Open innovation at Israel Chemicals Ltd
Israel Chemicals Ltd (ICL) has recently launched an Open Innovation program to accelerate its development of sustainable new products and processes, as well as to provide solutions for major global challenges.
ICL is a leading fertilizer and specialty chemicals company with operations throughout the world, over 12,000 employees and revenues of $6.7 billion (2012). Early in 2012 ICL management decided to launch an Open Innovation program to benefit from the full range of knowledge, creativity and initiative available throughout the world and in December 2012 ICL established ICL Innovation Ltd. in an effort to develop and fund innovative products and technologies.
ICL Open Innovation program will help to assure ICL to addressing the challenges created by the growing global population and increased environmental awareness. By embracing the Open Innovation approach, ICL Innovation Ltd. intend to bring the best of the world’s innovation, from wherever it originates, and to harness the power of collaboration with scientists/entrepreneurs worldwide to accelerate growth in the areas of Fertilizers, Agro, Food, Specialty Chemicals, Waste Treatment, Desalination, Environment, and Energy.
The ICL Innovation team will scout and select a number of innovative technologies, product ideas and projects from a range of sources, including academic institutions, research institutes, technology cooperatives, incubators and venture capital funds.
Each project will be analyzed from the standpoint of technology, business model and environmental responsibility, as well as rated in terms of its contribution to world needs. Projects selected will enjoy full financial support by ICL Innovation and be “adopted” by an ICL Business Unit which will provide marketing support and supervision. Successful projects will be incorporated into an ICL segment operations which will commercialize and market the product.
ICL Open Innovation “Accelerator” benefits from ICL strong R&D organization which includes approximately 500 employees that work at IMI TAMI – ICL central research institute as well as other ICL R&D facilities in Germany, The Netherlands, the U.S. and elsewhere in Israel.
icl-group.com – icl-innovation.com – imi-tami.com
