AkzoNobel is looking for the surfaces of the future

AkzoNobel is looking for the surfaces of the future

Start-ups have until July 20th to submit their innovative ideas at “ Paint the Future " . All entries will then receive feedback from industry experts. Selected finalists will be invited to a collaboration event at the end of the year. Winners will be offered partnership agreements to work with AkzoNobel on future-proof business opportunities.

“Developing new technologies and solutions for our customers is something we have been doing for hundreds of years,” says Klaas Kruithof, Chief Technology Officer at AkzoNobel. "Today, with the rapid development of technology in so many areas, we invite others to join us in pushing boundaries. Paint the Future is the world's largest collaborative innovation network in the paint, coatings and coatings industry."

Win-win approach 

The company's unique win-win approach to innovation is proven to work. New technologies and complex solutions can be developed much faster through collaboration. In just over two years, “Paint the Future” has produced 18 successful innovations.

“Imagine how much more you could do if you had access to AkzoNobel’s expertise, resources and global presence – as well as the knowledge of the 2,220 members in our innovation network,” says Ally van der Boon, Paint the Future Program Manager. "This is an incredible opportunity for you to further develop and accelerate your idea. Imagine how far we can go together."

The Paint the Future 2021 program includes five challenging themes:

• Erweiterte Funktionalitäten: Welche aufregende neue Funktionalität und/oder transformative Fähigkeit kann Ihre Technologie bieten, um Oberflächen der Zukunft zu gestalten?
• Kundenerlebnis: Wie könnte Ihre Idee die Erfahrung unserer Kunden verbessern, die sie mit unseren Produkten und Dienstleistungen haben?
• Smarte Anwendungen: Wie könnte Ihre Idee die Art und Weise, wie Farben, Lacke und Beschichtungen aufgetragen werden, verändern oder verbessern?
• Zirkuläre Lösungen: Wie würde Ihre Idee die zirkuläre Nutzung von Materialien in unserer Wertschöpfungskette ermöglichen?
• Optimierte Fertigung und Lieferkette: Wie kann Ihre Idee uns dabei helfen, die Fertigungs- und Lieferketten zu optimieren?

Paint the Future is AkzoNobel's global collaborative innovation network, launched in 2019. It is an initiative to accelerate, introduce and scale ideas and solutions for the paint, coatings and coatings industry. Initially open to start-ups, it quickly expanded to include academics, research institutes and two large groups of suppliers. The network with the individual programs is now the largest in the industry.