Orchestrating Innovation: engaging in innovation together

Orchestrating Innovation is a methodology that helps ambitious companies and governments bring about change together. Its development stemmed from the realisation that innovation requires a methodology and technology that work. On top of that, though, it requires collaboration.

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How do you accelerate societal transitions? And what conditions do you need to meet to make innovation a success? These are the key questions behind the concept of orchestrating innovation. This is an action-oriented approach that is ‘evidence-based’ and takes measurability as its starting point.

Working with one shared vision

In times of transition, being the only one to change makes no sense and being the first to change is risky. The interconnectedness of modern society and the modern economy makes it impossible to transition in isolation. Organisations are not islands.

Orchestrating Innovation is about shaping policy based on a single insight: what holds one party back holds everyone back. To achieve collective change, a new kind of interconnectedness is required.

Orchestrating Innovation starts by seeking collaboration in relation to themes such as sustainability, security, and earning capacity. Taking a societal challenge as a starting point, companies, governments, and knowledge institutions work together on common solutions.

Our orchestrators

TNO helps organisations shape policy. We do this with the help of enthusiastic orchestrators and smart tools that together make it clear where the barriers are and where there is scope for action. Our orchestrators are trained in:

  • Innovation management
  • Transition management
  • Public administration
  • Business model development and validation

The four phases of orchestrating innovation

The method we use to orchestrate innovation involves going through four phases together with our clients:

Phase 1 – defining strategy

We analyse the challenges and formulate a strategy for change. Orchestrators identify who to involve and how to fund it. A clear picture of the common challenge emerges and the contours of the solution(s) become visible.

Phase 2 – connecting and shaping

In phase 2 we connect relevant parties from the ecosystem and weigh up interests and willingness to change. In this way we add detail to the strategy and planning from phase 1. This will involve a go/no-go moment for the stakeholders.

Phase 3 – directing

In phase 3 we finalise the collaboration and initiative. We do this by:

  • Formalising the collaboration;
  • Realising the infrastructure;
  • Validating innovations;
  • Developing the ecosystem and sustainable business models;
  • Building the portfolio and;
  • Attracting new partners.

Phase 4 – adjusting

In the fourth and final phase we monitor and analyse the functioning of the ecosystem and progress towards the innovation goal. We carry out analyses and make adjustments. After all, no two journeys are the same, ecosystems do not always work as expected, and developments never stand still.

Learn more about our methods