridor & Consumer Acceptance
For the acceptance of the innovation products or services and their subsequent added value or market sales, it is important that you know the society’s expectations and requirements. For this purpose, you should involve internal, but also external stakeholders at an early stage.
Phase 0 – Target Setting & frame
In Phase 0, discuss the framework for your innovation project, identify the intended (societal) benefits, and set a clear target direction. Use key societal and or policy frameworks as a guide, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the concept of Planetary Boundaries, or international or national policy frameworks.
Possible Activities and Methods:- Stakeholder Analysis / Mapping
- PESTEL Analyse
!Crosscheck Phase o
Keep an eye on your goal alignment throughout the entire innovation process. Regularly cross-check with the goals and guiding principles you formulate in Phase 0.
Checklists for each phase help to monitor progress in the SIP
Phase 1 – Idea Generation & Idea Assessment
In phase 1, deal with the concrete design of your innovation idea. In a first step, collect or consolidate ideas and possible solutions for your innovation. Make a selection and question, compare and evaluate. It is important that you also take into account the sustainability perspective established in phase 0.
Possible Activities and Methods:
Idea generation
- Design thinking
- Open innovation
- Blue Ocean approach
Idea assessment
- SWOT analysis
- Market potential analysis
- Materiality analysis
!Crosscheck Phase
Keep an eye on your goal alignment throughout the innovation process. Regularly cross-check with the goals and guiding principles you formulate in Phase 0.
Checklists for each phase help to monitor progress in the SIP
Phase 2 – Concept Development & Product Planning
The focus in phase 2 is on the more detailed design of the selected innovation idea. The focus here is on conception, planning and elaboration of the innovation product. Analyze your innovation idea in terms of economic viability at this stage and also keep an eye on the sustainability perspective.
Possible Activities and Methods:- Materiality analysis (continued)
- Economic viability analysis / business case
- (Foresight) lifecycle analysis (LCA)
- Consumer acceptance analysis / customer convenience
!Crosscheck Phase
Keep an eye on your goal alignment throughout the innovation process. Regularly cross-check with the goals and guiding principles you formulate in Phase 0.
Checklists for each phase help to monitor progress in the SIP
Phase 3 – Product Development and Prototype Creation
Phase 3 is about implementing the innovation idea – about the actual manufacturing of a product or the development of a service. You should already consider the interaction of supply and value chains as well as target group-oriented and sustainable product characteristics. In addition, the sustainability of the product / service plays an important role here insofar as the developed solution should provide as much social benefit as possible while leaving an as small (ecological) footprint as possible.
Possible Activities and Methods:- Materiality analysis (continued)
- Economic viability analysis / business case (continued)
- Lifecycle analysis (LCA)
- SCRUM
- Lean startup
!Crosscheck Phase
Keep an eye on your goal alignment throughout the innovation process. Regularly cross-check with the goals and guiding principles you formulate in Phase 0.
Checklists for each phase help to monitor progress in the SIP
Phase 4 – Pilot Application & Testing
In Phase 4, create a pilot version of the product or service and plan an extensive testing phase. Once you have completed your product, launch a pilot version and take the opportunity to conduct consumer testing. Also deal with the scaling of the product or service and prepare for serial production or the ultimate rollout.
Possible Activities and Methods:- Consumer acceptance analysis (continued)
- Market analysis
- Produkt design
!Crosscheck Phase
Keep an eye on your goal alignment throughout the innovation process. Regularly cross-check with the goals and guiding principles you formulate in Phase 0.
Checklists for each phase help to monitor progress in the SIP
Phase 5 – Production & Market Launch
Phase 5 is about the start of production of the final product or the rollout of the service and the introduction to the market – the launch. By means of targeted, fact-based communication and (sustainability) marketing, you can set yourself apart from competitors. For long-term customer acceptance, the focus here should also be on customer orientation and sustainability.
Possible Activities and Methods:- Consumer / customer acceptance analysis (continued)
- 4C marketing
!Crosscheck Phase
Keep an eye on your goal alignment throughout the innovation process. Regularly cross-check with the goals and guiding principles you formulate in Phase 0.
Checklists for each phase help to monitor progress in the SIP
Continuous Update
Of course, even beyond Phase 5 and the innovation process, the acceptance and benefits of the innovation products or services created, as well as the fulfillment of sustainability criteria, must be reviewed and, if necessary, adjustments made to changing framework conditions.
IMPACT
Innovation management thought holistically and sustainably
Particularly in the context of a growing awareness of sustainability in politics and business, it is no longer sufficient in innovation management to view the necessary process steps purely from an internal, corporate perspective (inside-out perspective). Instead an external societal perspective (outside-in perspective) should increasingly be included. For an innovation to be perceived as generating (societal) benefits, it should be in line with economic, social and ecological criteria. Ensuring this has a direct impact on the competitiveness and future viability of companies in the medium to long term.
It is precisely this focus on sustainable business models that we integrate into innovation management in NewFoodSystems via the Sustainable Innovation Process. For the implementation of the SIP, a practice-oriented guideline with method tips, checklists and a "SIP-Canvas", which bundles central questions on sustainability and utilization has been developed. This package has been available to all partners in the Innovation Space since the beginning of the year. In online workshops and lectures we are also working on the SIP together with corporate and research partners from the consortium and are continuously developing it further.
This is how we contribute to sustainable food systems and the mission of NewFoodSystems.
More about fors.earth and NewFoodSystems
fors.earth is a member of the steering committee of NewFoodSystems, actively shapes the innovation management and supports the project "Sustainable Protein Ingredients" from a sustainability perspective. Further activities in the innovation space are planned.
Dr. Alexis Katechakis in conversation with our Senior Expert for Nutrition Prof. em. Dr. Hannelore Daniel - Ambassador of the Innovation Space NewFoodSystems of the BMBF.
Your Contact Person:
Teresa Erben
Senior Consultant
Phone: +49 170 2272796
Email: teresa.erben@fors.earth