From July 5 to 6, 2023, the Open Innovation Forum was held on the campus of Wageningen University and Research (WUR), one of the world’s top higher education institutions focusing on agricultural studies in the Netherlands. Organized by the Open Innovation (OI) Forum at the Institute for Manufacturing at the University of Cambridge, the event was hosted by StartLife, a specialised investment organization based in the Netherlands, and Yili Innovation Center Europe under the theme of “Disruptive Food Production Technologies.” The purpose of the forum was to advance the upgrading and innovative application of global health food technologies, and in turn provide consumers with more comprehensive health solutions.
Regarding this forum, Dr. Lin Zhu, Open Innovation Manager at Yili Innovation Center Europe, said:
“The forum will further promote the high-quality development of the industry, and in turn, provide consumers with healthier, more comprehensive and more nutritious solutions.”
During the open discussion session on innovation practices under the theme of “Innovation in a Cross-cultural Context,” Dr. Maurits Burgering noted that Yili not only focused on a considerable number of innovative projects with WUR, but also actively supported students and start-ups, as part of its contributions to a better future.
The Yili Innovation Center Europe has now become a bridge for Yili to connect China with innovative endeavors in Europe and the world at large. Mr. Dominic Oughton, said “Yili has achieved cutting-edge innovation in the process of connecting the world and bringing the power and innovation of its brand to Europe. This is the best case study of how universities, start-ups and large companies can work together across different regions to achieve open innovation.”
The European Research and Development Center was opened in 2014 on the campus of Wageningen University in the Netherlands in the heart of Food Valley. In New Zealand our center to cover the Oceania area was founded in 2016 on Lincoln University Campus in Christchurch. These Innovation Centers connect globally in order to drive innovation for Yili.
The Centers are the pillars of Yili’s global innovation network in our regions and work intensively with partners along the value chain in the fields of nutrition & health, product and process technology, food safety and farm management. The focus was initially on collaborations with universities, research institutes and bridging external and internal expertise. The 2018 upgrade to Innovation Centers extends our activities to building strategic partnerships with suppliers, linking with start-up and scale-up companies and create win-win relationships to deliver innovations for the market.
“Yili works closely with start-ups that are part of StartLife, through providing them with constructive feedback and guidance regarding innovation and entrepreneurship. Yili’s support has helped them in their journey to becoming larger and more impactful businesses. We are grateful for Yili’s dedication to supporting start-ups around the world,”
said Ms. Annelies Schenk.
In June 2021, Yili signed a cooperation agreement with StartLife in the field of food and agricultural technology, and became a member of the OI Forum.The OI Forum at the IfM, University of Cambridge is a structured programme for members to share best practice, explore ‘hot topics’ and accelerate open innovation collaborations along the Food, Drink & FMCG value chain.
The Institute for Manufacturing (IfM), Part of the University of Cambridge, brings together expertise in management, technology and policy to address the full spectrum of issues which can help industry and governments create sustainable economic growth.
The OI Forum at IfM provides a unique environment for the creation of new ideas and approaches to modern industrial practice.
Join the Open Innovation Forum to share best practice and explore hot topics and opportunities along the Food, Drink and FMCG value streams.
The Open Innovation (OI) Forum offers a programme of expert support and opportunities for companies from all stages of the Food, Drink and FMCG value chain. As companies look to advance their technologies, the Forum helps members to combine their internal thinking with external insights, ideas and paths to market.
SOURCE: Yili Group, 13 Jul, 2023
https://www.yili-innovation.com/