"Every company should pursue open innovation"

Openness to ideas - that's what a company that pursues open innovation needs. AXA is one such company and has been working with start-ups for years to find innovative solutions to a wide range of problems. In this interview, Claudia Bienentreu, Head of Open Innovation at AXA, explains the importance of open innovation for AXA and why this external search for innovation solutions can also be worthwhile for small companies.

Ms. Bienentreu, how do you explain what open innovation is to a layperson?
Claudia Bienentreu: The open innovation approach is usually about bringing innovation into the company from outside. This means developing innovative products and services together with partner companies. This requires a certain degree of openness, agility and a basis of trust between the two companies involved.

To what extent does digitalization promote open innovation?
Digital platforms such as LinkedIn or programmes like Kickstart make it much quicker and easier to get in touch with innovation partners. The integration of customer feedback into innovation projects also works very well digitally.

Claudia Bienentreu has headed the "AXAnauten", the name given to AXA's Open Innovation Team, since 2018.

How is this open innovation approach applied at AXA?
We work systematically with external innovation partners - often start-ups - who inspire us with new, digital solutions. We also specifically look for start-ups that have already developed a solution to the problems we have identified.

What strategy and priorities is AXA pursuing with open innovation?
We have defined the areas of mobility, health and pensions, as well as services for SMEs as priorities. Last year, we launched more than ten pilot projects with various start-ups to find out whether their solutions can be used profitably by AXA and our customers.

Can you give us an insight into such a pilot project?
We are currently working with the start-up kinastic from Winterthur, for example. With the "kinastic Coach", kinastic offers an app that combines the topics of mental health, nutrition and exercise and provides individually tailored programs for employees in companies. In the pilot project, companies insured with AXA have the opportunity to make kinastic available to their employees free of charge. We want to test the willingness to participate and the attractiveness of this health prevention app.

What is your day-to-day work like?
In the first phase, we conduct a lot of customer interviews to gain a better understanding of a specific topic, such as "mental health". We then search for suitable partner companies online, in our own network and in start-up databases. In workshops and many discussions, we then examine what a possible collaboration could look like. In order to identify and understand a potential problem, we conduct many customer interviews, carry out market research and clarify the existing market offering. This analysis phase usually takes around three months. Once we have decided on a potential solution, we start a pilot test together with a start-up to find out how the solution is received by our customers and what added value is created. Once this pilot phase is complete - around six to nine months later - we plan the next steps and any longer-term partnership with the start-up in question.

How do you get on AXA's radar as a Winterthur start-up? Arethere any support programs for this?
No, there aren't any. However, our website shows the areas in which we are currently looking for start-ups and how you can get in touch with us. We are currently focusing heavily on the topic of sustainability and are talking to start-ups that offer digital solutions in this area.

Do you also work together with universities?
Yes, we do that all the time. For example, we carry out various research projects with different universities. Unfortunately, we are unable to communicate current topics.

Is open innovation only worthwhile for large companies or can SMEs also benefit from it?
Open innovation can and should actually be practised by every company, as a certain openness towards ideas and innovation from external partners can be helpful in every respect.

Interview: Linda Stratacò, February 2022