Nestlé launches R&D accelerator to boost innovation
Nestlé has announced the creation of the Nestlé R&D Accelerator based in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Nestlé has announced the creation of the Nestlé R&D Accelerator based in Lausanne, Switzerland. The accelerator brings together Nestlé scientists, students, and startups to advance science and technology with the objective to accelerate the development of innovative products and systems. Internal, external, or mixed teams are eligible to use dedicated hot desks at the accelerator over a defined period of time. They have access to Nestlé’s R&D expertise and infrastructure, including shared labs, kitchens, bench-scale, and pilot-scale equipment. The first teams have been selected and the accelerator will be operational by the end of 2019.
The accelerator is part of Nestlé's global R&D network and is located at Nestlé Research, which employs around 800 people in Lausanne. This ecosystem includes several units of Nestlé’s R&D organization, leading academic institutions such as the Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL) and Zurich (ETHZ), and the Swiss Hospitality Management School in Lausanne (EHL), as well as a wide range of innovation partners, suppliers, and startups.
“We have taken a number of steps to accelerate innovation, including our enhanced prototyping capabilities and the funding of fast-track projects,” said Stefan Palzer, CTO of Nestlé S.A. “With the Nestlé R&D Accelerator and its proximity to our R&D and business teams, we will bring open innovation to a new level. Combining our internal expertise and the deep knowledge of our academic and industrial partners with the external entrepreneurial creativity is a unique approach and will create an innovation powerhouse.”