London & Partners join with RCA to launch ground-breaking Open Innovation Fellowship

London & Partners today announced the launch of the Open Innovation Fellowship, in partnership with the Royal College of Art.

The Open Innovation Fellowship will provide senior leaders of open innovation in London’s larger businesses with tailored support to develop their strategic approach to open innovation, build their peer network and deepen their understanding of London’s ecosystem.

The new initiative aims to help businesses in the UK capital become more effective and more inclusive through their innovation activities, driving good growth and strengthening London’s global advantage as a world-leading city for open innovation. In turn, the Fellowship will help corporates grow and compete globally.

Open innovation is a critical tool for the growth of corporates, startups and scaleups in London. It enables corporates to adapt to rapid changes in consumer behaviour and technology while also providing a gateway for smaller businesses to scale.

The coronavirus crisis has disrupted every industry in London and around the world, accelerating the need for innovation to build strong foundations for recovery and the future.

Fellows will get access to London & Partners’ deep understanding of London’s business ecosystem alongside the RCA’s expertise in the academic theory of open innovation. As the world’s number one university for art and design, the RCA brings a unique design-led perspective, highlighting the importance of combining creative thinking, science and technology to tackle today’s global challenges.

Deputy Mayor for Business, Rajesh Agrawal, said: “We’re proud to support the Open Innovation Fellowship, which will help cement London’s status as a world-leader in international innovation – not to mention tackling some of the major social, economic and environmental challenges we face. This new fellowship will help develop innovation leaders who are committed to collaboration, sustainable growth and inclusion.”

Laura Citron, CEO of London & Partners, said: “Open innovation is the fuel for smaller businesses to grow and creates competitive advantage for larger businesses. London is a natural leader in open innovation - it has a booming tech scene, diversity of talent and ideas, and a culture of openness. We've launched the Open Innovation Fellowship to build on those strengths. I want London to be a city where the best ideas can scale, regardless of where they come from.”

Dr Nick de León, Executive Education and Knowledge Exchange Lead, said: “Over the past 6 months, we’ve all witnessed how every form of interaction with colleagues, customers and business associates has changed. We quickly learned that innovation is absolutely essential to whether businesses survive or thrive in the new normal. The launch of the London & Partners’ Open Innovation Fellowship will leverage the extraordinary innovation ecosystem here in London. The programme will create a community of talented leaders able to harness the power of networks, infrastructure and leading academic institutions, including the Royal College of Art – the world’s Number 1 Art and Design University – to create change.”

The Open Innovation Fellowship will welcome a cohort of up to 20 Fellows twice a year for a four month programme of executive education, inspiring immersion sessions, focused networking and peer-to-peer support.

Fellows are senior innovation leaders with a demonstrated commitment to collaboration and inclusion, both within their organisations and in the wider community.

Companies joining the inaugural Fellowship cohort later this month include Hill+Knowlton Strategies, Transport for London, Schneider Electric, Capgemini, Arup, Girls’ Day School Trust, Mayor’s Office of Policing and Crime, UST Global and Fortnum & Mason.

To celebrate the launch, London & Partners and the RCA are hosting an IN SESSION talk on 16 September at 11am discussing the importance of open innovation to London - register here to attend.

Interested senior innovation leaders are invited to find out more and apply to become a Fellow by visiting: https://www.business.london/open-innovation