Challenge:
A corporation from the semiconductor industry sought to provide its key R&D staff in best practice in innovation identification, capture, IP protection, road-mapping and project management, and market exploitation.
The Oracle’s Solution:
The Oracle drew on a hybrid professional development delivery model to train over 60 individuals from within this organisation. Two weeks of on-the-ground training in Shenzhen were followed by ten day-long online follow-up workshops which were run on a monthly basis. This enable the Oracle’s fellows to provide individual mentorship to innovation professionals such that they could benefit from real-world practice of innovation road-mapping, IP protection strategy, market assessment, and practical advice on complementary technologies and product/service design. Advice to corporate leadership was also provided on optimal structures to maximise innovative practice.
Consequential Impact:
The R&D structure within the corporation has been transformed such that each disciplinary R&D team includes at least one innovation champion who is responsible for communicating both current and pending successes to colleagues in different teams as well as to those generally outside of the R&D apparatus. Innovation capture (as measured by innovation disclosures) has increased by 320%. The annual number of costly patent applications was reduced by 15% while the patented technologies classified as “active” increased (from just under 10% before the Oracle’s involvement) to 40%. The relationship between this organisation and the Oracle is ongoing.