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Open innovation
We’re taking open innovation to a new level, by working with researchers, startups and innovation partners, to strengthen entrepreneurship and shape disruptive innovation, with the goal of bringing good ideas to market more quickly.
Through our R+D Accelerator network we offer entrepreneurial opportunities for young people, as part of our global Nestlé needs YOUth initiative and ambition. To further support this goal, we recently launched the Nestlé Youth Entrepreneurship Platform (YEP). By consolidating all Nestlé’s innovation initiatives and programs in one place, this provides a space for young innovators who want to learn new knowledge and skills, test an idea and grow their business - to help shape the future of food.
Our R&D Accelerator in Lausanne sits at the heart of the Swiss Food and Nutrition Valley, a global innovation ecosystem for food and nutrition. The valley aims to attract talent, startups and investment to the Lake Geneva region and Switzerland, with the objective of creating innovations linked to the future of food. It is a collaboration between the Swiss Canton of Vaud, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL) in Lausanne, Swiss Hospitality Management School (EHL) in Lausanne and Nestlé.
We also support MassChallenge Switzerland, an accelerator that connects startups with experts and the resources they need to grow. Teams join to refine their business case and pitch, working with entrepreneurs and experts to learn what it takes to work like a startup.
Our R&D Innovation Challenges help us address specific business needs too. For example, we launched one in sub-Saharan Africa to help boost local entrepreneurship. Another, in China, is a partnership with a Tsinghua x-lab to develop sustainable packaging solutions.
InGenius, Nestlé's employee innovation accelerator, is the platform we use to promote intrapreneurship and unleash our employees' creativity - so they contribute to the company's innovation strategy. Our employees have the opportunity to engage and co-innovate with Nestlé suppliers and startups, to take their ideas from concept to pilot, applying design thinking, lean startup and agile methodologies. Visit our InGenius platform to learn how we work and explore current employee challenges.
