Sacyr has received 145 proposals from innovation agents worldwide for the seventh edition of its open innovation program, Sacyr iChallenges. The program has a clear vision for international projection and is now beginning its assessment and candidate selection phase.
International turnout kept up from the previous edition, with proposals from over 30 countries, making up 75% of the total.
Not including Spain, the countries with the largest volume of proposals are the United States, the United Kingdom, India, France, Finland, and Canada. Sacyr iChallenges continues to establish its presence in English-speaking countries, representing close to 1/3 of the total.
The deadline for this year’s edition ended on August 2 with 145 solution proposals for the two sustainability-themed challenges issued by the company: Technology innovations driving circular management in water treatment and Climate-resilient infrastructure.
Growing innovation ecosystem
The number of participating scaleups went up by 50% this edition. This data is proof of the growth experienced by the innovation ecosystem in recent years and the program’s consolidation, aimed at discovering, testing, and implementing projects developed by cutting-edge companies, able to offer more robust solutions for Sacyr activities.
Marta Gil, Chief Strategy, Innovation and Sustainability Officer, stressed the increase in proposals from startups: "It is a very positive thing that we were able to keep the same level of international turnout, as this reflects the initiative’s global outreach. In this edition, we have increased the participation of startups in the growth phase, which underlines the innovative and challenging aspect of the issued challenges. Yet again, we’ve been blindsided by the sheer talent and diversity of the technological proposals that we found in the international innovation community."
"Thanks to all the teams involved, we continue to make progress in implementing pilot projects, and also working on scaling up successful projects for a greater impact. We are certain that this is the key to achieving more efficient and sustainable infrastructures, and we are proud to be able to lead this process by relying on members of the innovation ecosystem," Gil explained.
Innovative strategy
Sacyr iChallenges is one of the pillars of Sacyr’s innovation and transformation strategy.
Sacyr’s goal with this open innovation program is to find travel companions with whom to promote sustainable solutions that improve the quality of life of citizens through better infrastructures.
Key dates and selection criteria
Over the next few weeks, a committee comprising the Sacyr Innovation team and other Sacyr professionals and experts from different business units will review and assess all the submitted proposals, prioritizing those that best fit company goals and needs.
Next stop is Focus Week, where the pre-selected innovation agents and business experts will gather to discuss the case-by-case adaptation and viable solutions.
Sacyr will then announce the selected proposals that will participate in working groups comprising Sacyr experts and external agents to continue developing their solutions.
The program culminates in late 2024 at Sacyr Innovation Summit, an event where the selected proposals will participate in in-person sessions with Sacyr experts to define pilot projects and will present their projects to the company’s top management.
