The Week of IO+: Open Innovation and the story of Heron

Open innovation is the key to a thriving innovation ecosystem. This principle, once sharply formulated by Henry Chesbrough, revolves around actively sharing knowledge and collaborating across organizational boundaries. Brainport Eindhoven is a textbook example of how this works in practice: thanks to a potent combination of scientific expertise, entrepreneurship, and open network culture, the region has developed into a world player in high-tech innovation. Partly for this reason, Chesbrough will soon receive an honorary doctorate from TU Eindhoven: the region is indebted to the professor.

This is not mission accomplished, quite the contrary. It is essential to continue to refine and stimulate this approach. The success of an innovation ecosystem depends on several factors, we learn from Eindhoven professor Marcel Bogers. True to Chesbrough's tradition, he continues to build on the further development of the concept. Because he knows that without open innovation, we would remain stuck in isolated breakthroughs that take much longer to make an impact.

Aeolipile

History has shown us this lack of knowledge sharing many times before. Consider the Aeolipile, a primitive steam engine developed by the Greek engineer Heron of Alexandria in the first century AD. It was a fascinating device that remained unpractical for centuries simply because there was no network or ecosystem to develop the technology further. It is a classic example of how a lack of connection and openness can slow innovation - something we can still learn from.

Today, we have the resources and structures to break down such barriers. However, the challenge remains not only to embrace open innovation but also to accelerate it actively. That means investing in collaboration, making knowledge accessible and building networks where unexpected connections emerge. A thriving innovation culture requires continuous attention and conscious choices.

We like to play that game, including with our coverage of Bogers and Chesbrough last week. Imagine if platforms like IO+ had been around in Heron's time. How much faster could we have started the industrial revolution? How much progress would we have made if knowledge had not been isolated but actively shared? Nonsense, of course, but it does remind us that innovation never happens in isolation. It comes about through connections, collaboration, and the courage to share knowledge. That's the message we want to continue promoting with IO+.

Chips+ and Green+ newsletters

Oops, scheduling error. But to your advantage: both the Chips+ newsletter from Aafke and the Green+ from Mauro arrived in your mailbox at the same time yesterday morning. Both are again full of interesting facts following our interviews and research over the past weeks. Read all about the world of chips here and about the world of sustainability here. You can also subscribe to them via Linkedin.

Meanwhile, there was plenty of other news:

• Patenting software? Usually not, but there are exceptions
• Cameras on wind turbine: better picture of bird casualties
• Electricity demand rises, but clean sources compensate
• Research: plug-in planes are more sustainable than a train
• First patient in the Netherlands gets migraine implant
• European AI attracts money and support - but is it enough?
• Food security under pressure: 'Innovation can help'
• This special injection extends battery life
• 'Cybersecurity experts succumb to pressure'
• This inventor helps surgeons work very precisely
• 'Living in the Netherlands is boring, but in the right way'
• Dutch Innovation Days puts a soft end to the event

Still not had enough? Here, you can read everything we published last week. Happy Sunday, and make it an innovative and entrepreneurial week!