Speaker of Verhaert at the 8th edition of our Innovation Day on October 21st 2011.

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CONFIDENTIAL
Filiep Dewitte
Verhaert – Innovation consultant
filiep.dewitte@verhaert.com
Shape a successful innovation strategy using technology scouting

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SHAPE A SUCCESSFUL
INNOVATION STRATEGY
USING TECHNOLOGY
SCOUTING
CONFIDENTI
AL
Filiep Dewitte
Innovation consultant
Filiep.dewitte@verhaert.com

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Content
Introduction
Why technology scouting
Definition of technology scouting
Process of technology scouting
Technology scouting & innovation management
Conclusion
Inspiring cases

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Motivation
Increased competition
Increased technological complexity
Shorter innovation cycles
Fast changing customer needs
Management needs to make
decisions fast in order to stay
ahead of competitors

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Why is technology scouting important ?
Why is technology scouting important ?
Incremental
development
Disruptive
core
technology
Enabling
technologies

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Core technology
• Well known within your company
•Specialists available inside company
• Slow evolution
• Little competitive advantage
Enabling technology
• Less or not known in company
• Wide range of technologies
• Allows you to make a leap
• Opportunities to add value to your
product offering
• Requires effort and skill
Core technology vs Enabling technology

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Definition of technology scouting
Technology scouting is a method which can lower the time lag between their
advances in technology and their detection by methods such as patent or
publication analysis
Furthermore, in an environment of increasing technological complexity and
globalization of R&D, the successful identification and usage of external
sources of knowledge is becoming increasingly important

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Definition and elements of technology intelligence
Company level
Regional / National
and international
level
Using data from
the past to
anticipate the
future
Using gathered
information for
decision making
Process and
actors
Organization
Forecasting Foresight
Technology
Intelligence
Future
Analysis

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Goal and process of technology scouting
The goal of technology scouting is to gain a competitive advantage by
identifying opportunities and threats arising form technological developments
at an early stage and to provide the technological capabilities needed to face
these challenges.
Early identification
Raising awareness
Stimulation of innovation
Facilitation of the sourcing of external
technologies

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The technology scouting process
Building on the process of technology intelligence we can divide the process of
technology scouting into six stages, as mentioned in the following slides

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Definition
of aims
and search
areas
Selection
of
information
sources
and
methods to
employ
Collection
of data
Filtering,
selecting,
analyzing,
Interpreting
of data
Evaluating
and
decision
making
Usage of
information in
the next phase
of the
innovation
process
1 2 3 4 5 6
Generic process of technology scouting

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Technology
Scouting
Directions
Our used technology scouting directions

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Technologies from different industry sectors
• Technology search
is done in different
industrial sectors for
optimal results
• Transfer of
knowledge from one
sector to the other
sector guarantees
succes

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Goal !

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Company level
Product level
Market level
Stage Stage Stage
Strategy &
policy
Added Value
Business case
gate gate gate

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Our approach to technology scouting
Immersive phase Scoping phase PlanningProcess ?
What ?
Why ?
• Deep diving, oriëntation
and understanding the
business
• Defining innovation goals
• Finding technology and
ideas based upon the
defined goals
• Narrowing and filtering the scouting results
• Sharpening, bundling ideas and
technologies
• Quick designing and productizing filtered
scouting results into virtual features /
products
• understanding and identifying the value of
the business cases that are connected to the
results
• Phased
approach to new
products /
features
• Determine long
term strategy
• Defining
priorities and
milestones

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= problem solving
Creating value with technology scouting...
Optimising the functioning or specification of an existing product

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Creating value with technology scouting...
= technology
valorisation
Scouting for applications for internal technology

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Creating value with technology scouting...
= technology solution
Scouting for technologies that will cover the user needs in a specific
market or idea

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Creating value with technology scouting...
= opportunity creation
Scouting of technologies that might fit strategic needs and
opportunities

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CREATING
VALUE !

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Conclusion :
1. Don’t let technology scouting shape your strategy, your
strategy should shape your scouting
2. Get marketing and technical functions to work together form
the start
3. Follow a structured approach using clear criteria that reflect
your strategy, scope and connect to your customers’ need
4. Once suitable technologies are identified, act quickly
5. Ensure that you have the commitment from upper
management and resources to conduct the detailed
evaluation to complete the deal.

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Inpiring
cases

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IN-RP-034-VE A/0
Samsonite case :
Technology scouting for
identifying new technology
the luggage business

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IN-RP-034-VE A/0
Mc Cain case :
Technology scouting in the
potato business towards
new products, packaging,
processes and appliances

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IN-RP-034-VE A/0
Eastpak & Kipling case :
Technology scouting as a
driver for innovation
breakthrough product
development

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IN-RP-034-VE A/0
Bekaert case :
Identification of applications
for new bekaert technology

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IN-RP-034-VE A/0
AGC case :
Technology scouting to
identify new technology in
the glass business

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fax +32 (0)3 254 10 08
info@verhaert.com
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