New innovation challenge “Paint the Future
Akzo Nobel has announced "Paint the Future" – an open innovation challenge for startups and scale-ups.
The innovation challenge aims to connect with new disruptive technologies and accelerate innovation in the dynamic world of paints and coatings. Launched in partnership with KPMG, the annual challenge will give the winners the chance to enter into a joint development agreement with Akzo Nobel.
The five challenge themes are:
- Predictable performance – how can you collect and augment data more innovatively so that your predictions for real world surface performance become more accurate and efficient?
- Smart application – how could your solution change or improve the way customers apply to products?
- Circular solutions – how would your solution enable circular use of materials at any point in the value chain?
- Enhanced functionality – what exciting new functionality can your technology offer to make coatings cleaner, more responsive or adaptive?
- Life science infusion – how can your solution, containing bio-active technology, help bring better performance or innovative features to coatings?
Open to early stage tech companies and institutes around the world, the collaborative approach will benefit both sides, with the company committed to working with the winners on sustainable business opportunities.
A dedicated online challenge platform “Paint the Future” has been launched, which will be accepting entries from January 8, 2019. The site already contains more information about the five themes and the submission process. The finalists will be invited to attend an awards event around the middle of next year, when the winners will be announced. Full details will be released in January.
Image source: Pixabay
