How can you measure the success of your drug development pipeline with open innovation?

When assessing the quality of inputs in your open innovation strategy for drug development, ask yourself: are inputs in line and well distributed with the investment verticals and segments as originally defined? Are you in partnership with relevant experts who are well connected and that empower your reach? Can you iddentify market potential on the startups / aplications you are presented? Is your knowledge evolving thanks to the diversity and insight of the professionals you meet? Answering all of these questions will certainly help you assess the quality of inputs.

The adoption of open innovation practices is becoming increasingly important and another key factor to consider is if what we are working on is moving forward. Often, especially in drug development we need novel inputs not resulting into any progress and concreate product. Therefore, is key to keep checking back to the initial goal.

In my experience, planning open innovation project efficiency and effectiveness based on the Output vs Input ratio before the kick-off is crucial. Closely and constantly tracking progress against this ratio helps maintain momentum, prevents loss of focus, and allows for early identification of potential issues and problems. By proactively addressing these challenges, we can ensure smooth project execution and achieve optimal results. This is a way to increase project value and later product value.

In my experience, assessing and considering the potential impact of an innovation should be a priority from the very first spark of an idea. This early evaluation informs the project's progress through crucial stages like R&D and funding selection and ultimately, pharmacoeconomic analyses. By utilizing established frameworks or methods to assess potential impact, we can make informed decisions at each stage, mitigating risks and increasing the likelihood of delivering game-changing innovations

In my experience, while some might equate innovation agility with a quick rush to market (this is a generic drug pattern), I believe it represents something much deeper. True agility is the ability to navigate the entire innovation process with adaptability and foresight. This means making constant adjustments based on new information, changing market conditions, or even internal feedback without compromising on quality or long-term vision. It's about embracing iterative loops and course corrections whenever necessary to ensure the final product delivers impactful value for the patients and Society.

When it comes to drug development, one has to forget "Eureka!" moments, but rather focus on the user and this brings you to an understanding that: Quality over Quantity: Not all innovations are created equal. Open up, let diverse minds contribute, and optimize for high-impact solutions, not just a bigger pile. Optimize technology that allows you to get insights on Autopilot - let AI and predictive analytics sift through tons of data, identifying promising candidates before they get lost in the shuffle. Speed Up, Scale Up:Automation streamlines tedious tasks, freeing people to focus on the creative spark. The result? A pipeline buzzing with smarter decisions, faster progress, and ultimately, life-changing drugs for people that matter!

Na minha experiência, a inovação aberta em grandes empresas só foi possível quando não houve medo de se aproximar das startups. O relacionamento vinculante só começa a partir da assinatura de contrato de cooperação. Antes disso, são apenas conversas. Se houver interesse em abrir alguma informação um pouco mais sensível, assina um NDA, um MOU, e conversa. As startups, em geral, tem respostas para como resolver problemas complexos de forma muito mais rápidas e adaptadas à nossa realidade, que produtos de prateleira de "grandes fornecedores que já estão cadastrados no SAP da empresa". Isso é inovação aberta na prática. Quando falar com startups se torna a última opção, o fim da área de inovação aberta está próximo.