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See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};
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On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};
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At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};
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At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};
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Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};
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\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};
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\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};
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\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};
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\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};
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\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};
Search

Latest

\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};
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\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};
Search

Latest

\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};
Search

Latest

\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};
Search

Latest

\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};
Search

Latest

\n

Corporate Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};
Search

Latest

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corporate Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};
Search

Latest

\n

Those learnings came to the fore on day three of the program during a startup showcase, when Toyota met several early stage companies. Roambee, which offers real-time location and condition monitoring for shipments, further deepened the forklift manufacturer\u2019s understanding of IoT\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corporate Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};
Search

Latest

\n

That knowledge on the startup scene in the IoT space was expanded further with a visit to Wearable World, an IoT accelerator. The CEO laid out the current state of the industry, with an angel investor also giving a presentation detailing for Toyota Material Handling how the company might make the most of IoT\u2019s potential through investment in startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those learnings came to the fore on day three of the program during a startup showcase, when Toyota met several early stage companies. Roambee, which offers real-time location and condition monitoring for shipments, further deepened the forklift manufacturer\u2019s understanding of IoT\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corporate Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};
Search

Latest

\n

At Verizon, meanwhile, the emphasis was placed on a parallel aspect of the IoT revolution with a focus on connectivity and 5G mobile broadband. The communications company opened Toyota\u2019s eyes to the huge realm of possibilities 5G will open for IoT and the changes this could bring in everything from supply chain to smart cities. What\u2019s more, the Toyota execs learned how Verizon stays abreast of the latest technology developments by actively buying up and partnering with a range of startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That knowledge on the startup scene in the IoT space was expanded further with a visit to Wearable World, an IoT accelerator. The CEO laid out the current state of the industry, with an angel investor also giving a presentation detailing for Toyota Material Handling how the company might make the most of IoT\u2019s potential through investment in startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those learnings came to the fore on day three of the program during a startup showcase, when Toyota met several early stage companies. Roambee, which offers real-time location and condition monitoring for shipments, further deepened the forklift manufacturer\u2019s understanding of IoT\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corporate Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};
Search

Latest

\n

One of the biggest and most advanced users of IoT anywhere in the world today is contract manufacturer Jabil. Touring its production facilities, the Toyota team saw something they could emulate: sensors and data collectors on everything from pallets to machines and a huge control room to go with them where all the collected information is processed. The practical application of all this technology use was made clear through the huge gains in efficiency it has generated for Jabil throughout the manufacturing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Verizon, meanwhile, the emphasis was placed on a parallel aspect of the IoT revolution with a focus on connectivity and 5G mobile broadband. The communications company opened Toyota\u2019s eyes to the huge realm of possibilities 5G will open for IoT and the changes this could bring in everything from supply chain to smart cities. What\u2019s more, the Toyota execs learned how Verizon stays abreast of the latest technology developments by actively buying up and partnering with a range of startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That knowledge on the startup scene in the IoT space was expanded further with a visit to Wearable World, an IoT accelerator. The CEO laid out the current state of the industry, with an angel investor also giving a presentation detailing for Toyota Material Handling how the company might make the most of IoT\u2019s potential through investment in startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those learnings came to the fore on day three of the program during a startup showcase, when Toyota met several early stage companies. Roambee, which offers real-time location and condition monitoring for shipments, further deepened the forklift manufacturer\u2019s understanding of IoT\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corporate Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};
Search

Latest

\n

The development which today presents the most threats and opportunities to a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling is Internet of Things, or IoT.  We dedicated a large part of the Japanese enterprise\u2019s time in Silicon Valley to meetings with companies currently using the technology in their operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest and most advanced users of IoT anywhere in the world today is contract manufacturer Jabil. Touring its production facilities, the Toyota team saw something they could emulate: sensors and data collectors on everything from pallets to machines and a huge control room to go with them where all the collected information is processed. The practical application of all this technology use was made clear through the huge gains in efficiency it has generated for Jabil throughout the manufacturing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Verizon, meanwhile, the emphasis was placed on a parallel aspect of the IoT revolution with a focus on connectivity and 5G mobile broadband. The communications company opened Toyota\u2019s eyes to the huge realm of possibilities 5G will open for IoT and the changes this could bring in everything from supply chain to smart cities. What\u2019s more, the Toyota execs learned how Verizon stays abreast of the latest technology developments by actively buying up and partnering with a range of startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That knowledge on the startup scene in the IoT space was expanded further with a visit to Wearable World, an IoT accelerator. The CEO laid out the current state of the industry, with an angel investor also giving a presentation detailing for Toyota Material Handling how the company might make the most of IoT\u2019s potential through investment in startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those learnings came to the fore on day three of the program during a startup showcase, when Toyota met several early stage companies. Roambee, which offers real-time location and condition monitoring for shipments, further deepened the forklift manufacturer\u2019s understanding of IoT\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corporate Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};
Search

Latest

\n

Internet of Things<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The development which today presents the most threats and opportunities to a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling is Internet of Things, or IoT.  We dedicated a large part of the Japanese enterprise\u2019s time in Silicon Valley to meetings with companies currently using the technology in their operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest and most advanced users of IoT anywhere in the world today is contract manufacturer Jabil. Touring its production facilities, the Toyota team saw something they could emulate: sensors and data collectors on everything from pallets to machines and a huge control room to go with them where all the collected information is processed. The practical application of all this technology use was made clear through the huge gains in efficiency it has generated for Jabil throughout the manufacturing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Verizon, meanwhile, the emphasis was placed on a parallel aspect of the IoT revolution with a focus on connectivity and 5G mobile broadband. The communications company opened Toyota\u2019s eyes to the huge realm of possibilities 5G will open for IoT and the changes this could bring in everything from supply chain to smart cities. What\u2019s more, the Toyota execs learned how Verizon stays abreast of the latest technology developments by actively buying up and partnering with a range of startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That knowledge on the startup scene in the IoT space was expanded further with a visit to Wearable World, an IoT accelerator. The CEO laid out the current state of the industry, with an angel investor also giving a presentation detailing for Toyota Material Handling how the company might make the most of IoT\u2019s potential through investment in startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those learnings came to the fore on day three of the program during a startup showcase, when Toyota met several early stage companies. Roambee, which offers real-time location and condition monitoring for shipments, further deepened the forklift manufacturer\u2019s understanding of IoT\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corporate Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};
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Latest

\n

And so, with the schedule finalized and the hotel rooms booked, the Toyota Material Handling team touched down in Silicon Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Internet of Things<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The development which today presents the most threats and opportunities to a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling is Internet of Things, or IoT.  We dedicated a large part of the Japanese enterprise\u2019s time in Silicon Valley to meetings with companies currently using the technology in their operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest and most advanced users of IoT anywhere in the world today is contract manufacturer Jabil. Touring its production facilities, the Toyota team saw something they could emulate: sensors and data collectors on everything from pallets to machines and a huge control room to go with them where all the collected information is processed. The practical application of all this technology use was made clear through the huge gains in efficiency it has generated for Jabil throughout the manufacturing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Verizon, meanwhile, the emphasis was placed on a parallel aspect of the IoT revolution with a focus on connectivity and 5G mobile broadband. The communications company opened Toyota\u2019s eyes to the huge realm of possibilities 5G will open for IoT and the changes this could bring in everything from supply chain to smart cities. What\u2019s more, the Toyota execs learned how Verizon stays abreast of the latest technology developments by actively buying up and partnering with a range of startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That knowledge on the startup scene in the IoT space was expanded further with a visit to Wearable World, an IoT accelerator. The CEO laid out the current state of the industry, with an angel investor also giving a presentation detailing for Toyota Material Handling how the company might make the most of IoT\u2019s potential through investment in startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those learnings came to the fore on day three of the program during a startup showcase, when Toyota met several early stage companies. Roambee, which offers real-time location and condition monitoring for shipments, further deepened the forklift manufacturer\u2019s understanding of IoT\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corporate Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};
Search

Latest

\n

Answers, we knew, would come from technologies like internet of things and blockchain. But apart from visiting companies breaking new ground in these areas we also made sure to mix in sessions on corporate innovation at Google, Amazon and Microsoft. After all, getting access to new technology is the relatively easy part. Actually knowing how to get an organization to embrace that technology and get the most out of it is where the real work begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so, with the schedule finalized and the hotel rooms booked, the Toyota Material Handling team touched down in Silicon Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Internet of Things<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The development which today presents the most threats and opportunities to a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling is Internet of Things, or IoT.  We dedicated a large part of the Japanese enterprise\u2019s time in Silicon Valley to meetings with companies currently using the technology in their operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest and most advanced users of IoT anywhere in the world today is contract manufacturer Jabil. Touring its production facilities, the Toyota team saw something they could emulate: sensors and data collectors on everything from pallets to machines and a huge control room to go with them where all the collected information is processed. The practical application of all this technology use was made clear through the huge gains in efficiency it has generated for Jabil throughout the manufacturing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Verizon, meanwhile, the emphasis was placed on a parallel aspect of the IoT revolution with a focus on connectivity and 5G mobile broadband. The communications company opened Toyota\u2019s eyes to the huge realm of possibilities 5G will open for IoT and the changes this could bring in everything from supply chain to smart cities. What\u2019s more, the Toyota execs learned how Verizon stays abreast of the latest technology developments by actively buying up and partnering with a range of startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That knowledge on the startup scene in the IoT space was expanded further with a visit to Wearable World, an IoT accelerator. The CEO laid out the current state of the industry, with an angel investor also giving a presentation detailing for Toyota Material Handling how the company might make the most of IoT\u2019s potential through investment in startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those learnings came to the fore on day three of the program during a startup showcase, when Toyota met several early stage companies. Roambee, which offers real-time location and condition monitoring for shipments, further deepened the forklift manufacturer\u2019s understanding of IoT\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corporate Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};
Search

Latest

\n

For us at Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) that meant putting together a program with an emphasis on finding novel solutions to the typical problems faced by enterprises in the manufacturing sector, namely, cost and time inefficiencies in areas like warehousing and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Answers, we knew, would come from technologies like internet of things and blockchain. But apart from visiting companies breaking new ground in these areas we also made sure to mix in sessions on corporate innovation at Google, Amazon and Microsoft. After all, getting access to new technology is the relatively easy part. Actually knowing how to get an organization to embrace that technology and get the most out of it is where the real work begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so, with the schedule finalized and the hotel rooms booked, the Toyota Material Handling team touched down in Silicon Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Internet of Things<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The development which today presents the most threats and opportunities to a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling is Internet of Things, or IoT.  We dedicated a large part of the Japanese enterprise\u2019s time in Silicon Valley to meetings with companies currently using the technology in their operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest and most advanced users of IoT anywhere in the world today is contract manufacturer Jabil. Touring its production facilities, the Toyota team saw something they could emulate: sensors and data collectors on everything from pallets to machines and a huge control room to go with them where all the collected information is processed. The practical application of all this technology use was made clear through the huge gains in efficiency it has generated for Jabil throughout the manufacturing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Verizon, meanwhile, the emphasis was placed on a parallel aspect of the IoT revolution with a focus on connectivity and 5G mobile broadband. The communications company opened Toyota\u2019s eyes to the huge realm of possibilities 5G will open for IoT and the changes this could bring in everything from supply chain to smart cities. What\u2019s more, the Toyota execs learned how Verizon stays abreast of the latest technology developments by actively buying up and partnering with a range of startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That knowledge on the startup scene in the IoT space was expanded further with a visit to Wearable World, an IoT accelerator. The CEO laid out the current state of the industry, with an angel investor also giving a presentation detailing for Toyota Material Handling how the company might make the most of IoT\u2019s potential through investment in startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those learnings came to the fore on day three of the program during a startup showcase, when Toyota met several early stage companies. Roambee, which offers real-time location and condition monitoring for shipments, further deepened the forklift manufacturer\u2019s understanding of IoT\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corporate Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};
Search

Latest

\n

This particular trip was for Toyota Material Handling (TMH), a division of the company entirely separate from - though not unrelated to - the Japanese manufacturer\u2019s more well-known carmaking business. Where the latter builds the Priuses, Corollas and Camrys which have become staples of world motoring, the former is concerned with the manufacture and supply of the forklifts and pallet trucks which help get the parts for those vehicles to the production line.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For us at Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) that meant putting together a program with an emphasis on finding novel solutions to the typical problems faced by enterprises in the manufacturing sector, namely, cost and time inefficiencies in areas like warehousing and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Answers, we knew, would come from technologies like internet of things and blockchain. But apart from visiting companies breaking new ground in these areas we also made sure to mix in sessions on corporate innovation at Google, Amazon and Microsoft. After all, getting access to new technology is the relatively easy part. Actually knowing how to get an organization to embrace that technology and get the most out of it is where the real work begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so, with the schedule finalized and the hotel rooms booked, the Toyota Material Handling team touched down in Silicon Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Internet of Things<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The development which today presents the most threats and opportunities to a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling is Internet of Things, or IoT.  We dedicated a large part of the Japanese enterprise\u2019s time in Silicon Valley to meetings with companies currently using the technology in their operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest and most advanced users of IoT anywhere in the world today is contract manufacturer Jabil. Touring its production facilities, the Toyota team saw something they could emulate: sensors and data collectors on everything from pallets to machines and a huge control room to go with them where all the collected information is processed. The practical application of all this technology use was made clear through the huge gains in efficiency it has generated for Jabil throughout the manufacturing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Verizon, meanwhile, the emphasis was placed on a parallel aspect of the IoT revolution with a focus on connectivity and 5G mobile broadband. The communications company opened Toyota\u2019s eyes to the huge realm of possibilities 5G will open for IoT and the changes this could bring in everything from supply chain to smart cities. What\u2019s more, the Toyota execs learned how Verizon stays abreast of the latest technology developments by actively buying up and partnering with a range of startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That knowledge on the startup scene in the IoT space was expanded further with a visit to Wearable World, an IoT accelerator. The CEO laid out the current state of the industry, with an angel investor also giving a presentation detailing for Toyota Material Handling how the company might make the most of IoT\u2019s potential through investment in startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those learnings came to the fore on day three of the program during a startup showcase, when Toyota met several early stage companies. Roambee, which offers real-time location and condition monitoring for shipments, further deepened the forklift manufacturer\u2019s understanding of IoT\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corporate Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};
Search

Latest

\n

Not that there was anything atypical about such lengthy preparations. As with all our programs we engaged Toyota in a thorough consultation process in order to zoom in on the major \u201cpain points\u201d of its business. Then we built a schedule to provide introductions to the kind of high-technology solutions Silicon Valley is famous for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This particular trip was for Toyota Material Handling (TMH), a division of the company entirely separate from - though not unrelated to - the Japanese manufacturer\u2019s more well-known carmaking business. Where the latter builds the Priuses, Corollas and Camrys which have become staples of world motoring, the former is concerned with the manufacture and supply of the forklifts and pallet trucks which help get the parts for those vehicles to the production line.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For us at Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) that meant putting together a program with an emphasis on finding novel solutions to the typical problems faced by enterprises in the manufacturing sector, namely, cost and time inefficiencies in areas like warehousing and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Answers, we knew, would come from technologies like internet of things and blockchain. But apart from visiting companies breaking new ground in these areas we also made sure to mix in sessions on corporate innovation at Google, Amazon and Microsoft. After all, getting access to new technology is the relatively easy part. Actually knowing how to get an organization to embrace that technology and get the most out of it is where the real work begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so, with the schedule finalized and the hotel rooms booked, the Toyota Material Handling team touched down in Silicon Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Internet of Things<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The development which today presents the most threats and opportunities to a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling is Internet of Things, or IoT.  We dedicated a large part of the Japanese enterprise\u2019s time in Silicon Valley to meetings with companies currently using the technology in their operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest and most advanced users of IoT anywhere in the world today is contract manufacturer Jabil. Touring its production facilities, the Toyota team saw something they could emulate: sensors and data collectors on everything from pallets to machines and a huge control room to go with them where all the collected information is processed. The practical application of all this technology use was made clear through the huge gains in efficiency it has generated for Jabil throughout the manufacturing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Verizon, meanwhile, the emphasis was placed on a parallel aspect of the IoT revolution with a focus on connectivity and 5G mobile broadband. The communications company opened Toyota\u2019s eyes to the huge realm of possibilities 5G will open for IoT and the changes this could bring in everything from supply chain to smart cities. What\u2019s more, the Toyota execs learned how Verizon stays abreast of the latest technology developments by actively buying up and partnering with a range of startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That knowledge on the startup scene in the IoT space was expanded further with a visit to Wearable World, an IoT accelerator. The CEO laid out the current state of the industry, with an angel investor also giving a presentation detailing for Toyota Material Handling how the company might make the most of IoT\u2019s potential through investment in startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those learnings came to the fore on day three of the program during a startup showcase, when Toyota met several early stage companies. Roambee, which offers real-time location and condition monitoring for shipments, further deepened the forklift manufacturer\u2019s understanding of IoT\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corporate Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};
Search

Latest

\n

The three-day executive immersion program we designed for the company was months in the planning so if the executives felt a little overwhelmed at times that meant they were learning, which was exactly the point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not that there was anything atypical about such lengthy preparations. As with all our programs we engaged Toyota in a thorough consultation process in order to zoom in on the major \u201cpain points\u201d of its business. Then we built a schedule to provide introductions to the kind of high-technology solutions Silicon Valley is famous for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This particular trip was for Toyota Material Handling (TMH), a division of the company entirely separate from - though not unrelated to - the Japanese manufacturer\u2019s more well-known carmaking business. Where the latter builds the Priuses, Corollas and Camrys which have become staples of world motoring, the former is concerned with the manufacture and supply of the forklifts and pallet trucks which help get the parts for those vehicles to the production line.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For us at Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) that meant putting together a program with an emphasis on finding novel solutions to the typical problems faced by enterprises in the manufacturing sector, namely, cost and time inefficiencies in areas like warehousing and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Answers, we knew, would come from technologies like internet of things and blockchain. But apart from visiting companies breaking new ground in these areas we also made sure to mix in sessions on corporate innovation at Google, Amazon and Microsoft. After all, getting access to new technology is the relatively easy part. Actually knowing how to get an organization to embrace that technology and get the most out of it is where the real work begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so, with the schedule finalized and the hotel rooms booked, the Toyota Material Handling team touched down in Silicon Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Internet of Things<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The development which today presents the most threats and opportunities to a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling is Internet of Things, or IoT.  We dedicated a large part of the Japanese enterprise\u2019s time in Silicon Valley to meetings with companies currently using the technology in their operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest and most advanced users of IoT anywhere in the world today is contract manufacturer Jabil. Touring its production facilities, the Toyota team saw something they could emulate: sensors and data collectors on everything from pallets to machines and a huge control room to go with them where all the collected information is processed. The practical application of all this technology use was made clear through the huge gains in efficiency it has generated for Jabil throughout the manufacturing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Verizon, meanwhile, the emphasis was placed on a parallel aspect of the IoT revolution with a focus on connectivity and 5G mobile broadband. The communications company opened Toyota\u2019s eyes to the huge realm of possibilities 5G will open for IoT and the changes this could bring in everything from supply chain to smart cities. What\u2019s more, the Toyota execs learned how Verizon stays abreast of the latest technology developments by actively buying up and partnering with a range of startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That knowledge on the startup scene in the IoT space was expanded further with a visit to Wearable World, an IoT accelerator. The CEO laid out the current state of the industry, with an angel investor also giving a presentation detailing for Toyota Material Handling how the company might make the most of IoT\u2019s potential through investment in startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those learnings came to the fore on day three of the program during a startup showcase, when Toyota met several early stage companies. Roambee, which offers real-time location and condition monitoring for shipments, further deepened the forklift manufacturer\u2019s understanding of IoT\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corporate Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};
Search

Latest

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The three-day executive immersion program we designed for the company was months in the planning so if the executives felt a little overwhelmed at times that meant they were learning, which was exactly the point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not that there was anything atypical about such lengthy preparations. As with all our programs we engaged Toyota in a thorough consultation process in order to zoom in on the major \u201cpain points\u201d of its business. Then we built a schedule to provide introductions to the kind of high-technology solutions Silicon Valley is famous for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This particular trip was for Toyota Material Handling (TMH), a division of the company entirely separate from - though not unrelated to - the Japanese manufacturer\u2019s more well-known carmaking business. Where the latter builds the Priuses, Corollas and Camrys which have become staples of world motoring, the former is concerned with the manufacture and supply of the forklifts and pallet trucks which help get the parts for those vehicles to the production line.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For us at Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) that meant putting together a program with an emphasis on finding novel solutions to the typical problems faced by enterprises in the manufacturing sector, namely, cost and time inefficiencies in areas like warehousing and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Answers, we knew, would come from technologies like internet of things and blockchain. But apart from visiting companies breaking new ground in these areas we also made sure to mix in sessions on corporate innovation at Google, Amazon and Microsoft. After all, getting access to new technology is the relatively easy part. Actually knowing how to get an organization to embrace that technology and get the most out of it is where the real work begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so, with the schedule finalized and the hotel rooms booked, the Toyota Material Handling team touched down in Silicon Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Internet of Things<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The development which today presents the most threats and opportunities to a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling is Internet of Things, or IoT.  We dedicated a large part of the Japanese enterprise\u2019s time in Silicon Valley to meetings with companies currently using the technology in their operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest and most advanced users of IoT anywhere in the world today is contract manufacturer Jabil. Touring its production facilities, the Toyota team saw something they could emulate: sensors and data collectors on everything from pallets to machines and a huge control room to go with them where all the collected information is processed. The practical application of all this technology use was made clear through the huge gains in efficiency it has generated for Jabil throughout the manufacturing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Verizon, meanwhile, the emphasis was placed on a parallel aspect of the IoT revolution with a focus on connectivity and 5G mobile broadband. The communications company opened Toyota\u2019s eyes to the huge realm of possibilities 5G will open for IoT and the changes this could bring in everything from supply chain to smart cities. What\u2019s more, the Toyota execs learned how Verizon stays abreast of the latest technology developments by actively buying up and partnering with a range of startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That knowledge on the startup scene in the IoT space was expanded further with a visit to Wearable World, an IoT accelerator. The CEO laid out the current state of the industry, with an angel investor also giving a presentation detailing for Toyota Material Handling how the company might make the most of IoT\u2019s potential through investment in startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those learnings came to the fore on day three of the program during a startup showcase, when Toyota met several early stage companies. Roambee, which offers real-time location and condition monitoring for shipments, further deepened the forklift manufacturer\u2019s understanding of IoT\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corporate Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};
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Latest

\n

Three days, 16 famous Silicon Valley companies and a dozen innovation experts \u2013 that\u2019s how Toyota Material Handling (TMH) spent its corporate retreat in 2017. A European subdivision of Toyota Industries and a producer of equipment for logistics, TMH has for many years sent its executives from all over the world to an annual gathering to discuss strategy and the future of the brand.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The three-day executive immersion program we designed for the company was months in the planning so if the executives felt a little overwhelmed at times that meant they were learning, which was exactly the point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not that there was anything atypical about such lengthy preparations. As with all our programs we engaged Toyota in a thorough consultation process in order to zoom in on the major \u201cpain points\u201d of its business. Then we built a schedule to provide introductions to the kind of high-technology solutions Silicon Valley is famous for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This particular trip was for Toyota Material Handling (TMH), a division of the company entirely separate from - though not unrelated to - the Japanese manufacturer\u2019s more well-known carmaking business. Where the latter builds the Priuses, Corollas and Camrys which have become staples of world motoring, the former is concerned with the manufacture and supply of the forklifts and pallet trucks which help get the parts for those vehicles to the production line.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For us at Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) that meant putting together a program with an emphasis on finding novel solutions to the typical problems faced by enterprises in the manufacturing sector, namely, cost and time inefficiencies in areas like warehousing and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Answers, we knew, would come from technologies like internet of things and blockchain. But apart from visiting companies breaking new ground in these areas we also made sure to mix in sessions on corporate innovation at Google, Amazon and Microsoft. After all, getting access to new technology is the relatively easy part. Actually knowing how to get an organization to embrace that technology and get the most out of it is where the real work begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so, with the schedule finalized and the hotel rooms booked, the Toyota Material Handling team touched down in Silicon Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Internet of Things<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The development which today presents the most threats and opportunities to a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling is Internet of Things, or IoT.  We dedicated a large part of the Japanese enterprise\u2019s time in Silicon Valley to meetings with companies currently using the technology in their operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest and most advanced users of IoT anywhere in the world today is contract manufacturer Jabil. Touring its production facilities, the Toyota team saw something they could emulate: sensors and data collectors on everything from pallets to machines and a huge control room to go with them where all the collected information is processed. The practical application of all this technology use was made clear through the huge gains in efficiency it has generated for Jabil throughout the manufacturing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Verizon, meanwhile, the emphasis was placed on a parallel aspect of the IoT revolution with a focus on connectivity and 5G mobile broadband. The communications company opened Toyota\u2019s eyes to the huge realm of possibilities 5G will open for IoT and the changes this could bring in everything from supply chain to smart cities. What\u2019s more, the Toyota execs learned how Verizon stays abreast of the latest technology developments by actively buying up and partnering with a range of startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That knowledge on the startup scene in the IoT space was expanded further with a visit to Wearable World, an IoT accelerator. The CEO laid out the current state of the industry, with an angel investor also giving a presentation detailing for Toyota Material Handling how the company might make the most of IoT\u2019s potential through investment in startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those learnings came to the fore on day three of the program during a startup showcase, when Toyota met several early stage companies. Roambee, which offers real-time location and condition monitoring for shipments, further deepened the forklift manufacturer\u2019s understanding of IoT\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corporate Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};
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Latest

\n

This is a typical example of what we do at Silicon Valley Innovation Center. For most of our clients we are a first \u201cinnovation outpost\u201d. Businesses from around the globe use our services to broaden their innovation horizons and find valuable partners to work with. Here in Silicon Valley we have access to thousands of innovative startups. Let us be your guide in the word of modern companies operating in manufacturing and supply chain management across such technologies as artificial intelligence, robotics and IoT.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Three Ideas On How To Modernize A Legacy Manufacturing Business","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":769,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-04-17 13:58:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-04-17 20:58:00","post_content":"\n

Three days, 16 famous Silicon Valley companies and a dozen innovation experts \u2013 that\u2019s how Toyota Material Handling (TMH) spent its corporate retreat in 2017. A European subdivision of Toyota Industries and a producer of equipment for logistics, TMH has for many years sent its executives from all over the world to an annual gathering to discuss strategy and the future of the brand.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The three-day executive immersion program we designed for the company was months in the planning so if the executives felt a little overwhelmed at times that meant they were learning, which was exactly the point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not that there was anything atypical about such lengthy preparations. As with all our programs we engaged Toyota in a thorough consultation process in order to zoom in on the major \u201cpain points\u201d of its business. Then we built a schedule to provide introductions to the kind of high-technology solutions Silicon Valley is famous for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This particular trip was for Toyota Material Handling (TMH), a division of the company entirely separate from - though not unrelated to - the Japanese manufacturer\u2019s more well-known carmaking business. Where the latter builds the Priuses, Corollas and Camrys which have become staples of world motoring, the former is concerned with the manufacture and supply of the forklifts and pallet trucks which help get the parts for those vehicles to the production line.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For us at Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) that meant putting together a program with an emphasis on finding novel solutions to the typical problems faced by enterprises in the manufacturing sector, namely, cost and time inefficiencies in areas like warehousing and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Answers, we knew, would come from technologies like internet of things and blockchain. But apart from visiting companies breaking new ground in these areas we also made sure to mix in sessions on corporate innovation at Google, Amazon and Microsoft. After all, getting access to new technology is the relatively easy part. Actually knowing how to get an organization to embrace that technology and get the most out of it is where the real work begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so, with the schedule finalized and the hotel rooms booked, the Toyota Material Handling team touched down in Silicon Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Internet of Things<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The development which today presents the most threats and opportunities to a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling is Internet of Things, or IoT.  We dedicated a large part of the Japanese enterprise\u2019s time in Silicon Valley to meetings with companies currently using the technology in their operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest and most advanced users of IoT anywhere in the world today is contract manufacturer Jabil. Touring its production facilities, the Toyota team saw something they could emulate: sensors and data collectors on everything from pallets to machines and a huge control room to go with them where all the collected information is processed. The practical application of all this technology use was made clear through the huge gains in efficiency it has generated for Jabil throughout the manufacturing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Verizon, meanwhile, the emphasis was placed on a parallel aspect of the IoT revolution with a focus on connectivity and 5G mobile broadband. The communications company opened Toyota\u2019s eyes to the huge realm of possibilities 5G will open for IoT and the changes this could bring in everything from supply chain to smart cities. What\u2019s more, the Toyota execs learned how Verizon stays abreast of the latest technology developments by actively buying up and partnering with a range of startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That knowledge on the startup scene in the IoT space was expanded further with a visit to Wearable World, an IoT accelerator. The CEO laid out the current state of the industry, with an angel investor also giving a presentation detailing for Toyota Material Handling how the company might make the most of IoT\u2019s potential through investment in startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those learnings came to the fore on day three of the program during a startup showcase, when Toyota met several early stage companies. Roambee, which offers real-time location and condition monitoring for shipments, further deepened the forklift manufacturer\u2019s understanding of IoT\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corporate Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};
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\n

\u201cWe found some great startups to work with, that inspired us, challenged us and our thinking\u201d, said Jo Verbeek, President and Chairman at Sonepar, Asia-Pacific Region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a typical example of what we do at Silicon Valley Innovation Center. For most of our clients we are a first \u201cinnovation outpost\u201d. Businesses from around the globe use our services to broaden their innovation horizons and find valuable partners to work with. Here in Silicon Valley we have access to thousands of innovative startups. Let us be your guide in the word of modern companies operating in manufacturing and supply chain management across such technologies as artificial intelligence, robotics and IoT.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Three Ideas On How To Modernize A Legacy Manufacturing Business","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":769,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-04-17 13:58:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-04-17 20:58:00","post_content":"\n

Three days, 16 famous Silicon Valley companies and a dozen innovation experts \u2013 that\u2019s how Toyota Material Handling (TMH) spent its corporate retreat in 2017. A European subdivision of Toyota Industries and a producer of equipment for logistics, TMH has for many years sent its executives from all over the world to an annual gathering to discuss strategy and the future of the brand.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The three-day executive immersion program we designed for the company was months in the planning so if the executives felt a little overwhelmed at times that meant they were learning, which was exactly the point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not that there was anything atypical about such lengthy preparations. As with all our programs we engaged Toyota in a thorough consultation process in order to zoom in on the major \u201cpain points\u201d of its business. Then we built a schedule to provide introductions to the kind of high-technology solutions Silicon Valley is famous for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This particular trip was for Toyota Material Handling (TMH), a division of the company entirely separate from - though not unrelated to - the Japanese manufacturer\u2019s more well-known carmaking business. Where the latter builds the Priuses, Corollas and Camrys which have become staples of world motoring, the former is concerned with the manufacture and supply of the forklifts and pallet trucks which help get the parts for those vehicles to the production line.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For us at Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) that meant putting together a program with an emphasis on finding novel solutions to the typical problems faced by enterprises in the manufacturing sector, namely, cost and time inefficiencies in areas like warehousing and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Answers, we knew, would come from technologies like internet of things and blockchain. But apart from visiting companies breaking new ground in these areas we also made sure to mix in sessions on corporate innovation at Google, Amazon and Microsoft. After all, getting access to new technology is the relatively easy part. Actually knowing how to get an organization to embrace that technology and get the most out of it is where the real work begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so, with the schedule finalized and the hotel rooms booked, the Toyota Material Handling team touched down in Silicon Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Internet of Things<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The development which today presents the most threats and opportunities to a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling is Internet of Things, or IoT.  We dedicated a large part of the Japanese enterprise\u2019s time in Silicon Valley to meetings with companies currently using the technology in their operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest and most advanced users of IoT anywhere in the world today is contract manufacturer Jabil. Touring its production facilities, the Toyota team saw something they could emulate: sensors and data collectors on everything from pallets to machines and a huge control room to go with them where all the collected information is processed. The practical application of all this technology use was made clear through the huge gains in efficiency it has generated for Jabil throughout the manufacturing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Verizon, meanwhile, the emphasis was placed on a parallel aspect of the IoT revolution with a focus on connectivity and 5G mobile broadband. The communications company opened Toyota\u2019s eyes to the huge realm of possibilities 5G will open for IoT and the changes this could bring in everything from supply chain to smart cities. What\u2019s more, the Toyota execs learned how Verizon stays abreast of the latest technology developments by actively buying up and partnering with a range of startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That knowledge on the startup scene in the IoT space was expanded further with a visit to Wearable World, an IoT accelerator. The CEO laid out the current state of the industry, with an angel investor also giving a presentation detailing for Toyota Material Handling how the company might make the most of IoT\u2019s potential through investment in startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those learnings came to the fore on day three of the program during a startup showcase, when Toyota met several early stage companies. Roambee, which offers real-time location and condition monitoring for shipments, further deepened the forklift manufacturer\u2019s understanding of IoT\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corporate Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};
Search

Latest

\n

In a matter of three days, the Sonepar executives were able to get a grasp of what is shaping their industry and find inspiration to transform their business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe found some great startups to work with, that inspired us, challenged us and our thinking\u201d, said Jo Verbeek, President and Chairman at Sonepar, Asia-Pacific Region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a typical example of what we do at Silicon Valley Innovation Center. For most of our clients we are a first \u201cinnovation outpost\u201d. Businesses from around the globe use our services to broaden their innovation horizons and find valuable partners to work with. Here in Silicon Valley we have access to thousands of innovative startups. Let us be your guide in the word of modern companies operating in manufacturing and supply chain management across such technologies as artificial intelligence, robotics and IoT.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Three Ideas On How To Modernize A Legacy Manufacturing Business","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":769,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-04-17 13:58:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-04-17 20:58:00","post_content":"\n

Three days, 16 famous Silicon Valley companies and a dozen innovation experts \u2013 that\u2019s how Toyota Material Handling (TMH) spent its corporate retreat in 2017. A European subdivision of Toyota Industries and a producer of equipment for logistics, TMH has for many years sent its executives from all over the world to an annual gathering to discuss strategy and the future of the brand.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The three-day executive immersion program we designed for the company was months in the planning so if the executives felt a little overwhelmed at times that meant they were learning, which was exactly the point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not that there was anything atypical about such lengthy preparations. As with all our programs we engaged Toyota in a thorough consultation process in order to zoom in on the major \u201cpain points\u201d of its business. Then we built a schedule to provide introductions to the kind of high-technology solutions Silicon Valley is famous for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This particular trip was for Toyota Material Handling (TMH), a division of the company entirely separate from - though not unrelated to - the Japanese manufacturer\u2019s more well-known carmaking business. Where the latter builds the Priuses, Corollas and Camrys which have become staples of world motoring, the former is concerned with the manufacture and supply of the forklifts and pallet trucks which help get the parts for those vehicles to the production line.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For us at Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) that meant putting together a program with an emphasis on finding novel solutions to the typical problems faced by enterprises in the manufacturing sector, namely, cost and time inefficiencies in areas like warehousing and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Answers, we knew, would come from technologies like internet of things and blockchain. But apart from visiting companies breaking new ground in these areas we also made sure to mix in sessions on corporate innovation at Google, Amazon and Microsoft. After all, getting access to new technology is the relatively easy part. Actually knowing how to get an organization to embrace that technology and get the most out of it is where the real work begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so, with the schedule finalized and the hotel rooms booked, the Toyota Material Handling team touched down in Silicon Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Internet of Things<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The development which today presents the most threats and opportunities to a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling is Internet of Things, or IoT.  We dedicated a large part of the Japanese enterprise\u2019s time in Silicon Valley to meetings with companies currently using the technology in their operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest and most advanced users of IoT anywhere in the world today is contract manufacturer Jabil. Touring its production facilities, the Toyota team saw something they could emulate: sensors and data collectors on everything from pallets to machines and a huge control room to go with them where all the collected information is processed. The practical application of all this technology use was made clear through the huge gains in efficiency it has generated for Jabil throughout the manufacturing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Verizon, meanwhile, the emphasis was placed on a parallel aspect of the IoT revolution with a focus on connectivity and 5G mobile broadband. The communications company opened Toyota\u2019s eyes to the huge realm of possibilities 5G will open for IoT and the changes this could bring in everything from supply chain to smart cities. What\u2019s more, the Toyota execs learned how Verizon stays abreast of the latest technology developments by actively buying up and partnering with a range of startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That knowledge on the startup scene in the IoT space was expanded further with a visit to Wearable World, an IoT accelerator. The CEO laid out the current state of the industry, with an angel investor also giving a presentation detailing for Toyota Material Handling how the company might make the most of IoT\u2019s potential through investment in startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those learnings came to the fore on day three of the program during a startup showcase, when Toyota met several early stage companies. Roambee, which offers real-time location and condition monitoring for shipments, further deepened the forklift manufacturer\u2019s understanding of IoT\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corporate Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};
Search

Latest

\n

Innovation outpost<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a matter of three days, the Sonepar executives were able to get a grasp of what is shaping their industry and find inspiration to transform their business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe found some great startups to work with, that inspired us, challenged us and our thinking\u201d, said Jo Verbeek, President and Chairman at Sonepar, Asia-Pacific Region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a typical example of what we do at Silicon Valley Innovation Center. For most of our clients we are a first \u201cinnovation outpost\u201d. Businesses from around the globe use our services to broaden their innovation horizons and find valuable partners to work with. Here in Silicon Valley we have access to thousands of innovative startups. Let us be your guide in the word of modern companies operating in manufacturing and supply chain management across such technologies as artificial intelligence, robotics and IoT.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Three Ideas On How To Modernize A Legacy Manufacturing Business","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":769,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-04-17 13:58:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-04-17 20:58:00","post_content":"\n

Three days, 16 famous Silicon Valley companies and a dozen innovation experts \u2013 that\u2019s how Toyota Material Handling (TMH) spent its corporate retreat in 2017. A European subdivision of Toyota Industries and a producer of equipment for logistics, TMH has for many years sent its executives from all over the world to an annual gathering to discuss strategy and the future of the brand.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The three-day executive immersion program we designed for the company was months in the planning so if the executives felt a little overwhelmed at times that meant they were learning, which was exactly the point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not that there was anything atypical about such lengthy preparations. As with all our programs we engaged Toyota in a thorough consultation process in order to zoom in on the major \u201cpain points\u201d of its business. Then we built a schedule to provide introductions to the kind of high-technology solutions Silicon Valley is famous for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This particular trip was for Toyota Material Handling (TMH), a division of the company entirely separate from - though not unrelated to - the Japanese manufacturer\u2019s more well-known carmaking business. Where the latter builds the Priuses, Corollas and Camrys which have become staples of world motoring, the former is concerned with the manufacture and supply of the forklifts and pallet trucks which help get the parts for those vehicles to the production line.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For us at Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) that meant putting together a program with an emphasis on finding novel solutions to the typical problems faced by enterprises in the manufacturing sector, namely, cost and time inefficiencies in areas like warehousing and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Answers, we knew, would come from technologies like internet of things and blockchain. But apart from visiting companies breaking new ground in these areas we also made sure to mix in sessions on corporate innovation at Google, Amazon and Microsoft. After all, getting access to new technology is the relatively easy part. Actually knowing how to get an organization to embrace that technology and get the most out of it is where the real work begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so, with the schedule finalized and the hotel rooms booked, the Toyota Material Handling team touched down in Silicon Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Internet of Things<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The development which today presents the most threats and opportunities to a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling is Internet of Things, or IoT.  We dedicated a large part of the Japanese enterprise\u2019s time in Silicon Valley to meetings with companies currently using the technology in their operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest and most advanced users of IoT anywhere in the world today is contract manufacturer Jabil. Touring its production facilities, the Toyota team saw something they could emulate: sensors and data collectors on everything from pallets to machines and a huge control room to go with them where all the collected information is processed. The practical application of all this technology use was made clear through the huge gains in efficiency it has generated for Jabil throughout the manufacturing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Verizon, meanwhile, the emphasis was placed on a parallel aspect of the IoT revolution with a focus on connectivity and 5G mobile broadband. The communications company opened Toyota\u2019s eyes to the huge realm of possibilities 5G will open for IoT and the changes this could bring in everything from supply chain to smart cities. What\u2019s more, the Toyota execs learned how Verizon stays abreast of the latest technology developments by actively buying up and partnering with a range of startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That knowledge on the startup scene in the IoT space was expanded further with a visit to Wearable World, an IoT accelerator. The CEO laid out the current state of the industry, with an angel investor also giving a presentation detailing for Toyota Material Handling how the company might make the most of IoT\u2019s potential through investment in startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those learnings came to the fore on day three of the program during a startup showcase, when Toyota met several early stage companies. Roambee, which offers real-time location and condition monitoring for shipments, further deepened the forklift manufacturer\u2019s understanding of IoT\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corporate Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};
Search

Latest

\n

\u201cAcquihiring\u201d is becoming a thing of the past, says Climaco-Estardo. Instead of buying out interesting startups, manufacturing businesses need to find reliable partners to work with and embed themselves deeper into the innovation ecosystem. This was a cross-cutting theme of Sonepar\u2019s meetings with VC boutique Naiss, UL Ventures as well as a startup scouting workshop at SVIC. When a corporation acquires a young company, there\u2019s a good chance it will kill off the innovation. Using startups as service providers is a smarter strategy, as it makes it easier to get to the innovative technology without spending too much money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/uZvNmf7WOWk\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Innovation outpost<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a matter of three days, the Sonepar executives were able to get a grasp of what is shaping their industry and find inspiration to transform their business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe found some great startups to work with, that inspired us, challenged us and our thinking\u201d, said Jo Verbeek, President and Chairman at Sonepar, Asia-Pacific Region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a typical example of what we do at Silicon Valley Innovation Center. For most of our clients we are a first \u201cinnovation outpost\u201d. Businesses from around the globe use our services to broaden their innovation horizons and find valuable partners to work with. Here in Silicon Valley we have access to thousands of innovative startups. Let us be your guide in the word of modern companies operating in manufacturing and supply chain management across such technologies as artificial intelligence, robotics and IoT.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Three Ideas On How To Modernize A Legacy Manufacturing Business","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":769,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-04-17 13:58:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-04-17 20:58:00","post_content":"\n

Three days, 16 famous Silicon Valley companies and a dozen innovation experts \u2013 that\u2019s how Toyota Material Handling (TMH) spent its corporate retreat in 2017. A European subdivision of Toyota Industries and a producer of equipment for logistics, TMH has for many years sent its executives from all over the world to an annual gathering to discuss strategy and the future of the brand.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The three-day executive immersion program we designed for the company was months in the planning so if the executives felt a little overwhelmed at times that meant they were learning, which was exactly the point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not that there was anything atypical about such lengthy preparations. As with all our programs we engaged Toyota in a thorough consultation process in order to zoom in on the major \u201cpain points\u201d of its business. Then we built a schedule to provide introductions to the kind of high-technology solutions Silicon Valley is famous for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This particular trip was for Toyota Material Handling (TMH), a division of the company entirely separate from - though not unrelated to - the Japanese manufacturer\u2019s more well-known carmaking business. Where the latter builds the Priuses, Corollas and Camrys which have become staples of world motoring, the former is concerned with the manufacture and supply of the forklifts and pallet trucks which help get the parts for those vehicles to the production line.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For us at Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) that meant putting together a program with an emphasis on finding novel solutions to the typical problems faced by enterprises in the manufacturing sector, namely, cost and time inefficiencies in areas like warehousing and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Answers, we knew, would come from technologies like internet of things and blockchain. But apart from visiting companies breaking new ground in these areas we also made sure to mix in sessions on corporate innovation at Google, Amazon and Microsoft. After all, getting access to new technology is the relatively easy part. Actually knowing how to get an organization to embrace that technology and get the most out of it is where the real work begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so, with the schedule finalized and the hotel rooms booked, the Toyota Material Handling team touched down in Silicon Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Internet of Things<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The development which today presents the most threats and opportunities to a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling is Internet of Things, or IoT.  We dedicated a large part of the Japanese enterprise\u2019s time in Silicon Valley to meetings with companies currently using the technology in their operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest and most advanced users of IoT anywhere in the world today is contract manufacturer Jabil. Touring its production facilities, the Toyota team saw something they could emulate: sensors and data collectors on everything from pallets to machines and a huge control room to go with them where all the collected information is processed. The practical application of all this technology use was made clear through the huge gains in efficiency it has generated for Jabil throughout the manufacturing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Verizon, meanwhile, the emphasis was placed on a parallel aspect of the IoT revolution with a focus on connectivity and 5G mobile broadband. The communications company opened Toyota\u2019s eyes to the huge realm of possibilities 5G will open for IoT and the changes this could bring in everything from supply chain to smart cities. What\u2019s more, the Toyota execs learned how Verizon stays abreast of the latest technology developments by actively buying up and partnering with a range of startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That knowledge on the startup scene in the IoT space was expanded further with a visit to Wearable World, an IoT accelerator. The CEO laid out the current state of the industry, with an angel investor also giving a presentation detailing for Toyota Material Handling how the company might make the most of IoT\u2019s potential through investment in startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those learnings came to the fore on day three of the program during a startup showcase, when Toyota met several early stage companies. Roambee, which offers real-time location and condition monitoring for shipments, further deepened the forklift manufacturer\u2019s understanding of IoT\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corporate Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};

Search

Latest

\n

Partner with innovative startups<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAcquihiring\u201d is becoming a thing of the past, says Climaco-Estardo. Instead of buying out interesting startups, manufacturing businesses need to find reliable partners to work with and embed themselves deeper into the innovation ecosystem. This was a cross-cutting theme of Sonepar\u2019s meetings with VC boutique Naiss, UL Ventures as well as a startup scouting workshop at SVIC. When a corporation acquires a young company, there\u2019s a good chance it will kill off the innovation. Using startups as service providers is a smarter strategy, as it makes it easier to get to the innovative technology without spending too much money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/uZvNmf7WOWk\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Innovation outpost<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a matter of three days, the Sonepar executives were able to get a grasp of what is shaping their industry and find inspiration to transform their business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe found some great startups to work with, that inspired us, challenged us and our thinking\u201d, said Jo Verbeek, President and Chairman at Sonepar, Asia-Pacific Region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a typical example of what we do at Silicon Valley Innovation Center. For most of our clients we are a first \u201cinnovation outpost\u201d. Businesses from around the globe use our services to broaden their innovation horizons and find valuable partners to work with. Here in Silicon Valley we have access to thousands of innovative startups. Let us be your guide in the word of modern companies operating in manufacturing and supply chain management across such technologies as artificial intelligence, robotics and IoT.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Three Ideas On How To Modernize A Legacy Manufacturing Business","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":769,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-04-17 13:58:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-04-17 20:58:00","post_content":"\n

Three days, 16 famous Silicon Valley companies and a dozen innovation experts \u2013 that\u2019s how Toyota Material Handling (TMH) spent its corporate retreat in 2017. A European subdivision of Toyota Industries and a producer of equipment for logistics, TMH has for many years sent its executives from all over the world to an annual gathering to discuss strategy and the future of the brand.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The three-day executive immersion program we designed for the company was months in the planning so if the executives felt a little overwhelmed at times that meant they were learning, which was exactly the point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not that there was anything atypical about such lengthy preparations. As with all our programs we engaged Toyota in a thorough consultation process in order to zoom in on the major \u201cpain points\u201d of its business. Then we built a schedule to provide introductions to the kind of high-technology solutions Silicon Valley is famous for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This particular trip was for Toyota Material Handling (TMH), a division of the company entirely separate from - though not unrelated to - the Japanese manufacturer\u2019s more well-known carmaking business. Where the latter builds the Priuses, Corollas and Camrys which have become staples of world motoring, the former is concerned with the manufacture and supply of the forklifts and pallet trucks which help get the parts for those vehicles to the production line.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For us at Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) that meant putting together a program with an emphasis on finding novel solutions to the typical problems faced by enterprises in the manufacturing sector, namely, cost and time inefficiencies in areas like warehousing and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Answers, we knew, would come from technologies like internet of things and blockchain. But apart from visiting companies breaking new ground in these areas we also made sure to mix in sessions on corporate innovation at Google, Amazon and Microsoft. After all, getting access to new technology is the relatively easy part. Actually knowing how to get an organization to embrace that technology and get the most out of it is where the real work begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so, with the schedule finalized and the hotel rooms booked, the Toyota Material Handling team touched down in Silicon Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Internet of Things<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The development which today presents the most threats and opportunities to a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling is Internet of Things, or IoT.  We dedicated a large part of the Japanese enterprise\u2019s time in Silicon Valley to meetings with companies currently using the technology in their operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest and most advanced users of IoT anywhere in the world today is contract manufacturer Jabil. Touring its production facilities, the Toyota team saw something they could emulate: sensors and data collectors on everything from pallets to machines and a huge control room to go with them where all the collected information is processed. The practical application of all this technology use was made clear through the huge gains in efficiency it has generated for Jabil throughout the manufacturing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Verizon, meanwhile, the emphasis was placed on a parallel aspect of the IoT revolution with a focus on connectivity and 5G mobile broadband. The communications company opened Toyota\u2019s eyes to the huge realm of possibilities 5G will open for IoT and the changes this could bring in everything from supply chain to smart cities. What\u2019s more, the Toyota execs learned how Verizon stays abreast of the latest technology developments by actively buying up and partnering with a range of startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That knowledge on the startup scene in the IoT space was expanded further with a visit to Wearable World, an IoT accelerator. The CEO laid out the current state of the industry, with an angel investor also giving a presentation detailing for Toyota Material Handling how the company might make the most of IoT\u2019s potential through investment in startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those learnings came to the fore on day three of the program during a startup showcase, when Toyota met several early stage companies. Roambee, which offers real-time location and condition monitoring for shipments, further deepened the forklift manufacturer\u2019s understanding of IoT\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corporate Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};

Search

Latest

\n

3D-printing, or additive manufacturing, is a truly revolutionary technology, which is fast and relatively cheap. It gives engineers more time to be creative and inventive, in comparison with traditional manufacturing methods. 3D printing is a must-have for every manufacturing business on the path of digital transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Partner with innovative startups<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAcquihiring\u201d is becoming a thing of the past, says Climaco-Estardo. Instead of buying out interesting startups, manufacturing businesses need to find reliable partners to work with and embed themselves deeper into the innovation ecosystem. This was a cross-cutting theme of Sonepar\u2019s meetings with VC boutique Naiss, UL Ventures as well as a startup scouting workshop at SVIC. When a corporation acquires a young company, there\u2019s a good chance it will kill off the innovation. Using startups as service providers is a smarter strategy, as it makes it easier to get to the innovative technology without spending too much money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/uZvNmf7WOWk\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Innovation outpost<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a matter of three days, the Sonepar executives were able to get a grasp of what is shaping their industry and find inspiration to transform their business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe found some great startups to work with, that inspired us, challenged us and our thinking\u201d, said Jo Verbeek, President and Chairman at Sonepar, Asia-Pacific Region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a typical example of what we do at Silicon Valley Innovation Center. For most of our clients we are a first \u201cinnovation outpost\u201d. Businesses from around the globe use our services to broaden their innovation horizons and find valuable partners to work with. Here in Silicon Valley we have access to thousands of innovative startups. Let us be your guide in the word of modern companies operating in manufacturing and supply chain management across such technologies as artificial intelligence, robotics and IoT.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Three Ideas On How To Modernize A Legacy Manufacturing Business","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":769,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-04-17 13:58:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-04-17 20:58:00","post_content":"\n

Three days, 16 famous Silicon Valley companies and a dozen innovation experts \u2013 that\u2019s how Toyota Material Handling (TMH) spent its corporate retreat in 2017. A European subdivision of Toyota Industries and a producer of equipment for logistics, TMH has for many years sent its executives from all over the world to an annual gathering to discuss strategy and the future of the brand.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The three-day executive immersion program we designed for the company was months in the planning so if the executives felt a little overwhelmed at times that meant they were learning, which was exactly the point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not that there was anything atypical about such lengthy preparations. As with all our programs we engaged Toyota in a thorough consultation process in order to zoom in on the major \u201cpain points\u201d of its business. Then we built a schedule to provide introductions to the kind of high-technology solutions Silicon Valley is famous for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This particular trip was for Toyota Material Handling (TMH), a division of the company entirely separate from - though not unrelated to - the Japanese manufacturer\u2019s more well-known carmaking business. Where the latter builds the Priuses, Corollas and Camrys which have become staples of world motoring, the former is concerned with the manufacture and supply of the forklifts and pallet trucks which help get the parts for those vehicles to the production line.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For us at Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) that meant putting together a program with an emphasis on finding novel solutions to the typical problems faced by enterprises in the manufacturing sector, namely, cost and time inefficiencies in areas like warehousing and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Answers, we knew, would come from technologies like internet of things and blockchain. But apart from visiting companies breaking new ground in these areas we also made sure to mix in sessions on corporate innovation at Google, Amazon and Microsoft. After all, getting access to new technology is the relatively easy part. Actually knowing how to get an organization to embrace that technology and get the most out of it is where the real work begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so, with the schedule finalized and the hotel rooms booked, the Toyota Material Handling team touched down in Silicon Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Internet of Things<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The development which today presents the most threats and opportunities to a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling is Internet of Things, or IoT.  We dedicated a large part of the Japanese enterprise\u2019s time in Silicon Valley to meetings with companies currently using the technology in their operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest and most advanced users of IoT anywhere in the world today is contract manufacturer Jabil. Touring its production facilities, the Toyota team saw something they could emulate: sensors and data collectors on everything from pallets to machines and a huge control room to go with them where all the collected information is processed. The practical application of all this technology use was made clear through the huge gains in efficiency it has generated for Jabil throughout the manufacturing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Verizon, meanwhile, the emphasis was placed on a parallel aspect of the IoT revolution with a focus on connectivity and 5G mobile broadband. The communications company opened Toyota\u2019s eyes to the huge realm of possibilities 5G will open for IoT and the changes this could bring in everything from supply chain to smart cities. What\u2019s more, the Toyota execs learned how Verizon stays abreast of the latest technology developments by actively buying up and partnering with a range of startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That knowledge on the startup scene in the IoT space was expanded further with a visit to Wearable World, an IoT accelerator. The CEO laid out the current state of the industry, with an angel investor also giving a presentation detailing for Toyota Material Handling how the company might make the most of IoT\u2019s potential through investment in startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those learnings came to the fore on day three of the program during a startup showcase, when Toyota met several early stage companies. Roambee, which offers real-time location and condition monitoring for shipments, further deepened the forklift manufacturer\u2019s understanding of IoT\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corporate Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};

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Latest

\n

Using 3D-Printing to offset production and delivery costs instead of making products in bulk was another idea that came up during the trip. We paired the team with Hewlett-Packard Labs, an exploratory and advanced research group for HP Inc. HP Labs presented 3D-Printing technology capable of saving millions of dollars each year for a business like Sonepar. Instead of using traditional injection molding technology, Sonepar could use old blueprints to 3D print parts for outdated cars, machines and appliances that are not produced anymore. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3D-printing, or additive manufacturing, is a truly revolutionary technology, which is fast and relatively cheap. It gives engineers more time to be creative and inventive, in comparison with traditional manufacturing methods. 3D printing is a must-have for every manufacturing business on the path of digital transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Partner with innovative startups<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAcquihiring\u201d is becoming a thing of the past, says Climaco-Estardo. Instead of buying out interesting startups, manufacturing businesses need to find reliable partners to work with and embed themselves deeper into the innovation ecosystem. This was a cross-cutting theme of Sonepar\u2019s meetings with VC boutique Naiss, UL Ventures as well as a startup scouting workshop at SVIC. When a corporation acquires a young company, there\u2019s a good chance it will kill off the innovation. Using startups as service providers is a smarter strategy, as it makes it easier to get to the innovative technology without spending too much money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/uZvNmf7WOWk\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Innovation outpost<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a matter of three days, the Sonepar executives were able to get a grasp of what is shaping their industry and find inspiration to transform their business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe found some great startups to work with, that inspired us, challenged us and our thinking\u201d, said Jo Verbeek, President and Chairman at Sonepar, Asia-Pacific Region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a typical example of what we do at Silicon Valley Innovation Center. For most of our clients we are a first \u201cinnovation outpost\u201d. Businesses from around the globe use our services to broaden their innovation horizons and find valuable partners to work with. Here in Silicon Valley we have access to thousands of innovative startups. Let us be your guide in the word of modern companies operating in manufacturing and supply chain management across such technologies as artificial intelligence, robotics and IoT.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Three Ideas On How To Modernize A Legacy Manufacturing Business","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":769,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-04-17 13:58:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-04-17 20:58:00","post_content":"\n

Three days, 16 famous Silicon Valley companies and a dozen innovation experts \u2013 that\u2019s how Toyota Material Handling (TMH) spent its corporate retreat in 2017. A European subdivision of Toyota Industries and a producer of equipment for logistics, TMH has for many years sent its executives from all over the world to an annual gathering to discuss strategy and the future of the brand.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The three-day executive immersion program we designed for the company was months in the planning so if the executives felt a little overwhelmed at times that meant they were learning, which was exactly the point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not that there was anything atypical about such lengthy preparations. As with all our programs we engaged Toyota in a thorough consultation process in order to zoom in on the major \u201cpain points\u201d of its business. Then we built a schedule to provide introductions to the kind of high-technology solutions Silicon Valley is famous for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This particular trip was for Toyota Material Handling (TMH), a division of the company entirely separate from - though not unrelated to - the Japanese manufacturer\u2019s more well-known carmaking business. Where the latter builds the Priuses, Corollas and Camrys which have become staples of world motoring, the former is concerned with the manufacture and supply of the forklifts and pallet trucks which help get the parts for those vehicles to the production line.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For us at Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) that meant putting together a program with an emphasis on finding novel solutions to the typical problems faced by enterprises in the manufacturing sector, namely, cost and time inefficiencies in areas like warehousing and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Answers, we knew, would come from technologies like internet of things and blockchain. But apart from visiting companies breaking new ground in these areas we also made sure to mix in sessions on corporate innovation at Google, Amazon and Microsoft. After all, getting access to new technology is the relatively easy part. Actually knowing how to get an organization to embrace that technology and get the most out of it is where the real work begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so, with the schedule finalized and the hotel rooms booked, the Toyota Material Handling team touched down in Silicon Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Internet of Things<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The development which today presents the most threats and opportunities to a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling is Internet of Things, or IoT.  We dedicated a large part of the Japanese enterprise\u2019s time in Silicon Valley to meetings with companies currently using the technology in their operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest and most advanced users of IoT anywhere in the world today is contract manufacturer Jabil. Touring its production facilities, the Toyota team saw something they could emulate: sensors and data collectors on everything from pallets to machines and a huge control room to go with them where all the collected information is processed. The practical application of all this technology use was made clear through the huge gains in efficiency it has generated for Jabil throughout the manufacturing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Verizon, meanwhile, the emphasis was placed on a parallel aspect of the IoT revolution with a focus on connectivity and 5G mobile broadband. The communications company opened Toyota\u2019s eyes to the huge realm of possibilities 5G will open for IoT and the changes this could bring in everything from supply chain to smart cities. What\u2019s more, the Toyota execs learned how Verizon stays abreast of the latest technology developments by actively buying up and partnering with a range of startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That knowledge on the startup scene in the IoT space was expanded further with a visit to Wearable World, an IoT accelerator. The CEO laid out the current state of the industry, with an angel investor also giving a presentation detailing for Toyota Material Handling how the company might make the most of IoT\u2019s potential through investment in startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those learnings came to the fore on day three of the program during a startup showcase, when Toyota met several early stage companies. Roambee, which offers real-time location and condition monitoring for shipments, further deepened the forklift manufacturer\u2019s understanding of IoT\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corporate Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};

Search

Latest

\n

Lower production costs with 3D-Printing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Using 3D-Printing to offset production and delivery costs instead of making products in bulk was another idea that came up during the trip. We paired the team with Hewlett-Packard Labs, an exploratory and advanced research group for HP Inc. HP Labs presented 3D-Printing technology capable of saving millions of dollars each year for a business like Sonepar. Instead of using traditional injection molding technology, Sonepar could use old blueprints to 3D print parts for outdated cars, machines and appliances that are not produced anymore. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3D-printing, or additive manufacturing, is a truly revolutionary technology, which is fast and relatively cheap. It gives engineers more time to be creative and inventive, in comparison with traditional manufacturing methods. 3D printing is a must-have for every manufacturing business on the path of digital transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Partner with innovative startups<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAcquihiring\u201d is becoming a thing of the past, says Climaco-Estardo. Instead of buying out interesting startups, manufacturing businesses need to find reliable partners to work with and embed themselves deeper into the innovation ecosystem. This was a cross-cutting theme of Sonepar\u2019s meetings with VC boutique Naiss, UL Ventures as well as a startup scouting workshop at SVIC. When a corporation acquires a young company, there\u2019s a good chance it will kill off the innovation. Using startups as service providers is a smarter strategy, as it makes it easier to get to the innovative technology without spending too much money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/uZvNmf7WOWk\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Innovation outpost<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a matter of three days, the Sonepar executives were able to get a grasp of what is shaping their industry and find inspiration to transform their business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe found some great startups to work with, that inspired us, challenged us and our thinking\u201d, said Jo Verbeek, President and Chairman at Sonepar, Asia-Pacific Region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a typical example of what we do at Silicon Valley Innovation Center. For most of our clients we are a first \u201cinnovation outpost\u201d. Businesses from around the globe use our services to broaden their innovation horizons and find valuable partners to work with. Here in Silicon Valley we have access to thousands of innovative startups. Let us be your guide in the word of modern companies operating in manufacturing and supply chain management across such technologies as artificial intelligence, robotics and IoT.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Three Ideas On How To Modernize A Legacy Manufacturing Business","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":769,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-04-17 13:58:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-04-17 20:58:00","post_content":"\n

Three days, 16 famous Silicon Valley companies and a dozen innovation experts \u2013 that\u2019s how Toyota Material Handling (TMH) spent its corporate retreat in 2017. A European subdivision of Toyota Industries and a producer of equipment for logistics, TMH has for many years sent its executives from all over the world to an annual gathering to discuss strategy and the future of the brand.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The three-day executive immersion program we designed for the company was months in the planning so if the executives felt a little overwhelmed at times that meant they were learning, which was exactly the point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not that there was anything atypical about such lengthy preparations. As with all our programs we engaged Toyota in a thorough consultation process in order to zoom in on the major \u201cpain points\u201d of its business. Then we built a schedule to provide introductions to the kind of high-technology solutions Silicon Valley is famous for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This particular trip was for Toyota Material Handling (TMH), a division of the company entirely separate from - though not unrelated to - the Japanese manufacturer\u2019s more well-known carmaking business. Where the latter builds the Priuses, Corollas and Camrys which have become staples of world motoring, the former is concerned with the manufacture and supply of the forklifts and pallet trucks which help get the parts for those vehicles to the production line.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For us at Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) that meant putting together a program with an emphasis on finding novel solutions to the typical problems faced by enterprises in the manufacturing sector, namely, cost and time inefficiencies in areas like warehousing and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Answers, we knew, would come from technologies like internet of things and blockchain. But apart from visiting companies breaking new ground in these areas we also made sure to mix in sessions on corporate innovation at Google, Amazon and Microsoft. After all, getting access to new technology is the relatively easy part. Actually knowing how to get an organization to embrace that technology and get the most out of it is where the real work begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so, with the schedule finalized and the hotel rooms booked, the Toyota Material Handling team touched down in Silicon Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Internet of Things<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The development which today presents the most threats and opportunities to a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling is Internet of Things, or IoT.  We dedicated a large part of the Japanese enterprise\u2019s time in Silicon Valley to meetings with companies currently using the technology in their operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest and most advanced users of IoT anywhere in the world today is contract manufacturer Jabil. Touring its production facilities, the Toyota team saw something they could emulate: sensors and data collectors on everything from pallets to machines and a huge control room to go with them where all the collected information is processed. The practical application of all this technology use was made clear through the huge gains in efficiency it has generated for Jabil throughout the manufacturing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Verizon, meanwhile, the emphasis was placed on a parallel aspect of the IoT revolution with a focus on connectivity and 5G mobile broadband. The communications company opened Toyota\u2019s eyes to the huge realm of possibilities 5G will open for IoT and the changes this could bring in everything from supply chain to smart cities. What\u2019s more, the Toyota execs learned how Verizon stays abreast of the latest technology developments by actively buying up and partnering with a range of startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That knowledge on the startup scene in the IoT space was expanded further with a visit to Wearable World, an IoT accelerator. The CEO laid out the current state of the industry, with an angel investor also giving a presentation detailing for Toyota Material Handling how the company might make the most of IoT\u2019s potential through investment in startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those learnings came to the fore on day three of the program during a startup showcase, when Toyota met several early stage companies. Roambee, which offers real-time location and condition monitoring for shipments, further deepened the forklift manufacturer\u2019s understanding of IoT\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corporate Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};

Search

Latest

\n

Smart AI-powered drones help companies like Amazon automate warehousing. Sonepar executives admitted that their warehouses rely heavily on manual labor and use of paper. To show how drones can improve inventory control, we took our clients to Squadrone System. Eva Pagneux, the company\u2019s then VP of Strategy & Marketing  demonstrated how Sonepar can cut inventory time to minutes and increase data capture quality with a completely autonomous drone that navigates in alleys, guided by its companion app. She explained how a drone can fly in the evening and scan all the pallets and bars in its warehouse and log the data to a central inventory system. A fully digital, completely automated warehouse is the only way to build a scalable manufacturing business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/lWuLVTgWDTU\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Lower production costs with 3D-Printing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Using 3D-Printing to offset production and delivery costs instead of making products in bulk was another idea that came up during the trip. We paired the team with Hewlett-Packard Labs, an exploratory and advanced research group for HP Inc. HP Labs presented 3D-Printing technology capable of saving millions of dollars each year for a business like Sonepar. Instead of using traditional injection molding technology, Sonepar could use old blueprints to 3D print parts for outdated cars, machines and appliances that are not produced anymore. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3D-printing, or additive manufacturing, is a truly revolutionary technology, which is fast and relatively cheap. It gives engineers more time to be creative and inventive, in comparison with traditional manufacturing methods. 3D printing is a must-have for every manufacturing business on the path of digital transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Partner with innovative startups<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAcquihiring\u201d is becoming a thing of the past, says Climaco-Estardo. Instead of buying out interesting startups, manufacturing businesses need to find reliable partners to work with and embed themselves deeper into the innovation ecosystem. This was a cross-cutting theme of Sonepar\u2019s meetings with VC boutique Naiss, UL Ventures as well as a startup scouting workshop at SVIC. When a corporation acquires a young company, there\u2019s a good chance it will kill off the innovation. Using startups as service providers is a smarter strategy, as it makes it easier to get to the innovative technology without spending too much money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/uZvNmf7WOWk\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Innovation outpost<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a matter of three days, the Sonepar executives were able to get a grasp of what is shaping their industry and find inspiration to transform their business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe found some great startups to work with, that inspired us, challenged us and our thinking\u201d, said Jo Verbeek, President and Chairman at Sonepar, Asia-Pacific Region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a typical example of what we do at Silicon Valley Innovation Center. For most of our clients we are a first \u201cinnovation outpost\u201d. Businesses from around the globe use our services to broaden their innovation horizons and find valuable partners to work with. Here in Silicon Valley we have access to thousands of innovative startups. Let us be your guide in the word of modern companies operating in manufacturing and supply chain management across such technologies as artificial intelligence, robotics and IoT.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Three Ideas On How To Modernize A Legacy Manufacturing Business","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":769,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-04-17 13:58:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-04-17 20:58:00","post_content":"\n

Three days, 16 famous Silicon Valley companies and a dozen innovation experts \u2013 that\u2019s how Toyota Material Handling (TMH) spent its corporate retreat in 2017. A European subdivision of Toyota Industries and a producer of equipment for logistics, TMH has for many years sent its executives from all over the world to an annual gathering to discuss strategy and the future of the brand.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The three-day executive immersion program we designed for the company was months in the planning so if the executives felt a little overwhelmed at times that meant they were learning, which was exactly the point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not that there was anything atypical about such lengthy preparations. As with all our programs we engaged Toyota in a thorough consultation process in order to zoom in on the major \u201cpain points\u201d of its business. Then we built a schedule to provide introductions to the kind of high-technology solutions Silicon Valley is famous for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This particular trip was for Toyota Material Handling (TMH), a division of the company entirely separate from - though not unrelated to - the Japanese manufacturer\u2019s more well-known carmaking business. Where the latter builds the Priuses, Corollas and Camrys which have become staples of world motoring, the former is concerned with the manufacture and supply of the forklifts and pallet trucks which help get the parts for those vehicles to the production line.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For us at Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) that meant putting together a program with an emphasis on finding novel solutions to the typical problems faced by enterprises in the manufacturing sector, namely, cost and time inefficiencies in areas like warehousing and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Answers, we knew, would come from technologies like internet of things and blockchain. But apart from visiting companies breaking new ground in these areas we also made sure to mix in sessions on corporate innovation at Google, Amazon and Microsoft. After all, getting access to new technology is the relatively easy part. Actually knowing how to get an organization to embrace that technology and get the most out of it is where the real work begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so, with the schedule finalized and the hotel rooms booked, the Toyota Material Handling team touched down in Silicon Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Internet of Things<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The development which today presents the most threats and opportunities to a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling is Internet of Things, or IoT.  We dedicated a large part of the Japanese enterprise\u2019s time in Silicon Valley to meetings with companies currently using the technology in their operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest and most advanced users of IoT anywhere in the world today is contract manufacturer Jabil. Touring its production facilities, the Toyota team saw something they could emulate: sensors and data collectors on everything from pallets to machines and a huge control room to go with them where all the collected information is processed. The practical application of all this technology use was made clear through the huge gains in efficiency it has generated for Jabil throughout the manufacturing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Verizon, meanwhile, the emphasis was placed on a parallel aspect of the IoT revolution with a focus on connectivity and 5G mobile broadband. The communications company opened Toyota\u2019s eyes to the huge realm of possibilities 5G will open for IoT and the changes this could bring in everything from supply chain to smart cities. What\u2019s more, the Toyota execs learned how Verizon stays abreast of the latest technology developments by actively buying up and partnering with a range of startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That knowledge on the startup scene in the IoT space was expanded further with a visit to Wearable World, an IoT accelerator. The CEO laid out the current state of the industry, with an angel investor also giving a presentation detailing for Toyota Material Handling how the company might make the most of IoT\u2019s potential through investment in startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those learnings came to the fore on day three of the program during a startup showcase, when Toyota met several early stage companies. Roambee, which offers real-time location and condition monitoring for shipments, further deepened the forklift manufacturer\u2019s understanding of IoT\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corporate Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};

Search

Latest

\n

Digitize the supply-chain with smart drones<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Smart AI-powered drones help companies like Amazon automate warehousing. Sonepar executives admitted that their warehouses rely heavily on manual labor and use of paper. To show how drones can improve inventory control, we took our clients to Squadrone System. Eva Pagneux, the company\u2019s then VP of Strategy & Marketing  demonstrated how Sonepar can cut inventory time to minutes and increase data capture quality with a completely autonomous drone that navigates in alleys, guided by its companion app. She explained how a drone can fly in the evening and scan all the pallets and bars in its warehouse and log the data to a central inventory system. A fully digital, completely automated warehouse is the only way to build a scalable manufacturing business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/lWuLVTgWDTU\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Lower production costs with 3D-Printing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Using 3D-Printing to offset production and delivery costs instead of making products in bulk was another idea that came up during the trip. We paired the team with Hewlett-Packard Labs, an exploratory and advanced research group for HP Inc. HP Labs presented 3D-Printing technology capable of saving millions of dollars each year for a business like Sonepar. Instead of using traditional injection molding technology, Sonepar could use old blueprints to 3D print parts for outdated cars, machines and appliances that are not produced anymore. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3D-printing, or additive manufacturing, is a truly revolutionary technology, which is fast and relatively cheap. It gives engineers more time to be creative and inventive, in comparison with traditional manufacturing methods. 3D printing is a must-have for every manufacturing business on the path of digital transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Partner with innovative startups<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAcquihiring\u201d is becoming a thing of the past, says Climaco-Estardo. Instead of buying out interesting startups, manufacturing businesses need to find reliable partners to work with and embed themselves deeper into the innovation ecosystem. This was a cross-cutting theme of Sonepar\u2019s meetings with VC boutique Naiss, UL Ventures as well as a startup scouting workshop at SVIC. When a corporation acquires a young company, there\u2019s a good chance it will kill off the innovation. Using startups as service providers is a smarter strategy, as it makes it easier to get to the innovative technology without spending too much money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/uZvNmf7WOWk\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Innovation outpost<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a matter of three days, the Sonepar executives were able to get a grasp of what is shaping their industry and find inspiration to transform their business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe found some great startups to work with, that inspired us, challenged us and our thinking\u201d, said Jo Verbeek, President and Chairman at Sonepar, Asia-Pacific Region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a typical example of what we do at Silicon Valley Innovation Center. For most of our clients we are a first \u201cinnovation outpost\u201d. Businesses from around the globe use our services to broaden their innovation horizons and find valuable partners to work with. Here in Silicon Valley we have access to thousands of innovative startups. Let us be your guide in the word of modern companies operating in manufacturing and supply chain management across such technologies as artificial intelligence, robotics and IoT.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Three Ideas On How To Modernize A Legacy Manufacturing Business","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":769,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-04-17 13:58:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-04-17 20:58:00","post_content":"\n

Three days, 16 famous Silicon Valley companies and a dozen innovation experts \u2013 that\u2019s how Toyota Material Handling (TMH) spent its corporate retreat in 2017. A European subdivision of Toyota Industries and a producer of equipment for logistics, TMH has for many years sent its executives from all over the world to an annual gathering to discuss strategy and the future of the brand.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The three-day executive immersion program we designed for the company was months in the planning so if the executives felt a little overwhelmed at times that meant they were learning, which was exactly the point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not that there was anything atypical about such lengthy preparations. As with all our programs we engaged Toyota in a thorough consultation process in order to zoom in on the major \u201cpain points\u201d of its business. Then we built a schedule to provide introductions to the kind of high-technology solutions Silicon Valley is famous for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This particular trip was for Toyota Material Handling (TMH), a division of the company entirely separate from - though not unrelated to - the Japanese manufacturer\u2019s more well-known carmaking business. Where the latter builds the Priuses, Corollas and Camrys which have become staples of world motoring, the former is concerned with the manufacture and supply of the forklifts and pallet trucks which help get the parts for those vehicles to the production line.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For us at Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) that meant putting together a program with an emphasis on finding novel solutions to the typical problems faced by enterprises in the manufacturing sector, namely, cost and time inefficiencies in areas like warehousing and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Answers, we knew, would come from technologies like internet of things and blockchain. But apart from visiting companies breaking new ground in these areas we also made sure to mix in sessions on corporate innovation at Google, Amazon and Microsoft. After all, getting access to new technology is the relatively easy part. Actually knowing how to get an organization to embrace that technology and get the most out of it is where the real work begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so, with the schedule finalized and the hotel rooms booked, the Toyota Material Handling team touched down in Silicon Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Internet of Things<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The development which today presents the most threats and opportunities to a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling is Internet of Things, or IoT.  We dedicated a large part of the Japanese enterprise\u2019s time in Silicon Valley to meetings with companies currently using the technology in their operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest and most advanced users of IoT anywhere in the world today is contract manufacturer Jabil. Touring its production facilities, the Toyota team saw something they could emulate: sensors and data collectors on everything from pallets to machines and a huge control room to go with them where all the collected information is processed. The practical application of all this technology use was made clear through the huge gains in efficiency it has generated for Jabil throughout the manufacturing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Verizon, meanwhile, the emphasis was placed on a parallel aspect of the IoT revolution with a focus on connectivity and 5G mobile broadband. The communications company opened Toyota\u2019s eyes to the huge realm of possibilities 5G will open for IoT and the changes this could bring in everything from supply chain to smart cities. What\u2019s more, the Toyota execs learned how Verizon stays abreast of the latest technology developments by actively buying up and partnering with a range of startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That knowledge on the startup scene in the IoT space was expanded further with a visit to Wearable World, an IoT accelerator. The CEO laid out the current state of the industry, with an angel investor also giving a presentation detailing for Toyota Material Handling how the company might make the most of IoT\u2019s potential through investment in startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those learnings came to the fore on day three of the program during a startup showcase, when Toyota met several early stage companies. Roambee, which offers real-time location and condition monitoring for shipments, further deepened the forklift manufacturer\u2019s understanding of IoT\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corporate Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};

Search

Latest

\n

In order to stay afloat in the manufacturing business in our fast-paced digital era, companies need to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Digitize the supply-chain with smart drones<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Smart AI-powered drones help companies like Amazon automate warehousing. Sonepar executives admitted that their warehouses rely heavily on manual labor and use of paper. To show how drones can improve inventory control, we took our clients to Squadrone System. Eva Pagneux, the company\u2019s then VP of Strategy & Marketing  demonstrated how Sonepar can cut inventory time to minutes and increase data capture quality with a completely autonomous drone that navigates in alleys, guided by its companion app. She explained how a drone can fly in the evening and scan all the pallets and bars in its warehouse and log the data to a central inventory system. A fully digital, completely automated warehouse is the only way to build a scalable manufacturing business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/lWuLVTgWDTU\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Lower production costs with 3D-Printing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Using 3D-Printing to offset production and delivery costs instead of making products in bulk was another idea that came up during the trip. We paired the team with Hewlett-Packard Labs, an exploratory and advanced research group for HP Inc. HP Labs presented 3D-Printing technology capable of saving millions of dollars each year for a business like Sonepar. Instead of using traditional injection molding technology, Sonepar could use old blueprints to 3D print parts for outdated cars, machines and appliances that are not produced anymore. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3D-printing, or additive manufacturing, is a truly revolutionary technology, which is fast and relatively cheap. It gives engineers more time to be creative and inventive, in comparison with traditional manufacturing methods. 3D printing is a must-have for every manufacturing business on the path of digital transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Partner with innovative startups<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAcquihiring\u201d is becoming a thing of the past, says Climaco-Estardo. Instead of buying out interesting startups, manufacturing businesses need to find reliable partners to work with and embed themselves deeper into the innovation ecosystem. This was a cross-cutting theme of Sonepar\u2019s meetings with VC boutique Naiss, UL Ventures as well as a startup scouting workshop at SVIC. When a corporation acquires a young company, there\u2019s a good chance it will kill off the innovation. Using startups as service providers is a smarter strategy, as it makes it easier to get to the innovative technology without spending too much money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/uZvNmf7WOWk\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Innovation outpost<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a matter of three days, the Sonepar executives were able to get a grasp of what is shaping their industry and find inspiration to transform their business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe found some great startups to work with, that inspired us, challenged us and our thinking\u201d, said Jo Verbeek, President and Chairman at Sonepar, Asia-Pacific Region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a typical example of what we do at Silicon Valley Innovation Center. For most of our clients we are a first \u201cinnovation outpost\u201d. Businesses from around the globe use our services to broaden their innovation horizons and find valuable partners to work with. Here in Silicon Valley we have access to thousands of innovative startups. Let us be your guide in the word of modern companies operating in manufacturing and supply chain management across such technologies as artificial intelligence, robotics and IoT.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Three Ideas On How To Modernize A Legacy Manufacturing Business","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":769,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-04-17 13:58:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-04-17 20:58:00","post_content":"\n

Three days, 16 famous Silicon Valley companies and a dozen innovation experts \u2013 that\u2019s how Toyota Material Handling (TMH) spent its corporate retreat in 2017. A European subdivision of Toyota Industries and a producer of equipment for logistics, TMH has for many years sent its executives from all over the world to an annual gathering to discuss strategy and the future of the brand.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The three-day executive immersion program we designed for the company was months in the planning so if the executives felt a little overwhelmed at times that meant they were learning, which was exactly the point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not that there was anything atypical about such lengthy preparations. As with all our programs we engaged Toyota in a thorough consultation process in order to zoom in on the major \u201cpain points\u201d of its business. Then we built a schedule to provide introductions to the kind of high-technology solutions Silicon Valley is famous for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This particular trip was for Toyota Material Handling (TMH), a division of the company entirely separate from - though not unrelated to - the Japanese manufacturer\u2019s more well-known carmaking business. Where the latter builds the Priuses, Corollas and Camrys which have become staples of world motoring, the former is concerned with the manufacture and supply of the forklifts and pallet trucks which help get the parts for those vehicles to the production line.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For us at Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) that meant putting together a program with an emphasis on finding novel solutions to the typical problems faced by enterprises in the manufacturing sector, namely, cost and time inefficiencies in areas like warehousing and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Answers, we knew, would come from technologies like internet of things and blockchain. But apart from visiting companies breaking new ground in these areas we also made sure to mix in sessions on corporate innovation at Google, Amazon and Microsoft. After all, getting access to new technology is the relatively easy part. Actually knowing how to get an organization to embrace that technology and get the most out of it is where the real work begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so, with the schedule finalized and the hotel rooms booked, the Toyota Material Handling team touched down in Silicon Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Internet of Things<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The development which today presents the most threats and opportunities to a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling is Internet of Things, or IoT.  We dedicated a large part of the Japanese enterprise\u2019s time in Silicon Valley to meetings with companies currently using the technology in their operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest and most advanced users of IoT anywhere in the world today is contract manufacturer Jabil. Touring its production facilities, the Toyota team saw something they could emulate: sensors and data collectors on everything from pallets to machines and a huge control room to go with them where all the collected information is processed. The practical application of all this technology use was made clear through the huge gains in efficiency it has generated for Jabil throughout the manufacturing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Verizon, meanwhile, the emphasis was placed on a parallel aspect of the IoT revolution with a focus on connectivity and 5G mobile broadband. The communications company opened Toyota\u2019s eyes to the huge realm of possibilities 5G will open for IoT and the changes this could bring in everything from supply chain to smart cities. What\u2019s more, the Toyota execs learned how Verizon stays abreast of the latest technology developments by actively buying up and partnering with a range of startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That knowledge on the startup scene in the IoT space was expanded further with a visit to Wearable World, an IoT accelerator. The CEO laid out the current state of the industry, with an angel investor also giving a presentation detailing for Toyota Material Handling how the company might make the most of IoT\u2019s potential through investment in startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those learnings came to the fore on day three of the program during a startup showcase, when Toyota met several early stage companies. Roambee, which offers real-time location and condition monitoring for shipments, further deepened the forklift manufacturer\u2019s understanding of IoT\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corporate Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};

Search

Latest

\n
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In order to stay afloat in the manufacturing business in our fast-paced digital era, companies need to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Digitize the supply-chain with smart drones<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Smart AI-powered drones help companies like Amazon automate warehousing. Sonepar executives admitted that their warehouses rely heavily on manual labor and use of paper. To show how drones can improve inventory control, we took our clients to Squadrone System. Eva Pagneux, the company\u2019s then VP of Strategy & Marketing  demonstrated how Sonepar can cut inventory time to minutes and increase data capture quality with a completely autonomous drone that navigates in alleys, guided by its companion app. She explained how a drone can fly in the evening and scan all the pallets and bars in its warehouse and log the data to a central inventory system. A fully digital, completely automated warehouse is the only way to build a scalable manufacturing business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/lWuLVTgWDTU\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Lower production costs with 3D-Printing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Using 3D-Printing to offset production and delivery costs instead of making products in bulk was another idea that came up during the trip. We paired the team with Hewlett-Packard Labs, an exploratory and advanced research group for HP Inc. HP Labs presented 3D-Printing technology capable of saving millions of dollars each year for a business like Sonepar. Instead of using traditional injection molding technology, Sonepar could use old blueprints to 3D print parts for outdated cars, machines and appliances that are not produced anymore. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3D-printing, or additive manufacturing, is a truly revolutionary technology, which is fast and relatively cheap. It gives engineers more time to be creative and inventive, in comparison with traditional manufacturing methods. 3D printing is a must-have for every manufacturing business on the path of digital transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Partner with innovative startups<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAcquihiring\u201d is becoming a thing of the past, says Climaco-Estardo. Instead of buying out interesting startups, manufacturing businesses need to find reliable partners to work with and embed themselves deeper into the innovation ecosystem. This was a cross-cutting theme of Sonepar\u2019s meetings with VC boutique Naiss, UL Ventures as well as a startup scouting workshop at SVIC. When a corporation acquires a young company, there\u2019s a good chance it will kill off the innovation. Using startups as service providers is a smarter strategy, as it makes it easier to get to the innovative technology without spending too much money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/uZvNmf7WOWk\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Innovation outpost<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a matter of three days, the Sonepar executives were able to get a grasp of what is shaping their industry and find inspiration to transform their business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe found some great startups to work with, that inspired us, challenged us and our thinking\u201d, said Jo Verbeek, President and Chairman at Sonepar, Asia-Pacific Region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a typical example of what we do at Silicon Valley Innovation Center. For most of our clients we are a first \u201cinnovation outpost\u201d. Businesses from around the globe use our services to broaden their innovation horizons and find valuable partners to work with. Here in Silicon Valley we have access to thousands of innovative startups. Let us be your guide in the word of modern companies operating in manufacturing and supply chain management across such technologies as artificial intelligence, robotics and IoT.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Three Ideas On How To Modernize A Legacy Manufacturing Business","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":769,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-04-17 13:58:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-04-17 20:58:00","post_content":"\n

Three days, 16 famous Silicon Valley companies and a dozen innovation experts \u2013 that\u2019s how Toyota Material Handling (TMH) spent its corporate retreat in 2017. A European subdivision of Toyota Industries and a producer of equipment for logistics, TMH has for many years sent its executives from all over the world to an annual gathering to discuss strategy and the future of the brand.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The three-day executive immersion program we designed for the company was months in the planning so if the executives felt a little overwhelmed at times that meant they were learning, which was exactly the point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not that there was anything atypical about such lengthy preparations. As with all our programs we engaged Toyota in a thorough consultation process in order to zoom in on the major \u201cpain points\u201d of its business. Then we built a schedule to provide introductions to the kind of high-technology solutions Silicon Valley is famous for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This particular trip was for Toyota Material Handling (TMH), a division of the company entirely separate from - though not unrelated to - the Japanese manufacturer\u2019s more well-known carmaking business. Where the latter builds the Priuses, Corollas and Camrys which have become staples of world motoring, the former is concerned with the manufacture and supply of the forklifts and pallet trucks which help get the parts for those vehicles to the production line.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For us at Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) that meant putting together a program with an emphasis on finding novel solutions to the typical problems faced by enterprises in the manufacturing sector, namely, cost and time inefficiencies in areas like warehousing and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Answers, we knew, would come from technologies like internet of things and blockchain. But apart from visiting companies breaking new ground in these areas we also made sure to mix in sessions on corporate innovation at Google, Amazon and Microsoft. After all, getting access to new technology is the relatively easy part. Actually knowing how to get an organization to embrace that technology and get the most out of it is where the real work begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so, with the schedule finalized and the hotel rooms booked, the Toyota Material Handling team touched down in Silicon Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Internet of Things<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The development which today presents the most threats and opportunities to a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling is Internet of Things, or IoT.  We dedicated a large part of the Japanese enterprise\u2019s time in Silicon Valley to meetings with companies currently using the technology in their operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest and most advanced users of IoT anywhere in the world today is contract manufacturer Jabil. Touring its production facilities, the Toyota team saw something they could emulate: sensors and data collectors on everything from pallets to machines and a huge control room to go with them where all the collected information is processed. The practical application of all this technology use was made clear through the huge gains in efficiency it has generated for Jabil throughout the manufacturing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Verizon, meanwhile, the emphasis was placed on a parallel aspect of the IoT revolution with a focus on connectivity and 5G mobile broadband. The communications company opened Toyota\u2019s eyes to the huge realm of possibilities 5G will open for IoT and the changes this could bring in everything from supply chain to smart cities. What\u2019s more, the Toyota execs learned how Verizon stays abreast of the latest technology developments by actively buying up and partnering with a range of startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That knowledge on the startup scene in the IoT space was expanded further with a visit to Wearable World, an IoT accelerator. The CEO laid out the current state of the industry, with an angel investor also giving a presentation detailing for Toyota Material Handling how the company might make the most of IoT\u2019s potential through investment in startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those learnings came to the fore on day three of the program during a startup showcase, when Toyota met several early stage companies. Roambee, which offers real-time location and condition monitoring for shipments, further deepened the forklift manufacturer\u2019s understanding of IoT\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corporate Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};

Search

Latest

\n

Companies we visited during a 3-day innovation program included Squadrone System, IngDan, Chariot, HP, SAP, UL Ventures, Jabil and others. At SVIC, our goal was to introduce the Sonepar delegates to the best ideas that could help them modernize their supply-chain and logistics business and equip them with the right tools to compete with e-commerce behemoths like Amazon. Here are some of the key takeaways from the trip as told by SVIC\u2019s director of business development Russel Climaco-Estardo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In order to stay afloat in the manufacturing business in our fast-paced digital era, companies need to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Digitize the supply-chain with smart drones<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Smart AI-powered drones help companies like Amazon automate warehousing. Sonepar executives admitted that their warehouses rely heavily on manual labor and use of paper. To show how drones can improve inventory control, we took our clients to Squadrone System. Eva Pagneux, the company\u2019s then VP of Strategy & Marketing  demonstrated how Sonepar can cut inventory time to minutes and increase data capture quality with a completely autonomous drone that navigates in alleys, guided by its companion app. She explained how a drone can fly in the evening and scan all the pallets and bars in its warehouse and log the data to a central inventory system. A fully digital, completely automated warehouse is the only way to build a scalable manufacturing business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/lWuLVTgWDTU\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Lower production costs with 3D-Printing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Using 3D-Printing to offset production and delivery costs instead of making products in bulk was another idea that came up during the trip. We paired the team with Hewlett-Packard Labs, an exploratory and advanced research group for HP Inc. HP Labs presented 3D-Printing technology capable of saving millions of dollars each year for a business like Sonepar. Instead of using traditional injection molding technology, Sonepar could use old blueprints to 3D print parts for outdated cars, machines and appliances that are not produced anymore. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3D-printing, or additive manufacturing, is a truly revolutionary technology, which is fast and relatively cheap. It gives engineers more time to be creative and inventive, in comparison with traditional manufacturing methods. 3D printing is a must-have for every manufacturing business on the path of digital transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Partner with innovative startups<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAcquihiring\u201d is becoming a thing of the past, says Climaco-Estardo. Instead of buying out interesting startups, manufacturing businesses need to find reliable partners to work with and embed themselves deeper into the innovation ecosystem. This was a cross-cutting theme of Sonepar\u2019s meetings with VC boutique Naiss, UL Ventures as well as a startup scouting workshop at SVIC. When a corporation acquires a young company, there\u2019s a good chance it will kill off the innovation. Using startups as service providers is a smarter strategy, as it makes it easier to get to the innovative technology without spending too much money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/uZvNmf7WOWk\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Innovation outpost<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a matter of three days, the Sonepar executives were able to get a grasp of what is shaping their industry and find inspiration to transform their business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe found some great startups to work with, that inspired us, challenged us and our thinking\u201d, said Jo Verbeek, President and Chairman at Sonepar, Asia-Pacific Region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a typical example of what we do at Silicon Valley Innovation Center. For most of our clients we are a first \u201cinnovation outpost\u201d. Businesses from around the globe use our services to broaden their innovation horizons and find valuable partners to work with. Here in Silicon Valley we have access to thousands of innovative startups. Let us be your guide in the word of modern companies operating in manufacturing and supply chain management across such technologies as artificial intelligence, robotics and IoT.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Three Ideas On How To Modernize A Legacy Manufacturing Business","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":769,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-04-17 13:58:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-04-17 20:58:00","post_content":"\n

Three days, 16 famous Silicon Valley companies and a dozen innovation experts \u2013 that\u2019s how Toyota Material Handling (TMH) spent its corporate retreat in 2017. A European subdivision of Toyota Industries and a producer of equipment for logistics, TMH has for many years sent its executives from all over the world to an annual gathering to discuss strategy and the future of the brand.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The three-day executive immersion program we designed for the company was months in the planning so if the executives felt a little overwhelmed at times that meant they were learning, which was exactly the point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not that there was anything atypical about such lengthy preparations. As with all our programs we engaged Toyota in a thorough consultation process in order to zoom in on the major \u201cpain points\u201d of its business. Then we built a schedule to provide introductions to the kind of high-technology solutions Silicon Valley is famous for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This particular trip was for Toyota Material Handling (TMH), a division of the company entirely separate from - though not unrelated to - the Japanese manufacturer\u2019s more well-known carmaking business. Where the latter builds the Priuses, Corollas and Camrys which have become staples of world motoring, the former is concerned with the manufacture and supply of the forklifts and pallet trucks which help get the parts for those vehicles to the production line.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For us at Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) that meant putting together a program with an emphasis on finding novel solutions to the typical problems faced by enterprises in the manufacturing sector, namely, cost and time inefficiencies in areas like warehousing and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Answers, we knew, would come from technologies like internet of things and blockchain. But apart from visiting companies breaking new ground in these areas we also made sure to mix in sessions on corporate innovation at Google, Amazon and Microsoft. After all, getting access to new technology is the relatively easy part. Actually knowing how to get an organization to embrace that technology and get the most out of it is where the real work begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so, with the schedule finalized and the hotel rooms booked, the Toyota Material Handling team touched down in Silicon Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Internet of Things<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The development which today presents the most threats and opportunities to a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling is Internet of Things, or IoT.  We dedicated a large part of the Japanese enterprise\u2019s time in Silicon Valley to meetings with companies currently using the technology in their operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest and most advanced users of IoT anywhere in the world today is contract manufacturer Jabil. Touring its production facilities, the Toyota team saw something they could emulate: sensors and data collectors on everything from pallets to machines and a huge control room to go with them where all the collected information is processed. The practical application of all this technology use was made clear through the huge gains in efficiency it has generated for Jabil throughout the manufacturing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Verizon, meanwhile, the emphasis was placed on a parallel aspect of the IoT revolution with a focus on connectivity and 5G mobile broadband. The communications company opened Toyota\u2019s eyes to the huge realm of possibilities 5G will open for IoT and the changes this could bring in everything from supply chain to smart cities. What\u2019s more, the Toyota execs learned how Verizon stays abreast of the latest technology developments by actively buying up and partnering with a range of startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That knowledge on the startup scene in the IoT space was expanded further with a visit to Wearable World, an IoT accelerator. The CEO laid out the current state of the industry, with an angel investor also giving a presentation detailing for Toyota Material Handling how the company might make the most of IoT\u2019s potential through investment in startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those learnings came to the fore on day three of the program during a startup showcase, when Toyota met several early stage companies. Roambee, which offers real-time location and condition monitoring for shipments, further deepened the forklift manufacturer\u2019s understanding of IoT\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corporate Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};

Search

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\n

Sonepar is a French manufacturer of electrical parts and products with a history that spans 45 years across 44 countries. If you have an old refrigerator or a vacuum cleaner at home, there\u2019s a good chance that it\u2019s using parts produced by Sonepar. Despite its glorious history, the company is currently struggling with fierce competition from Chinese manufacturers. Sonepar executives from Europe, America and Asia came to Silicon Valley to find solutions to this and their other ongoing challenges, namely growing  production costs combined with digital disruption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Companies we visited during a 3-day innovation program included Squadrone System, IngDan, Chariot, HP, SAP, UL Ventures, Jabil and others. At SVIC, our goal was to introduce the Sonepar delegates to the best ideas that could help them modernize their supply-chain and logistics business and equip them with the right tools to compete with e-commerce behemoths like Amazon. Here are some of the key takeaways from the trip as told by SVIC\u2019s director of business development Russel Climaco-Estardo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In order to stay afloat in the manufacturing business in our fast-paced digital era, companies need to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Digitize the supply-chain with smart drones<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Smart AI-powered drones help companies like Amazon automate warehousing. Sonepar executives admitted that their warehouses rely heavily on manual labor and use of paper. To show how drones can improve inventory control, we took our clients to Squadrone System. Eva Pagneux, the company\u2019s then VP of Strategy & Marketing  demonstrated how Sonepar can cut inventory time to minutes and increase data capture quality with a completely autonomous drone that navigates in alleys, guided by its companion app. She explained how a drone can fly in the evening and scan all the pallets and bars in its warehouse and log the data to a central inventory system. A fully digital, completely automated warehouse is the only way to build a scalable manufacturing business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/lWuLVTgWDTU\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Lower production costs with 3D-Printing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Using 3D-Printing to offset production and delivery costs instead of making products in bulk was another idea that came up during the trip. We paired the team with Hewlett-Packard Labs, an exploratory and advanced research group for HP Inc. HP Labs presented 3D-Printing technology capable of saving millions of dollars each year for a business like Sonepar. Instead of using traditional injection molding technology, Sonepar could use old blueprints to 3D print parts for outdated cars, machines and appliances that are not produced anymore. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3D-printing, or additive manufacturing, is a truly revolutionary technology, which is fast and relatively cheap. It gives engineers more time to be creative and inventive, in comparison with traditional manufacturing methods. 3D printing is a must-have for every manufacturing business on the path of digital transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Partner with innovative startups<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAcquihiring\u201d is becoming a thing of the past, says Climaco-Estardo. Instead of buying out interesting startups, manufacturing businesses need to find reliable partners to work with and embed themselves deeper into the innovation ecosystem. This was a cross-cutting theme of Sonepar\u2019s meetings with VC boutique Naiss, UL Ventures as well as a startup scouting workshop at SVIC. When a corporation acquires a young company, there\u2019s a good chance it will kill off the innovation. Using startups as service providers is a smarter strategy, as it makes it easier to get to the innovative technology without spending too much money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/uZvNmf7WOWk\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Innovation outpost<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a matter of three days, the Sonepar executives were able to get a grasp of what is shaping their industry and find inspiration to transform their business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe found some great startups to work with, that inspired us, challenged us and our thinking\u201d, said Jo Verbeek, President and Chairman at Sonepar, Asia-Pacific Region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a typical example of what we do at Silicon Valley Innovation Center. For most of our clients we are a first \u201cinnovation outpost\u201d. Businesses from around the globe use our services to broaden their innovation horizons and find valuable partners to work with. Here in Silicon Valley we have access to thousands of innovative startups. Let us be your guide in the word of modern companies operating in manufacturing and supply chain management across such technologies as artificial intelligence, robotics and IoT.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Three Ideas On How To Modernize A Legacy Manufacturing Business","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":769,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-04-17 13:58:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-04-17 20:58:00","post_content":"\n

Three days, 16 famous Silicon Valley companies and a dozen innovation experts \u2013 that\u2019s how Toyota Material Handling (TMH) spent its corporate retreat in 2017. A European subdivision of Toyota Industries and a producer of equipment for logistics, TMH has for many years sent its executives from all over the world to an annual gathering to discuss strategy and the future of the brand.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The three-day executive immersion program we designed for the company was months in the planning so if the executives felt a little overwhelmed at times that meant they were learning, which was exactly the point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not that there was anything atypical about such lengthy preparations. As with all our programs we engaged Toyota in a thorough consultation process in order to zoom in on the major \u201cpain points\u201d of its business. Then we built a schedule to provide introductions to the kind of high-technology solutions Silicon Valley is famous for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This particular trip was for Toyota Material Handling (TMH), a division of the company entirely separate from - though not unrelated to - the Japanese manufacturer\u2019s more well-known carmaking business. Where the latter builds the Priuses, Corollas and Camrys which have become staples of world motoring, the former is concerned with the manufacture and supply of the forklifts and pallet trucks which help get the parts for those vehicles to the production line.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For us at Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) that meant putting together a program with an emphasis on finding novel solutions to the typical problems faced by enterprises in the manufacturing sector, namely, cost and time inefficiencies in areas like warehousing and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Answers, we knew, would come from technologies like internet of things and blockchain. But apart from visiting companies breaking new ground in these areas we also made sure to mix in sessions on corporate innovation at Google, Amazon and Microsoft. After all, getting access to new technology is the relatively easy part. Actually knowing how to get an organization to embrace that technology and get the most out of it is where the real work begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so, with the schedule finalized and the hotel rooms booked, the Toyota Material Handling team touched down in Silicon Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Internet of Things<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The development which today presents the most threats and opportunities to a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling is Internet of Things, or IoT.  We dedicated a large part of the Japanese enterprise\u2019s time in Silicon Valley to meetings with companies currently using the technology in their operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest and most advanced users of IoT anywhere in the world today is contract manufacturer Jabil. Touring its production facilities, the Toyota team saw something they could emulate: sensors and data collectors on everything from pallets to machines and a huge control room to go with them where all the collected information is processed. The practical application of all this technology use was made clear through the huge gains in efficiency it has generated for Jabil throughout the manufacturing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Verizon, meanwhile, the emphasis was placed on a parallel aspect of the IoT revolution with a focus on connectivity and 5G mobile broadband. The communications company opened Toyota\u2019s eyes to the huge realm of possibilities 5G will open for IoT and the changes this could bring in everything from supply chain to smart cities. What\u2019s more, the Toyota execs learned how Verizon stays abreast of the latest technology developments by actively buying up and partnering with a range of startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That knowledge on the startup scene in the IoT space was expanded further with a visit to Wearable World, an IoT accelerator. The CEO laid out the current state of the industry, with an angel investor also giving a presentation detailing for Toyota Material Handling how the company might make the most of IoT\u2019s potential through investment in startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those learnings came to the fore on day three of the program during a startup showcase, when Toyota met several early stage companies. Roambee, which offers real-time location and condition monitoring for shipments, further deepened the forklift manufacturer\u2019s understanding of IoT\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corporate Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};

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Transforming a large manufacturing business is impossible without deploying an array of automation and logistics innovations, such as robotics and artificial intelligence. It is also unimaginable without startup scouting, a practice of partnering with young and fast-moving companies to make innovation happen faster. All these things were on a checklist for a group of Sonepar executives who visited Silicon Valley Innovation Center in September 2017.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sonepar is a French manufacturer of electrical parts and products with a history that spans 45 years across 44 countries. If you have an old refrigerator or a vacuum cleaner at home, there\u2019s a good chance that it\u2019s using parts produced by Sonepar. Despite its glorious history, the company is currently struggling with fierce competition from Chinese manufacturers. Sonepar executives from Europe, America and Asia came to Silicon Valley to find solutions to this and their other ongoing challenges, namely growing  production costs combined with digital disruption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Companies we visited during a 3-day innovation program included Squadrone System, IngDan, Chariot, HP, SAP, UL Ventures, Jabil and others. At SVIC, our goal was to introduce the Sonepar delegates to the best ideas that could help them modernize their supply-chain and logistics business and equip them with the right tools to compete with e-commerce behemoths like Amazon. Here are some of the key takeaways from the trip as told by SVIC\u2019s director of business development Russel Climaco-Estardo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In order to stay afloat in the manufacturing business in our fast-paced digital era, companies need to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Digitize the supply-chain with smart drones<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Smart AI-powered drones help companies like Amazon automate warehousing. Sonepar executives admitted that their warehouses rely heavily on manual labor and use of paper. To show how drones can improve inventory control, we took our clients to Squadrone System. Eva Pagneux, the company\u2019s then VP of Strategy & Marketing  demonstrated how Sonepar can cut inventory time to minutes and increase data capture quality with a completely autonomous drone that navigates in alleys, guided by its companion app. She explained how a drone can fly in the evening and scan all the pallets and bars in its warehouse and log the data to a central inventory system. A fully digital, completely automated warehouse is the only way to build a scalable manufacturing business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/lWuLVTgWDTU\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Lower production costs with 3D-Printing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Using 3D-Printing to offset production and delivery costs instead of making products in bulk was another idea that came up during the trip. We paired the team with Hewlett-Packard Labs, an exploratory and advanced research group for HP Inc. HP Labs presented 3D-Printing technology capable of saving millions of dollars each year for a business like Sonepar. Instead of using traditional injection molding technology, Sonepar could use old blueprints to 3D print parts for outdated cars, machines and appliances that are not produced anymore. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3D-printing, or additive manufacturing, is a truly revolutionary technology, which is fast and relatively cheap. It gives engineers more time to be creative and inventive, in comparison with traditional manufacturing methods. 3D printing is a must-have for every manufacturing business on the path of digital transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Partner with innovative startups<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAcquihiring\u201d is becoming a thing of the past, says Climaco-Estardo. Instead of buying out interesting startups, manufacturing businesses need to find reliable partners to work with and embed themselves deeper into the innovation ecosystem. This was a cross-cutting theme of Sonepar\u2019s meetings with VC boutique Naiss, UL Ventures as well as a startup scouting workshop at SVIC. When a corporation acquires a young company, there\u2019s a good chance it will kill off the innovation. Using startups as service providers is a smarter strategy, as it makes it easier to get to the innovative technology without spending too much money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/uZvNmf7WOWk\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Innovation outpost<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a matter of three days, the Sonepar executives were able to get a grasp of what is shaping their industry and find inspiration to transform their business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe found some great startups to work with, that inspired us, challenged us and our thinking\u201d, said Jo Verbeek, President and Chairman at Sonepar, Asia-Pacific Region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a typical example of what we do at Silicon Valley Innovation Center. For most of our clients we are a first \u201cinnovation outpost\u201d. Businesses from around the globe use our services to broaden their innovation horizons and find valuable partners to work with. Here in Silicon Valley we have access to thousands of innovative startups. Let us be your guide in the word of modern companies operating in manufacturing and supply chain management across such technologies as artificial intelligence, robotics and IoT.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Three Ideas On How To Modernize A Legacy Manufacturing Business","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":769,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-04-17 13:58:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-04-17 20:58:00","post_content":"\n

Three days, 16 famous Silicon Valley companies and a dozen innovation experts \u2013 that\u2019s how Toyota Material Handling (TMH) spent its corporate retreat in 2017. A European subdivision of Toyota Industries and a producer of equipment for logistics, TMH has for many years sent its executives from all over the world to an annual gathering to discuss strategy and the future of the brand.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The three-day executive immersion program we designed for the company was months in the planning so if the executives felt a little overwhelmed at times that meant they were learning, which was exactly the point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not that there was anything atypical about such lengthy preparations. As with all our programs we engaged Toyota in a thorough consultation process in order to zoom in on the major \u201cpain points\u201d of its business. Then we built a schedule to provide introductions to the kind of high-technology solutions Silicon Valley is famous for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This particular trip was for Toyota Material Handling (TMH), a division of the company entirely separate from - though not unrelated to - the Japanese manufacturer\u2019s more well-known carmaking business. Where the latter builds the Priuses, Corollas and Camrys which have become staples of world motoring, the former is concerned with the manufacture and supply of the forklifts and pallet trucks which help get the parts for those vehicles to the production line.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For us at Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) that meant putting together a program with an emphasis on finding novel solutions to the typical problems faced by enterprises in the manufacturing sector, namely, cost and time inefficiencies in areas like warehousing and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Answers, we knew, would come from technologies like internet of things and blockchain. But apart from visiting companies breaking new ground in these areas we also made sure to mix in sessions on corporate innovation at Google, Amazon and Microsoft. After all, getting access to new technology is the relatively easy part. Actually knowing how to get an organization to embrace that technology and get the most out of it is where the real work begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so, with the schedule finalized and the hotel rooms booked, the Toyota Material Handling team touched down in Silicon Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Internet of Things<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The development which today presents the most threats and opportunities to a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling is Internet of Things, or IoT.  We dedicated a large part of the Japanese enterprise\u2019s time in Silicon Valley to meetings with companies currently using the technology in their operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest and most advanced users of IoT anywhere in the world today is contract manufacturer Jabil. Touring its production facilities, the Toyota team saw something they could emulate: sensors and data collectors on everything from pallets to machines and a huge control room to go with them where all the collected information is processed. The practical application of all this technology use was made clear through the huge gains in efficiency it has generated for Jabil throughout the manufacturing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Verizon, meanwhile, the emphasis was placed on a parallel aspect of the IoT revolution with a focus on connectivity and 5G mobile broadband. The communications company opened Toyota\u2019s eyes to the huge realm of possibilities 5G will open for IoT and the changes this could bring in everything from supply chain to smart cities. What\u2019s more, the Toyota execs learned how Verizon stays abreast of the latest technology developments by actively buying up and partnering with a range of startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That knowledge on the startup scene in the IoT space was expanded further with a visit to Wearable World, an IoT accelerator. The CEO laid out the current state of the industry, with an angel investor also giving a presentation detailing for Toyota Material Handling how the company might make the most of IoT\u2019s potential through investment in startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those learnings came to the fore on day three of the program during a startup showcase, when Toyota met several early stage companies. Roambee, which offers real-time location and condition monitoring for shipments, further deepened the forklift manufacturer\u2019s understanding of IoT\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corporate Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};

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Latest

\n

The Silicon Valley Innovation Center Manufacturing Industry immersion program<\/a> is designed as a highly-customized executive program tailored to the needs of your group of 10 people or more. The week-long manufacturing immersion program offers high-impact, learning experiences that explore in depth the emerging trends and the impact of disruptive technologies in the manufacturing industry.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Top Startups in Robotics for Manufacturing","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"top-startups-in-robotics-for-manufacturing","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-03-02 08:03:01","post_modified_gmt":"2020-03-02 16:03:01","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/top-startups-in-robotics-for-manufacturing\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":746,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-05-04 19:54:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-05-05 02:54:00","post_content":"\n

Transforming a large manufacturing business is impossible without deploying an array of automation and logistics innovations, such as robotics and artificial intelligence. It is also unimaginable without startup scouting, a practice of partnering with young and fast-moving companies to make innovation happen faster. All these things were on a checklist for a group of Sonepar executives who visited Silicon Valley Innovation Center in September 2017.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sonepar is a French manufacturer of electrical parts and products with a history that spans 45 years across 44 countries. If you have an old refrigerator or a vacuum cleaner at home, there\u2019s a good chance that it\u2019s using parts produced by Sonepar. Despite its glorious history, the company is currently struggling with fierce competition from Chinese manufacturers. Sonepar executives from Europe, America and Asia came to Silicon Valley to find solutions to this and their other ongoing challenges, namely growing  production costs combined with digital disruption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Companies we visited during a 3-day innovation program included Squadrone System, IngDan, Chariot, HP, SAP, UL Ventures, Jabil and others. At SVIC, our goal was to introduce the Sonepar delegates to the best ideas that could help them modernize their supply-chain and logistics business and equip them with the right tools to compete with e-commerce behemoths like Amazon. Here are some of the key takeaways from the trip as told by SVIC\u2019s director of business development Russel Climaco-Estardo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In order to stay afloat in the manufacturing business in our fast-paced digital era, companies need to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Digitize the supply-chain with smart drones<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Smart AI-powered drones help companies like Amazon automate warehousing. Sonepar executives admitted that their warehouses rely heavily on manual labor and use of paper. To show how drones can improve inventory control, we took our clients to Squadrone System. Eva Pagneux, the company\u2019s then VP of Strategy & Marketing  demonstrated how Sonepar can cut inventory time to minutes and increase data capture quality with a completely autonomous drone that navigates in alleys, guided by its companion app. She explained how a drone can fly in the evening and scan all the pallets and bars in its warehouse and log the data to a central inventory system. A fully digital, completely automated warehouse is the only way to build a scalable manufacturing business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/lWuLVTgWDTU\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Lower production costs with 3D-Printing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Using 3D-Printing to offset production and delivery costs instead of making products in bulk was another idea that came up during the trip. We paired the team with Hewlett-Packard Labs, an exploratory and advanced research group for HP Inc. HP Labs presented 3D-Printing technology capable of saving millions of dollars each year for a business like Sonepar. Instead of using traditional injection molding technology, Sonepar could use old blueprints to 3D print parts for outdated cars, machines and appliances that are not produced anymore. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3D-printing, or additive manufacturing, is a truly revolutionary technology, which is fast and relatively cheap. It gives engineers more time to be creative and inventive, in comparison with traditional manufacturing methods. 3D printing is a must-have for every manufacturing business on the path of digital transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Partner with innovative startups<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAcquihiring\u201d is becoming a thing of the past, says Climaco-Estardo. Instead of buying out interesting startups, manufacturing businesses need to find reliable partners to work with and embed themselves deeper into the innovation ecosystem. This was a cross-cutting theme of Sonepar\u2019s meetings with VC boutique Naiss, UL Ventures as well as a startup scouting workshop at SVIC. When a corporation acquires a young company, there\u2019s a good chance it will kill off the innovation. Using startups as service providers is a smarter strategy, as it makes it easier to get to the innovative technology without spending too much money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/uZvNmf7WOWk\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Innovation outpost<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a matter of three days, the Sonepar executives were able to get a grasp of what is shaping their industry and find inspiration to transform their business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe found some great startups to work with, that inspired us, challenged us and our thinking\u201d, said Jo Verbeek, President and Chairman at Sonepar, Asia-Pacific Region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a typical example of what we do at Silicon Valley Innovation Center. For most of our clients we are a first \u201cinnovation outpost\u201d. Businesses from around the globe use our services to broaden their innovation horizons and find valuable partners to work with. Here in Silicon Valley we have access to thousands of innovative startups. Let us be your guide in the word of modern companies operating in manufacturing and supply chain management across such technologies as artificial intelligence, robotics and IoT.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Three Ideas On How To Modernize A Legacy Manufacturing Business","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":769,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-04-17 13:58:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-04-17 20:58:00","post_content":"\n

Three days, 16 famous Silicon Valley companies and a dozen innovation experts \u2013 that\u2019s how Toyota Material Handling (TMH) spent its corporate retreat in 2017. A European subdivision of Toyota Industries and a producer of equipment for logistics, TMH has for many years sent its executives from all over the world to an annual gathering to discuss strategy and the future of the brand.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The three-day executive immersion program we designed for the company was months in the planning so if the executives felt a little overwhelmed at times that meant they were learning, which was exactly the point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not that there was anything atypical about such lengthy preparations. As with all our programs we engaged Toyota in a thorough consultation process in order to zoom in on the major \u201cpain points\u201d of its business. Then we built a schedule to provide introductions to the kind of high-technology solutions Silicon Valley is famous for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This particular trip was for Toyota Material Handling (TMH), a division of the company entirely separate from - though not unrelated to - the Japanese manufacturer\u2019s more well-known carmaking business. Where the latter builds the Priuses, Corollas and Camrys which have become staples of world motoring, the former is concerned with the manufacture and supply of the forklifts and pallet trucks which help get the parts for those vehicles to the production line.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For us at Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) that meant putting together a program with an emphasis on finding novel solutions to the typical problems faced by enterprises in the manufacturing sector, namely, cost and time inefficiencies in areas like warehousing and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Answers, we knew, would come from technologies like internet of things and blockchain. But apart from visiting companies breaking new ground in these areas we also made sure to mix in sessions on corporate innovation at Google, Amazon and Microsoft. After all, getting access to new technology is the relatively easy part. Actually knowing how to get an organization to embrace that technology and get the most out of it is where the real work begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so, with the schedule finalized and the hotel rooms booked, the Toyota Material Handling team touched down in Silicon Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Internet of Things<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The development which today presents the most threats and opportunities to a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling is Internet of Things, or IoT.  We dedicated a large part of the Japanese enterprise\u2019s time in Silicon Valley to meetings with companies currently using the technology in their operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest and most advanced users of IoT anywhere in the world today is contract manufacturer Jabil. Touring its production facilities, the Toyota team saw something they could emulate: sensors and data collectors on everything from pallets to machines and a huge control room to go with them where all the collected information is processed. The practical application of all this technology use was made clear through the huge gains in efficiency it has generated for Jabil throughout the manufacturing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Verizon, meanwhile, the emphasis was placed on a parallel aspect of the IoT revolution with a focus on connectivity and 5G mobile broadband. The communications company opened Toyota\u2019s eyes to the huge realm of possibilities 5G will open for IoT and the changes this could bring in everything from supply chain to smart cities. What\u2019s more, the Toyota execs learned how Verizon stays abreast of the latest technology developments by actively buying up and partnering with a range of startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That knowledge on the startup scene in the IoT space was expanded further with a visit to Wearable World, an IoT accelerator. The CEO laid out the current state of the industry, with an angel investor also giving a presentation detailing for Toyota Material Handling how the company might make the most of IoT\u2019s potential through investment in startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those learnings came to the fore on day three of the program during a startup showcase, when Toyota met several early stage companies. Roambee, which offers real-time location and condition monitoring for shipments, further deepened the forklift manufacturer\u2019s understanding of IoT\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corporate Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};

Search

Latest

\n

Silicon Valley Manufacturing Industry Immersion Program<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Silicon Valley Innovation Center Manufacturing Industry immersion program<\/a> is designed as a highly-customized executive program tailored to the needs of your group of 10 people or more. The week-long manufacturing immersion program offers high-impact, learning experiences that explore in depth the emerging trends and the impact of disruptive technologies in the manufacturing industry.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Top Startups in Robotics for Manufacturing","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"top-startups-in-robotics-for-manufacturing","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-03-02 08:03:01","post_modified_gmt":"2020-03-02 16:03:01","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/top-startups-in-robotics-for-manufacturing\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":746,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-05-04 19:54:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-05-05 02:54:00","post_content":"\n

Transforming a large manufacturing business is impossible without deploying an array of automation and logistics innovations, such as robotics and artificial intelligence. It is also unimaginable without startup scouting, a practice of partnering with young and fast-moving companies to make innovation happen faster. All these things were on a checklist for a group of Sonepar executives who visited Silicon Valley Innovation Center in September 2017.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sonepar is a French manufacturer of electrical parts and products with a history that spans 45 years across 44 countries. If you have an old refrigerator or a vacuum cleaner at home, there\u2019s a good chance that it\u2019s using parts produced by Sonepar. Despite its glorious history, the company is currently struggling with fierce competition from Chinese manufacturers. Sonepar executives from Europe, America and Asia came to Silicon Valley to find solutions to this and their other ongoing challenges, namely growing  production costs combined with digital disruption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Companies we visited during a 3-day innovation program included Squadrone System, IngDan, Chariot, HP, SAP, UL Ventures, Jabil and others. At SVIC, our goal was to introduce the Sonepar delegates to the best ideas that could help them modernize their supply-chain and logistics business and equip them with the right tools to compete with e-commerce behemoths like Amazon. Here are some of the key takeaways from the trip as told by SVIC\u2019s director of business development Russel Climaco-Estardo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In order to stay afloat in the manufacturing business in our fast-paced digital era, companies need to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Digitize the supply-chain with smart drones<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Smart AI-powered drones help companies like Amazon automate warehousing. Sonepar executives admitted that their warehouses rely heavily on manual labor and use of paper. To show how drones can improve inventory control, we took our clients to Squadrone System. Eva Pagneux, the company\u2019s then VP of Strategy & Marketing  demonstrated how Sonepar can cut inventory time to minutes and increase data capture quality with a completely autonomous drone that navigates in alleys, guided by its companion app. She explained how a drone can fly in the evening and scan all the pallets and bars in its warehouse and log the data to a central inventory system. A fully digital, completely automated warehouse is the only way to build a scalable manufacturing business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/lWuLVTgWDTU\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Lower production costs with 3D-Printing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Using 3D-Printing to offset production and delivery costs instead of making products in bulk was another idea that came up during the trip. We paired the team with Hewlett-Packard Labs, an exploratory and advanced research group for HP Inc. HP Labs presented 3D-Printing technology capable of saving millions of dollars each year for a business like Sonepar. Instead of using traditional injection molding technology, Sonepar could use old blueprints to 3D print parts for outdated cars, machines and appliances that are not produced anymore. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3D-printing, or additive manufacturing, is a truly revolutionary technology, which is fast and relatively cheap. It gives engineers more time to be creative and inventive, in comparison with traditional manufacturing methods. 3D printing is a must-have for every manufacturing business on the path of digital transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Partner with innovative startups<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAcquihiring\u201d is becoming a thing of the past, says Climaco-Estardo. Instead of buying out interesting startups, manufacturing businesses need to find reliable partners to work with and embed themselves deeper into the innovation ecosystem. This was a cross-cutting theme of Sonepar\u2019s meetings with VC boutique Naiss, UL Ventures as well as a startup scouting workshop at SVIC. When a corporation acquires a young company, there\u2019s a good chance it will kill off the innovation. Using startups as service providers is a smarter strategy, as it makes it easier to get to the innovative technology without spending too much money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/uZvNmf7WOWk\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Innovation outpost<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a matter of three days, the Sonepar executives were able to get a grasp of what is shaping their industry and find inspiration to transform their business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe found some great startups to work with, that inspired us, challenged us and our thinking\u201d, said Jo Verbeek, President and Chairman at Sonepar, Asia-Pacific Region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a typical example of what we do at Silicon Valley Innovation Center. For most of our clients we are a first \u201cinnovation outpost\u201d. Businesses from around the globe use our services to broaden their innovation horizons and find valuable partners to work with. Here in Silicon Valley we have access to thousands of innovative startups. Let us be your guide in the word of modern companies operating in manufacturing and supply chain management across such technologies as artificial intelligence, robotics and IoT.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Three Ideas On How To Modernize A Legacy Manufacturing Business","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":769,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-04-17 13:58:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-04-17 20:58:00","post_content":"\n

Three days, 16 famous Silicon Valley companies and a dozen innovation experts \u2013 that\u2019s how Toyota Material Handling (TMH) spent its corporate retreat in 2017. A European subdivision of Toyota Industries and a producer of equipment for logistics, TMH has for many years sent its executives from all over the world to an annual gathering to discuss strategy and the future of the brand.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The three-day executive immersion program we designed for the company was months in the planning so if the executives felt a little overwhelmed at times that meant they were learning, which was exactly the point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not that there was anything atypical about such lengthy preparations. As with all our programs we engaged Toyota in a thorough consultation process in order to zoom in on the major \u201cpain points\u201d of its business. Then we built a schedule to provide introductions to the kind of high-technology solutions Silicon Valley is famous for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This particular trip was for Toyota Material Handling (TMH), a division of the company entirely separate from - though not unrelated to - the Japanese manufacturer\u2019s more well-known carmaking business. Where the latter builds the Priuses, Corollas and Camrys which have become staples of world motoring, the former is concerned with the manufacture and supply of the forklifts and pallet trucks which help get the parts for those vehicles to the production line.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For us at Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) that meant putting together a program with an emphasis on finding novel solutions to the typical problems faced by enterprises in the manufacturing sector, namely, cost and time inefficiencies in areas like warehousing and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Answers, we knew, would come from technologies like internet of things and blockchain. But apart from visiting companies breaking new ground in these areas we also made sure to mix in sessions on corporate innovation at Google, Amazon and Microsoft. After all, getting access to new technology is the relatively easy part. Actually knowing how to get an organization to embrace that technology and get the most out of it is where the real work begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so, with the schedule finalized and the hotel rooms booked, the Toyota Material Handling team touched down in Silicon Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Internet of Things<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The development which today presents the most threats and opportunities to a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling is Internet of Things, or IoT.  We dedicated a large part of the Japanese enterprise\u2019s time in Silicon Valley to meetings with companies currently using the technology in their operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest and most advanced users of IoT anywhere in the world today is contract manufacturer Jabil. Touring its production facilities, the Toyota team saw something they could emulate: sensors and data collectors on everything from pallets to machines and a huge control room to go with them where all the collected information is processed. The practical application of all this technology use was made clear through the huge gains in efficiency it has generated for Jabil throughout the manufacturing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Verizon, meanwhile, the emphasis was placed on a parallel aspect of the IoT revolution with a focus on connectivity and 5G mobile broadband. The communications company opened Toyota\u2019s eyes to the huge realm of possibilities 5G will open for IoT and the changes this could bring in everything from supply chain to smart cities. What\u2019s more, the Toyota execs learned how Verizon stays abreast of the latest technology developments by actively buying up and partnering with a range of startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That knowledge on the startup scene in the IoT space was expanded further with a visit to Wearable World, an IoT accelerator. The CEO laid out the current state of the industry, with an angel investor also giving a presentation detailing for Toyota Material Handling how the company might make the most of IoT\u2019s potential through investment in startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those learnings came to the fore on day three of the program during a startup showcase, when Toyota met several early stage companies. Roambee, which offers real-time location and condition monitoring for shipments, further deepened the forklift manufacturer\u2019s understanding of IoT\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corporate Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};

Search

Latest

\n
\n\n\n\n

Silicon Valley Manufacturing Industry Immersion Program<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Silicon Valley Innovation Center Manufacturing Industry immersion program<\/a> is designed as a highly-customized executive program tailored to the needs of your group of 10 people or more. The week-long manufacturing immersion program offers high-impact, learning experiences that explore in depth the emerging trends and the impact of disruptive technologies in the manufacturing industry.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Top Startups in Robotics for Manufacturing","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"top-startups-in-robotics-for-manufacturing","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-03-02 08:03:01","post_modified_gmt":"2020-03-02 16:03:01","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/top-startups-in-robotics-for-manufacturing\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":746,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-05-04 19:54:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-05-05 02:54:00","post_content":"\n

Transforming a large manufacturing business is impossible without deploying an array of automation and logistics innovations, such as robotics and artificial intelligence. It is also unimaginable without startup scouting, a practice of partnering with young and fast-moving companies to make innovation happen faster. All these things were on a checklist for a group of Sonepar executives who visited Silicon Valley Innovation Center in September 2017.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sonepar is a French manufacturer of electrical parts and products with a history that spans 45 years across 44 countries. If you have an old refrigerator or a vacuum cleaner at home, there\u2019s a good chance that it\u2019s using parts produced by Sonepar. Despite its glorious history, the company is currently struggling with fierce competition from Chinese manufacturers. Sonepar executives from Europe, America and Asia came to Silicon Valley to find solutions to this and their other ongoing challenges, namely growing  production costs combined with digital disruption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Companies we visited during a 3-day innovation program included Squadrone System, IngDan, Chariot, HP, SAP, UL Ventures, Jabil and others. At SVIC, our goal was to introduce the Sonepar delegates to the best ideas that could help them modernize their supply-chain and logistics business and equip them with the right tools to compete with e-commerce behemoths like Amazon. Here are some of the key takeaways from the trip as told by SVIC\u2019s director of business development Russel Climaco-Estardo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In order to stay afloat in the manufacturing business in our fast-paced digital era, companies need to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Digitize the supply-chain with smart drones<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Smart AI-powered drones help companies like Amazon automate warehousing. Sonepar executives admitted that their warehouses rely heavily on manual labor and use of paper. To show how drones can improve inventory control, we took our clients to Squadrone System. Eva Pagneux, the company\u2019s then VP of Strategy & Marketing  demonstrated how Sonepar can cut inventory time to minutes and increase data capture quality with a completely autonomous drone that navigates in alleys, guided by its companion app. She explained how a drone can fly in the evening and scan all the pallets and bars in its warehouse and log the data to a central inventory system. A fully digital, completely automated warehouse is the only way to build a scalable manufacturing business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/lWuLVTgWDTU\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Lower production costs with 3D-Printing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Using 3D-Printing to offset production and delivery costs instead of making products in bulk was another idea that came up during the trip. We paired the team with Hewlett-Packard Labs, an exploratory and advanced research group for HP Inc. HP Labs presented 3D-Printing technology capable of saving millions of dollars each year for a business like Sonepar. Instead of using traditional injection molding technology, Sonepar could use old blueprints to 3D print parts for outdated cars, machines and appliances that are not produced anymore. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3D-printing, or additive manufacturing, is a truly revolutionary technology, which is fast and relatively cheap. It gives engineers more time to be creative and inventive, in comparison with traditional manufacturing methods. 3D printing is a must-have for every manufacturing business on the path of digital transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Partner with innovative startups<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAcquihiring\u201d is becoming a thing of the past, says Climaco-Estardo. Instead of buying out interesting startups, manufacturing businesses need to find reliable partners to work with and embed themselves deeper into the innovation ecosystem. This was a cross-cutting theme of Sonepar\u2019s meetings with VC boutique Naiss, UL Ventures as well as a startup scouting workshop at SVIC. When a corporation acquires a young company, there\u2019s a good chance it will kill off the innovation. Using startups as service providers is a smarter strategy, as it makes it easier to get to the innovative technology without spending too much money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/uZvNmf7WOWk\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Innovation outpost<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a matter of three days, the Sonepar executives were able to get a grasp of what is shaping their industry and find inspiration to transform their business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe found some great startups to work with, that inspired us, challenged us and our thinking\u201d, said Jo Verbeek, President and Chairman at Sonepar, Asia-Pacific Region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a typical example of what we do at Silicon Valley Innovation Center. For most of our clients we are a first \u201cinnovation outpost\u201d. Businesses from around the globe use our services to broaden their innovation horizons and find valuable partners to work with. Here in Silicon Valley we have access to thousands of innovative startups. Let us be your guide in the word of modern companies operating in manufacturing and supply chain management across such technologies as artificial intelligence, robotics and IoT.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Three Ideas On How To Modernize A Legacy Manufacturing Business","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":769,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-04-17 13:58:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-04-17 20:58:00","post_content":"\n

Three days, 16 famous Silicon Valley companies and a dozen innovation experts \u2013 that\u2019s how Toyota Material Handling (TMH) spent its corporate retreat in 2017. A European subdivision of Toyota Industries and a producer of equipment for logistics, TMH has for many years sent its executives from all over the world to an annual gathering to discuss strategy and the future of the brand.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The three-day executive immersion program we designed for the company was months in the planning so if the executives felt a little overwhelmed at times that meant they were learning, which was exactly the point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not that there was anything atypical about such lengthy preparations. As with all our programs we engaged Toyota in a thorough consultation process in order to zoom in on the major \u201cpain points\u201d of its business. Then we built a schedule to provide introductions to the kind of high-technology solutions Silicon Valley is famous for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This particular trip was for Toyota Material Handling (TMH), a division of the company entirely separate from - though not unrelated to - the Japanese manufacturer\u2019s more well-known carmaking business. Where the latter builds the Priuses, Corollas and Camrys which have become staples of world motoring, the former is concerned with the manufacture and supply of the forklifts and pallet trucks which help get the parts for those vehicles to the production line.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For us at Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) that meant putting together a program with an emphasis on finding novel solutions to the typical problems faced by enterprises in the manufacturing sector, namely, cost and time inefficiencies in areas like warehousing and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Answers, we knew, would come from technologies like internet of things and blockchain. But apart from visiting companies breaking new ground in these areas we also made sure to mix in sessions on corporate innovation at Google, Amazon and Microsoft. After all, getting access to new technology is the relatively easy part. Actually knowing how to get an organization to embrace that technology and get the most out of it is where the real work begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so, with the schedule finalized and the hotel rooms booked, the Toyota Material Handling team touched down in Silicon Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Internet of Things<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The development which today presents the most threats and opportunities to a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling is Internet of Things, or IoT.  We dedicated a large part of the Japanese enterprise\u2019s time in Silicon Valley to meetings with companies currently using the technology in their operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest and most advanced users of IoT anywhere in the world today is contract manufacturer Jabil. Touring its production facilities, the Toyota team saw something they could emulate: sensors and data collectors on everything from pallets to machines and a huge control room to go with them where all the collected information is processed. The practical application of all this technology use was made clear through the huge gains in efficiency it has generated for Jabil throughout the manufacturing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Verizon, meanwhile, the emphasis was placed on a parallel aspect of the IoT revolution with a focus on connectivity and 5G mobile broadband. The communications company opened Toyota\u2019s eyes to the huge realm of possibilities 5G will open for IoT and the changes this could bring in everything from supply chain to smart cities. What\u2019s more, the Toyota execs learned how Verizon stays abreast of the latest technology developments by actively buying up and partnering with a range of startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That knowledge on the startup scene in the IoT space was expanded further with a visit to Wearable World, an IoT accelerator. The CEO laid out the current state of the industry, with an angel investor also giving a presentation detailing for Toyota Material Handling how the company might make the most of IoT\u2019s potential through investment in startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those learnings came to the fore on day three of the program during a startup showcase, when Toyota met several early stage companies. Roambee, which offers real-time location and condition monitoring for shipments, further deepened the forklift manufacturer\u2019s understanding of IoT\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corporate Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};

Search

Latest

\n

As the startups in this list and others continue to pioneer the future of manufacturing, the lesson to those in the manufacturing sector is clear \u2013 learn and follow fast and be ready to embrace the robotic future of manufacturing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


\n\n\n\n

Silicon Valley Manufacturing Industry Immersion Program<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Silicon Valley Innovation Center Manufacturing Industry immersion program<\/a> is designed as a highly-customized executive program tailored to the needs of your group of 10 people or more. The week-long manufacturing immersion program offers high-impact, learning experiences that explore in depth the emerging trends and the impact of disruptive technologies in the manufacturing industry.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Top Startups in Robotics for Manufacturing","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"top-startups-in-robotics-for-manufacturing","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-03-02 08:03:01","post_modified_gmt":"2020-03-02 16:03:01","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/top-startups-in-robotics-for-manufacturing\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":746,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-05-04 19:54:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-05-05 02:54:00","post_content":"\n

Transforming a large manufacturing business is impossible without deploying an array of automation and logistics innovations, such as robotics and artificial intelligence. It is also unimaginable without startup scouting, a practice of partnering with young and fast-moving companies to make innovation happen faster. All these things were on a checklist for a group of Sonepar executives who visited Silicon Valley Innovation Center in September 2017.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sonepar is a French manufacturer of electrical parts and products with a history that spans 45 years across 44 countries. If you have an old refrigerator or a vacuum cleaner at home, there\u2019s a good chance that it\u2019s using parts produced by Sonepar. Despite its glorious history, the company is currently struggling with fierce competition from Chinese manufacturers. Sonepar executives from Europe, America and Asia came to Silicon Valley to find solutions to this and their other ongoing challenges, namely growing  production costs combined with digital disruption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Companies we visited during a 3-day innovation program included Squadrone System, IngDan, Chariot, HP, SAP, UL Ventures, Jabil and others. At SVIC, our goal was to introduce the Sonepar delegates to the best ideas that could help them modernize their supply-chain and logistics business and equip them with the right tools to compete with e-commerce behemoths like Amazon. Here are some of the key takeaways from the trip as told by SVIC\u2019s director of business development Russel Climaco-Estardo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In order to stay afloat in the manufacturing business in our fast-paced digital era, companies need to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Digitize the supply-chain with smart drones<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Smart AI-powered drones help companies like Amazon automate warehousing. Sonepar executives admitted that their warehouses rely heavily on manual labor and use of paper. To show how drones can improve inventory control, we took our clients to Squadrone System. Eva Pagneux, the company\u2019s then VP of Strategy & Marketing  demonstrated how Sonepar can cut inventory time to minutes and increase data capture quality with a completely autonomous drone that navigates in alleys, guided by its companion app. She explained how a drone can fly in the evening and scan all the pallets and bars in its warehouse and log the data to a central inventory system. A fully digital, completely automated warehouse is the only way to build a scalable manufacturing business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/lWuLVTgWDTU\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Lower production costs with 3D-Printing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Using 3D-Printing to offset production and delivery costs instead of making products in bulk was another idea that came up during the trip. We paired the team with Hewlett-Packard Labs, an exploratory and advanced research group for HP Inc. HP Labs presented 3D-Printing technology capable of saving millions of dollars each year for a business like Sonepar. Instead of using traditional injection molding technology, Sonepar could use old blueprints to 3D print parts for outdated cars, machines and appliances that are not produced anymore. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3D-printing, or additive manufacturing, is a truly revolutionary technology, which is fast and relatively cheap. It gives engineers more time to be creative and inventive, in comparison with traditional manufacturing methods. 3D printing is a must-have for every manufacturing business on the path of digital transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Partner with innovative startups<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAcquihiring\u201d is becoming a thing of the past, says Climaco-Estardo. Instead of buying out interesting startups, manufacturing businesses need to find reliable partners to work with and embed themselves deeper into the innovation ecosystem. This was a cross-cutting theme of Sonepar\u2019s meetings with VC boutique Naiss, UL Ventures as well as a startup scouting workshop at SVIC. When a corporation acquires a young company, there\u2019s a good chance it will kill off the innovation. Using startups as service providers is a smarter strategy, as it makes it easier to get to the innovative technology without spending too much money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/uZvNmf7WOWk\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Innovation outpost<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a matter of three days, the Sonepar executives were able to get a grasp of what is shaping their industry and find inspiration to transform their business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe found some great startups to work with, that inspired us, challenged us and our thinking\u201d, said Jo Verbeek, President and Chairman at Sonepar, Asia-Pacific Region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a typical example of what we do at Silicon Valley Innovation Center. For most of our clients we are a first \u201cinnovation outpost\u201d. Businesses from around the globe use our services to broaden their innovation horizons and find valuable partners to work with. Here in Silicon Valley we have access to thousands of innovative startups. Let us be your guide in the word of modern companies operating in manufacturing and supply chain management across such technologies as artificial intelligence, robotics and IoT.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Three Ideas On How To Modernize A Legacy Manufacturing Business","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":769,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-04-17 13:58:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-04-17 20:58:00","post_content":"\n

Three days, 16 famous Silicon Valley companies and a dozen innovation experts \u2013 that\u2019s how Toyota Material Handling (TMH) spent its corporate retreat in 2017. A European subdivision of Toyota Industries and a producer of equipment for logistics, TMH has for many years sent its executives from all over the world to an annual gathering to discuss strategy and the future of the brand.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The three-day executive immersion program we designed for the company was months in the planning so if the executives felt a little overwhelmed at times that meant they were learning, which was exactly the point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not that there was anything atypical about such lengthy preparations. As with all our programs we engaged Toyota in a thorough consultation process in order to zoom in on the major \u201cpain points\u201d of its business. Then we built a schedule to provide introductions to the kind of high-technology solutions Silicon Valley is famous for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This particular trip was for Toyota Material Handling (TMH), a division of the company entirely separate from - though not unrelated to - the Japanese manufacturer\u2019s more well-known carmaking business. Where the latter builds the Priuses, Corollas and Camrys which have become staples of world motoring, the former is concerned with the manufacture and supply of the forklifts and pallet trucks which help get the parts for those vehicles to the production line.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For us at Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) that meant putting together a program with an emphasis on finding novel solutions to the typical problems faced by enterprises in the manufacturing sector, namely, cost and time inefficiencies in areas like warehousing and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Answers, we knew, would come from technologies like internet of things and blockchain. But apart from visiting companies breaking new ground in these areas we also made sure to mix in sessions on corporate innovation at Google, Amazon and Microsoft. After all, getting access to new technology is the relatively easy part. Actually knowing how to get an organization to embrace that technology and get the most out of it is where the real work begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so, with the schedule finalized and the hotel rooms booked, the Toyota Material Handling team touched down in Silicon Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Internet of Things<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The development which today presents the most threats and opportunities to a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling is Internet of Things, or IoT.  We dedicated a large part of the Japanese enterprise\u2019s time in Silicon Valley to meetings with companies currently using the technology in their operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest and most advanced users of IoT anywhere in the world today is contract manufacturer Jabil. Touring its production facilities, the Toyota team saw something they could emulate: sensors and data collectors on everything from pallets to machines and a huge control room to go with them where all the collected information is processed. The practical application of all this technology use was made clear through the huge gains in efficiency it has generated for Jabil throughout the manufacturing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Verizon, meanwhile, the emphasis was placed on a parallel aspect of the IoT revolution with a focus on connectivity and 5G mobile broadband. The communications company opened Toyota\u2019s eyes to the huge realm of possibilities 5G will open for IoT and the changes this could bring in everything from supply chain to smart cities. What\u2019s more, the Toyota execs learned how Verizon stays abreast of the latest technology developments by actively buying up and partnering with a range of startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That knowledge on the startup scene in the IoT space was expanded further with a visit to Wearable World, an IoT accelerator. The CEO laid out the current state of the industry, with an angel investor also giving a presentation detailing for Toyota Material Handling how the company might make the most of IoT\u2019s potential through investment in startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those learnings came to the fore on day three of the program during a startup showcase, when Toyota met several early stage companies. Roambee, which offers real-time location and condition monitoring for shipments, further deepened the forklift manufacturer\u2019s understanding of IoT\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corporate Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};

Search

Latest

\n

As the area of robotics for manufacturing becomes increasingly sophisticated, collaboration opportunities between robots and humans will abound. Where current tasks require segregated approaches with attendant inefficiencies, an increase in machine-human collaboration will unlock new levels of productivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the startups in this list and others continue to pioneer the future of manufacturing, the lesson to those in the manufacturing sector is clear \u2013 learn and follow fast and be ready to embrace the robotic future of manufacturing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


\n\n\n\n

Silicon Valley Manufacturing Industry Immersion Program<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Silicon Valley Innovation Center Manufacturing Industry immersion program<\/a> is designed as a highly-customized executive program tailored to the needs of your group of 10 people or more. The week-long manufacturing immersion program offers high-impact, learning experiences that explore in depth the emerging trends and the impact of disruptive technologies in the manufacturing industry.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Top Startups in Robotics for Manufacturing","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"top-startups-in-robotics-for-manufacturing","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-03-02 08:03:01","post_modified_gmt":"2020-03-02 16:03:01","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/top-startups-in-robotics-for-manufacturing\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":746,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-05-04 19:54:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-05-05 02:54:00","post_content":"\n

Transforming a large manufacturing business is impossible without deploying an array of automation and logistics innovations, such as robotics and artificial intelligence. It is also unimaginable without startup scouting, a practice of partnering with young and fast-moving companies to make innovation happen faster. All these things were on a checklist for a group of Sonepar executives who visited Silicon Valley Innovation Center in September 2017.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sonepar is a French manufacturer of electrical parts and products with a history that spans 45 years across 44 countries. If you have an old refrigerator or a vacuum cleaner at home, there\u2019s a good chance that it\u2019s using parts produced by Sonepar. Despite its glorious history, the company is currently struggling with fierce competition from Chinese manufacturers. Sonepar executives from Europe, America and Asia came to Silicon Valley to find solutions to this and their other ongoing challenges, namely growing  production costs combined with digital disruption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Companies we visited during a 3-day innovation program included Squadrone System, IngDan, Chariot, HP, SAP, UL Ventures, Jabil and others. At SVIC, our goal was to introduce the Sonepar delegates to the best ideas that could help them modernize their supply-chain and logistics business and equip them with the right tools to compete with e-commerce behemoths like Amazon. Here are some of the key takeaways from the trip as told by SVIC\u2019s director of business development Russel Climaco-Estardo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In order to stay afloat in the manufacturing business in our fast-paced digital era, companies need to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Digitize the supply-chain with smart drones<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Smart AI-powered drones help companies like Amazon automate warehousing. Sonepar executives admitted that their warehouses rely heavily on manual labor and use of paper. To show how drones can improve inventory control, we took our clients to Squadrone System. Eva Pagneux, the company\u2019s then VP of Strategy & Marketing  demonstrated how Sonepar can cut inventory time to minutes and increase data capture quality with a completely autonomous drone that navigates in alleys, guided by its companion app. She explained how a drone can fly in the evening and scan all the pallets and bars in its warehouse and log the data to a central inventory system. A fully digital, completely automated warehouse is the only way to build a scalable manufacturing business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/lWuLVTgWDTU\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Lower production costs with 3D-Printing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Using 3D-Printing to offset production and delivery costs instead of making products in bulk was another idea that came up during the trip. We paired the team with Hewlett-Packard Labs, an exploratory and advanced research group for HP Inc. HP Labs presented 3D-Printing technology capable of saving millions of dollars each year for a business like Sonepar. Instead of using traditional injection molding technology, Sonepar could use old blueprints to 3D print parts for outdated cars, machines and appliances that are not produced anymore. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3D-printing, or additive manufacturing, is a truly revolutionary technology, which is fast and relatively cheap. It gives engineers more time to be creative and inventive, in comparison with traditional manufacturing methods. 3D printing is a must-have for every manufacturing business on the path of digital transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Partner with innovative startups<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAcquihiring\u201d is becoming a thing of the past, says Climaco-Estardo. Instead of buying out interesting startups, manufacturing businesses need to find reliable partners to work with and embed themselves deeper into the innovation ecosystem. This was a cross-cutting theme of Sonepar\u2019s meetings with VC boutique Naiss, UL Ventures as well as a startup scouting workshop at SVIC. When a corporation acquires a young company, there\u2019s a good chance it will kill off the innovation. Using startups as service providers is a smarter strategy, as it makes it easier to get to the innovative technology without spending too much money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/uZvNmf7WOWk\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Innovation outpost<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a matter of three days, the Sonepar executives were able to get a grasp of what is shaping their industry and find inspiration to transform their business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe found some great startups to work with, that inspired us, challenged us and our thinking\u201d, said Jo Verbeek, President and Chairman at Sonepar, Asia-Pacific Region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a typical example of what we do at Silicon Valley Innovation Center. For most of our clients we are a first \u201cinnovation outpost\u201d. Businesses from around the globe use our services to broaden their innovation horizons and find valuable partners to work with. Here in Silicon Valley we have access to thousands of innovative startups. Let us be your guide in the word of modern companies operating in manufacturing and supply chain management across such technologies as artificial intelligence, robotics and IoT.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Three Ideas On How To Modernize A Legacy Manufacturing Business","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":769,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-04-17 13:58:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-04-17 20:58:00","post_content":"\n

Three days, 16 famous Silicon Valley companies and a dozen innovation experts \u2013 that\u2019s how Toyota Material Handling (TMH) spent its corporate retreat in 2017. A European subdivision of Toyota Industries and a producer of equipment for logistics, TMH has for many years sent its executives from all over the world to an annual gathering to discuss strategy and the future of the brand.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The three-day executive immersion program we designed for the company was months in the planning so if the executives felt a little overwhelmed at times that meant they were learning, which was exactly the point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not that there was anything atypical about such lengthy preparations. As with all our programs we engaged Toyota in a thorough consultation process in order to zoom in on the major \u201cpain points\u201d of its business. Then we built a schedule to provide introductions to the kind of high-technology solutions Silicon Valley is famous for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This particular trip was for Toyota Material Handling (TMH), a division of the company entirely separate from - though not unrelated to - the Japanese manufacturer\u2019s more well-known carmaking business. Where the latter builds the Priuses, Corollas and Camrys which have become staples of world motoring, the former is concerned with the manufacture and supply of the forklifts and pallet trucks which help get the parts for those vehicles to the production line.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For us at Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) that meant putting together a program with an emphasis on finding novel solutions to the typical problems faced by enterprises in the manufacturing sector, namely, cost and time inefficiencies in areas like warehousing and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Answers, we knew, would come from technologies like internet of things and blockchain. But apart from visiting companies breaking new ground in these areas we also made sure to mix in sessions on corporate innovation at Google, Amazon and Microsoft. After all, getting access to new technology is the relatively easy part. Actually knowing how to get an organization to embrace that technology and get the most out of it is where the real work begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so, with the schedule finalized and the hotel rooms booked, the Toyota Material Handling team touched down in Silicon Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Internet of Things<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The development which today presents the most threats and opportunities to a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling is Internet of Things, or IoT.  We dedicated a large part of the Japanese enterprise\u2019s time in Silicon Valley to meetings with companies currently using the technology in their operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest and most advanced users of IoT anywhere in the world today is contract manufacturer Jabil. Touring its production facilities, the Toyota team saw something they could emulate: sensors and data collectors on everything from pallets to machines and a huge control room to go with them where all the collected information is processed. The practical application of all this technology use was made clear through the huge gains in efficiency it has generated for Jabil throughout the manufacturing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Verizon, meanwhile, the emphasis was placed on a parallel aspect of the IoT revolution with a focus on connectivity and 5G mobile broadband. The communications company opened Toyota\u2019s eyes to the huge realm of possibilities 5G will open for IoT and the changes this could bring in everything from supply chain to smart cities. What\u2019s more, the Toyota execs learned how Verizon stays abreast of the latest technology developments by actively buying up and partnering with a range of startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That knowledge on the startup scene in the IoT space was expanded further with a visit to Wearable World, an IoT accelerator. The CEO laid out the current state of the industry, with an angel investor also giving a presentation detailing for Toyota Material Handling how the company might make the most of IoT\u2019s potential through investment in startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those learnings came to the fore on day three of the program during a startup showcase, when Toyota met several early stage companies. Roambee, which offers real-time location and condition monitoring for shipments, further deepened the forklift manufacturer\u2019s understanding of IoT\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corporate Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};

Search

Latest

\n

Machine-Human Collaboration<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the area of robotics for manufacturing becomes increasingly sophisticated, collaboration opportunities between robots and humans will abound. Where current tasks require segregated approaches with attendant inefficiencies, an increase in machine-human collaboration will unlock new levels of productivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the startups in this list and others continue to pioneer the future of manufacturing, the lesson to those in the manufacturing sector is clear \u2013 learn and follow fast and be ready to embrace the robotic future of manufacturing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


\n\n\n\n

Silicon Valley Manufacturing Industry Immersion Program<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Silicon Valley Innovation Center Manufacturing Industry immersion program<\/a> is designed as a highly-customized executive program tailored to the needs of your group of 10 people or more. The week-long manufacturing immersion program offers high-impact, learning experiences that explore in depth the emerging trends and the impact of disruptive technologies in the manufacturing industry.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Top Startups in Robotics for Manufacturing","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"top-startups-in-robotics-for-manufacturing","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-03-02 08:03:01","post_modified_gmt":"2020-03-02 16:03:01","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/top-startups-in-robotics-for-manufacturing\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":746,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-05-04 19:54:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-05-05 02:54:00","post_content":"\n

Transforming a large manufacturing business is impossible without deploying an array of automation and logistics innovations, such as robotics and artificial intelligence. It is also unimaginable without startup scouting, a practice of partnering with young and fast-moving companies to make innovation happen faster. All these things were on a checklist for a group of Sonepar executives who visited Silicon Valley Innovation Center in September 2017.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sonepar is a French manufacturer of electrical parts and products with a history that spans 45 years across 44 countries. If you have an old refrigerator or a vacuum cleaner at home, there\u2019s a good chance that it\u2019s using parts produced by Sonepar. Despite its glorious history, the company is currently struggling with fierce competition from Chinese manufacturers. Sonepar executives from Europe, America and Asia came to Silicon Valley to find solutions to this and their other ongoing challenges, namely growing  production costs combined with digital disruption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Companies we visited during a 3-day innovation program included Squadrone System, IngDan, Chariot, HP, SAP, UL Ventures, Jabil and others. At SVIC, our goal was to introduce the Sonepar delegates to the best ideas that could help them modernize their supply-chain and logistics business and equip them with the right tools to compete with e-commerce behemoths like Amazon. Here are some of the key takeaways from the trip as told by SVIC\u2019s director of business development Russel Climaco-Estardo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In order to stay afloat in the manufacturing business in our fast-paced digital era, companies need to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Digitize the supply-chain with smart drones<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Smart AI-powered drones help companies like Amazon automate warehousing. Sonepar executives admitted that their warehouses rely heavily on manual labor and use of paper. To show how drones can improve inventory control, we took our clients to Squadrone System. Eva Pagneux, the company\u2019s then VP of Strategy & Marketing  demonstrated how Sonepar can cut inventory time to minutes and increase data capture quality with a completely autonomous drone that navigates in alleys, guided by its companion app. She explained how a drone can fly in the evening and scan all the pallets and bars in its warehouse and log the data to a central inventory system. A fully digital, completely automated warehouse is the only way to build a scalable manufacturing business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/lWuLVTgWDTU\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Lower production costs with 3D-Printing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Using 3D-Printing to offset production and delivery costs instead of making products in bulk was another idea that came up during the trip. We paired the team with Hewlett-Packard Labs, an exploratory and advanced research group for HP Inc. HP Labs presented 3D-Printing technology capable of saving millions of dollars each year for a business like Sonepar. Instead of using traditional injection molding technology, Sonepar could use old blueprints to 3D print parts for outdated cars, machines and appliances that are not produced anymore. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3D-printing, or additive manufacturing, is a truly revolutionary technology, which is fast and relatively cheap. It gives engineers more time to be creative and inventive, in comparison with traditional manufacturing methods. 3D printing is a must-have for every manufacturing business on the path of digital transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Partner with innovative startups<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAcquihiring\u201d is becoming a thing of the past, says Climaco-Estardo. Instead of buying out interesting startups, manufacturing businesses need to find reliable partners to work with and embed themselves deeper into the innovation ecosystem. This was a cross-cutting theme of Sonepar\u2019s meetings with VC boutique Naiss, UL Ventures as well as a startup scouting workshop at SVIC. When a corporation acquires a young company, there\u2019s a good chance it will kill off the innovation. Using startups as service providers is a smarter strategy, as it makes it easier to get to the innovative technology without spending too much money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/uZvNmf7WOWk\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Innovation outpost<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a matter of three days, the Sonepar executives were able to get a grasp of what is shaping their industry and find inspiration to transform their business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe found some great startups to work with, that inspired us, challenged us and our thinking\u201d, said Jo Verbeek, President and Chairman at Sonepar, Asia-Pacific Region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a typical example of what we do at Silicon Valley Innovation Center. For most of our clients we are a first \u201cinnovation outpost\u201d. Businesses from around the globe use our services to broaden their innovation horizons and find valuable partners to work with. Here in Silicon Valley we have access to thousands of innovative startups. Let us be your guide in the word of modern companies operating in manufacturing and supply chain management across such technologies as artificial intelligence, robotics and IoT.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Three Ideas On How To Modernize A Legacy Manufacturing Business","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":769,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-04-17 13:58:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-04-17 20:58:00","post_content":"\n

Three days, 16 famous Silicon Valley companies and a dozen innovation experts \u2013 that\u2019s how Toyota Material Handling (TMH) spent its corporate retreat in 2017. A European subdivision of Toyota Industries and a producer of equipment for logistics, TMH has for many years sent its executives from all over the world to an annual gathering to discuss strategy and the future of the brand.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The three-day executive immersion program we designed for the company was months in the planning so if the executives felt a little overwhelmed at times that meant they were learning, which was exactly the point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not that there was anything atypical about such lengthy preparations. As with all our programs we engaged Toyota in a thorough consultation process in order to zoom in on the major \u201cpain points\u201d of its business. Then we built a schedule to provide introductions to the kind of high-technology solutions Silicon Valley is famous for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This particular trip was for Toyota Material Handling (TMH), a division of the company entirely separate from - though not unrelated to - the Japanese manufacturer\u2019s more well-known carmaking business. Where the latter builds the Priuses, Corollas and Camrys which have become staples of world motoring, the former is concerned with the manufacture and supply of the forklifts and pallet trucks which help get the parts for those vehicles to the production line.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For us at Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) that meant putting together a program with an emphasis on finding novel solutions to the typical problems faced by enterprises in the manufacturing sector, namely, cost and time inefficiencies in areas like warehousing and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Answers, we knew, would come from technologies like internet of things and blockchain. But apart from visiting companies breaking new ground in these areas we also made sure to mix in sessions on corporate innovation at Google, Amazon and Microsoft. After all, getting access to new technology is the relatively easy part. Actually knowing how to get an organization to embrace that technology and get the most out of it is where the real work begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so, with the schedule finalized and the hotel rooms booked, the Toyota Material Handling team touched down in Silicon Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Internet of Things<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The development which today presents the most threats and opportunities to a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling is Internet of Things, or IoT.  We dedicated a large part of the Japanese enterprise\u2019s time in Silicon Valley to meetings with companies currently using the technology in their operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest and most advanced users of IoT anywhere in the world today is contract manufacturer Jabil. Touring its production facilities, the Toyota team saw something they could emulate: sensors and data collectors on everything from pallets to machines and a huge control room to go with them where all the collected information is processed. The practical application of all this technology use was made clear through the huge gains in efficiency it has generated for Jabil throughout the manufacturing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Verizon, meanwhile, the emphasis was placed on a parallel aspect of the IoT revolution with a focus on connectivity and 5G mobile broadband. The communications company opened Toyota\u2019s eyes to the huge realm of possibilities 5G will open for IoT and the changes this could bring in everything from supply chain to smart cities. What\u2019s more, the Toyota execs learned how Verizon stays abreast of the latest technology developments by actively buying up and partnering with a range of startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That knowledge on the startup scene in the IoT space was expanded further with a visit to Wearable World, an IoT accelerator. The CEO laid out the current state of the industry, with an angel investor also giving a presentation detailing for Toyota Material Handling how the company might make the most of IoT\u2019s potential through investment in startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those learnings came to the fore on day three of the program during a startup showcase, when Toyota met several early stage companies. Roambee, which offers real-time location and condition monitoring for shipments, further deepened the forklift manufacturer\u2019s understanding of IoT\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corporate Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};

Search

Latest

\n

Fetch Robotics is combining collaborative and intelligent Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR) with a cloud-based platform to offer on-demand automation. Leapfrogging the many challenges and bottlenecks involved in introducing automation to factory and warehouse floors, Fetch Robotics can deploy AMR solutions for material handling and data collection purposes within hours. Founded in 2014 and based in San Jose, California, the robotics for manufacturing and logistics startup has to date raised $48 million in venture capital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Machine-Human Collaboration<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the area of robotics for manufacturing becomes increasingly sophisticated, collaboration opportunities between robots and humans will abound. Where current tasks require segregated approaches with attendant inefficiencies, an increase in machine-human collaboration will unlock new levels of productivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the startups in this list and others continue to pioneer the future of manufacturing, the lesson to those in the manufacturing sector is clear \u2013 learn and follow fast and be ready to embrace the robotic future of manufacturing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


\n\n\n\n

Silicon Valley Manufacturing Industry Immersion Program<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Silicon Valley Innovation Center Manufacturing Industry immersion program<\/a> is designed as a highly-customized executive program tailored to the needs of your group of 10 people or more. The week-long manufacturing immersion program offers high-impact, learning experiences that explore in depth the emerging trends and the impact of disruptive technologies in the manufacturing industry.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Top Startups in Robotics for Manufacturing","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"top-startups-in-robotics-for-manufacturing","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-03-02 08:03:01","post_modified_gmt":"2020-03-02 16:03:01","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/top-startups-in-robotics-for-manufacturing\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":746,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-05-04 19:54:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-05-05 02:54:00","post_content":"\n

Transforming a large manufacturing business is impossible without deploying an array of automation and logistics innovations, such as robotics and artificial intelligence. It is also unimaginable without startup scouting, a practice of partnering with young and fast-moving companies to make innovation happen faster. All these things were on a checklist for a group of Sonepar executives who visited Silicon Valley Innovation Center in September 2017.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sonepar is a French manufacturer of electrical parts and products with a history that spans 45 years across 44 countries. If you have an old refrigerator or a vacuum cleaner at home, there\u2019s a good chance that it\u2019s using parts produced by Sonepar. Despite its glorious history, the company is currently struggling with fierce competition from Chinese manufacturers. Sonepar executives from Europe, America and Asia came to Silicon Valley to find solutions to this and their other ongoing challenges, namely growing  production costs combined with digital disruption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Companies we visited during a 3-day innovation program included Squadrone System, IngDan, Chariot, HP, SAP, UL Ventures, Jabil and others. At SVIC, our goal was to introduce the Sonepar delegates to the best ideas that could help them modernize their supply-chain and logistics business and equip them with the right tools to compete with e-commerce behemoths like Amazon. Here are some of the key takeaways from the trip as told by SVIC\u2019s director of business development Russel Climaco-Estardo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In order to stay afloat in the manufacturing business in our fast-paced digital era, companies need to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Digitize the supply-chain with smart drones<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Smart AI-powered drones help companies like Amazon automate warehousing. Sonepar executives admitted that their warehouses rely heavily on manual labor and use of paper. To show how drones can improve inventory control, we took our clients to Squadrone System. Eva Pagneux, the company\u2019s then VP of Strategy & Marketing  demonstrated how Sonepar can cut inventory time to minutes and increase data capture quality with a completely autonomous drone that navigates in alleys, guided by its companion app. She explained how a drone can fly in the evening and scan all the pallets and bars in its warehouse and log the data to a central inventory system. A fully digital, completely automated warehouse is the only way to build a scalable manufacturing business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/lWuLVTgWDTU\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Lower production costs with 3D-Printing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Using 3D-Printing to offset production and delivery costs instead of making products in bulk was another idea that came up during the trip. We paired the team with Hewlett-Packard Labs, an exploratory and advanced research group for HP Inc. HP Labs presented 3D-Printing technology capable of saving millions of dollars each year for a business like Sonepar. Instead of using traditional injection molding technology, Sonepar could use old blueprints to 3D print parts for outdated cars, machines and appliances that are not produced anymore. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3D-printing, or additive manufacturing, is a truly revolutionary technology, which is fast and relatively cheap. It gives engineers more time to be creative and inventive, in comparison with traditional manufacturing methods. 3D printing is a must-have for every manufacturing business on the path of digital transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Partner with innovative startups<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAcquihiring\u201d is becoming a thing of the past, says Climaco-Estardo. Instead of buying out interesting startups, manufacturing businesses need to find reliable partners to work with and embed themselves deeper into the innovation ecosystem. This was a cross-cutting theme of Sonepar\u2019s meetings with VC boutique Naiss, UL Ventures as well as a startup scouting workshop at SVIC. When a corporation acquires a young company, there\u2019s a good chance it will kill off the innovation. Using startups as service providers is a smarter strategy, as it makes it easier to get to the innovative technology without spending too much money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/uZvNmf7WOWk\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Innovation outpost<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a matter of three days, the Sonepar executives were able to get a grasp of what is shaping their industry and find inspiration to transform their business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe found some great startups to work with, that inspired us, challenged us and our thinking\u201d, said Jo Verbeek, President and Chairman at Sonepar, Asia-Pacific Region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a typical example of what we do at Silicon Valley Innovation Center. For most of our clients we are a first \u201cinnovation outpost\u201d. Businesses from around the globe use our services to broaden their innovation horizons and find valuable partners to work with. Here in Silicon Valley we have access to thousands of innovative startups. Let us be your guide in the word of modern companies operating in manufacturing and supply chain management across such technologies as artificial intelligence, robotics and IoT.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Three Ideas On How To Modernize A Legacy Manufacturing Business","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":769,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-04-17 13:58:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-04-17 20:58:00","post_content":"\n

Three days, 16 famous Silicon Valley companies and a dozen innovation experts \u2013 that\u2019s how Toyota Material Handling (TMH) spent its corporate retreat in 2017. A European subdivision of Toyota Industries and a producer of equipment for logistics, TMH has for many years sent its executives from all over the world to an annual gathering to discuss strategy and the future of the brand.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The three-day executive immersion program we designed for the company was months in the planning so if the executives felt a little overwhelmed at times that meant they were learning, which was exactly the point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not that there was anything atypical about such lengthy preparations. As with all our programs we engaged Toyota in a thorough consultation process in order to zoom in on the major \u201cpain points\u201d of its business. Then we built a schedule to provide introductions to the kind of high-technology solutions Silicon Valley is famous for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This particular trip was for Toyota Material Handling (TMH), a division of the company entirely separate from - though not unrelated to - the Japanese manufacturer\u2019s more well-known carmaking business. Where the latter builds the Priuses, Corollas and Camrys which have become staples of world motoring, the former is concerned with the manufacture and supply of the forklifts and pallet trucks which help get the parts for those vehicles to the production line.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For us at Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) that meant putting together a program with an emphasis on finding novel solutions to the typical problems faced by enterprises in the manufacturing sector, namely, cost and time inefficiencies in areas like warehousing and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Answers, we knew, would come from technologies like internet of things and blockchain. But apart from visiting companies breaking new ground in these areas we also made sure to mix in sessions on corporate innovation at Google, Amazon and Microsoft. After all, getting access to new technology is the relatively easy part. Actually knowing how to get an organization to embrace that technology and get the most out of it is where the real work begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so, with the schedule finalized and the hotel rooms booked, the Toyota Material Handling team touched down in Silicon Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Internet of Things<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The development which today presents the most threats and opportunities to a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling is Internet of Things, or IoT.  We dedicated a large part of the Japanese enterprise\u2019s time in Silicon Valley to meetings with companies currently using the technology in their operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest and most advanced users of IoT anywhere in the world today is contract manufacturer Jabil. Touring its production facilities, the Toyota team saw something they could emulate: sensors and data collectors on everything from pallets to machines and a huge control room to go with them where all the collected information is processed. The practical application of all this technology use was made clear through the huge gains in efficiency it has generated for Jabil throughout the manufacturing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Verizon, meanwhile, the emphasis was placed on a parallel aspect of the IoT revolution with a focus on connectivity and 5G mobile broadband. The communications company opened Toyota\u2019s eyes to the huge realm of possibilities 5G will open for IoT and the changes this could bring in everything from supply chain to smart cities. What\u2019s more, the Toyota execs learned how Verizon stays abreast of the latest technology developments by actively buying up and partnering with a range of startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That knowledge on the startup scene in the IoT space was expanded further with a visit to Wearable World, an IoT accelerator. The CEO laid out the current state of the industry, with an angel investor also giving a presentation detailing for Toyota Material Handling how the company might make the most of IoT\u2019s potential through investment in startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those learnings came to the fore on day three of the program during a startup showcase, when Toyota met several early stage companies. Roambee, which offers real-time location and condition monitoring for shipments, further deepened the forklift manufacturer\u2019s understanding of IoT\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corporate Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};

Search

Latest

\n

Fetch Robotics<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Fetch Robotics is combining collaborative and intelligent Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR) with a cloud-based platform to offer on-demand automation. Leapfrogging the many challenges and bottlenecks involved in introducing automation to factory and warehouse floors, Fetch Robotics can deploy AMR solutions for material handling and data collection purposes within hours. Founded in 2014 and based in San Jose, California, the robotics for manufacturing and logistics startup has to date raised $48 million in venture capital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Machine-Human Collaboration<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the area of robotics for manufacturing becomes increasingly sophisticated, collaboration opportunities between robots and humans will abound. Where current tasks require segregated approaches with attendant inefficiencies, an increase in machine-human collaboration will unlock new levels of productivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the startups in this list and others continue to pioneer the future of manufacturing, the lesson to those in the manufacturing sector is clear \u2013 learn and follow fast and be ready to embrace the robotic future of manufacturing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


\n\n\n\n

Silicon Valley Manufacturing Industry Immersion Program<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Silicon Valley Innovation Center Manufacturing Industry immersion program<\/a> is designed as a highly-customized executive program tailored to the needs of your group of 10 people or more. The week-long manufacturing immersion program offers high-impact, learning experiences that explore in depth the emerging trends and the impact of disruptive technologies in the manufacturing industry.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Top Startups in Robotics for Manufacturing","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"top-startups-in-robotics-for-manufacturing","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-03-02 08:03:01","post_modified_gmt":"2020-03-02 16:03:01","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/top-startups-in-robotics-for-manufacturing\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":746,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-05-04 19:54:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-05-05 02:54:00","post_content":"\n

Transforming a large manufacturing business is impossible without deploying an array of automation and logistics innovations, such as robotics and artificial intelligence. It is also unimaginable without startup scouting, a practice of partnering with young and fast-moving companies to make innovation happen faster. All these things were on a checklist for a group of Sonepar executives who visited Silicon Valley Innovation Center in September 2017.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sonepar is a French manufacturer of electrical parts and products with a history that spans 45 years across 44 countries. If you have an old refrigerator or a vacuum cleaner at home, there\u2019s a good chance that it\u2019s using parts produced by Sonepar. Despite its glorious history, the company is currently struggling with fierce competition from Chinese manufacturers. Sonepar executives from Europe, America and Asia came to Silicon Valley to find solutions to this and their other ongoing challenges, namely growing  production costs combined with digital disruption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Companies we visited during a 3-day innovation program included Squadrone System, IngDan, Chariot, HP, SAP, UL Ventures, Jabil and others. At SVIC, our goal was to introduce the Sonepar delegates to the best ideas that could help them modernize their supply-chain and logistics business and equip them with the right tools to compete with e-commerce behemoths like Amazon. Here are some of the key takeaways from the trip as told by SVIC\u2019s director of business development Russel Climaco-Estardo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In order to stay afloat in the manufacturing business in our fast-paced digital era, companies need to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Digitize the supply-chain with smart drones<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Smart AI-powered drones help companies like Amazon automate warehousing. Sonepar executives admitted that their warehouses rely heavily on manual labor and use of paper. To show how drones can improve inventory control, we took our clients to Squadrone System. Eva Pagneux, the company\u2019s then VP of Strategy & Marketing  demonstrated how Sonepar can cut inventory time to minutes and increase data capture quality with a completely autonomous drone that navigates in alleys, guided by its companion app. She explained how a drone can fly in the evening and scan all the pallets and bars in its warehouse and log the data to a central inventory system. A fully digital, completely automated warehouse is the only way to build a scalable manufacturing business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/lWuLVTgWDTU\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Lower production costs with 3D-Printing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Using 3D-Printing to offset production and delivery costs instead of making products in bulk was another idea that came up during the trip. We paired the team with Hewlett-Packard Labs, an exploratory and advanced research group for HP Inc. HP Labs presented 3D-Printing technology capable of saving millions of dollars each year for a business like Sonepar. Instead of using traditional injection molding technology, Sonepar could use old blueprints to 3D print parts for outdated cars, machines and appliances that are not produced anymore. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3D-printing, or additive manufacturing, is a truly revolutionary technology, which is fast and relatively cheap. It gives engineers more time to be creative and inventive, in comparison with traditional manufacturing methods. 3D printing is a must-have for every manufacturing business on the path of digital transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Partner with innovative startups<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAcquihiring\u201d is becoming a thing of the past, says Climaco-Estardo. Instead of buying out interesting startups, manufacturing businesses need to find reliable partners to work with and embed themselves deeper into the innovation ecosystem. This was a cross-cutting theme of Sonepar\u2019s meetings with VC boutique Naiss, UL Ventures as well as a startup scouting workshop at SVIC. When a corporation acquires a young company, there\u2019s a good chance it will kill off the innovation. Using startups as service providers is a smarter strategy, as it makes it easier to get to the innovative technology without spending too much money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/uZvNmf7WOWk\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Innovation outpost<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a matter of three days, the Sonepar executives were able to get a grasp of what is shaping their industry and find inspiration to transform their business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe found some great startups to work with, that inspired us, challenged us and our thinking\u201d, said Jo Verbeek, President and Chairman at Sonepar, Asia-Pacific Region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a typical example of what we do at Silicon Valley Innovation Center. For most of our clients we are a first \u201cinnovation outpost\u201d. Businesses from around the globe use our services to broaden their innovation horizons and find valuable partners to work with. Here in Silicon Valley we have access to thousands of innovative startups. Let us be your guide in the word of modern companies operating in manufacturing and supply chain management across such technologies as artificial intelligence, robotics and IoT.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Three Ideas On How To Modernize A Legacy Manufacturing Business","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":769,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-04-17 13:58:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-04-17 20:58:00","post_content":"\n

Three days, 16 famous Silicon Valley companies and a dozen innovation experts \u2013 that\u2019s how Toyota Material Handling (TMH) spent its corporate retreat in 2017. A European subdivision of Toyota Industries and a producer of equipment for logistics, TMH has for many years sent its executives from all over the world to an annual gathering to discuss strategy and the future of the brand.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The three-day executive immersion program we designed for the company was months in the planning so if the executives felt a little overwhelmed at times that meant they were learning, which was exactly the point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not that there was anything atypical about such lengthy preparations. As with all our programs we engaged Toyota in a thorough consultation process in order to zoom in on the major \u201cpain points\u201d of its business. Then we built a schedule to provide introductions to the kind of high-technology solutions Silicon Valley is famous for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This particular trip was for Toyota Material Handling (TMH), a division of the company entirely separate from - though not unrelated to - the Japanese manufacturer\u2019s more well-known carmaking business. Where the latter builds the Priuses, Corollas and Camrys which have become staples of world motoring, the former is concerned with the manufacture and supply of the forklifts and pallet trucks which help get the parts for those vehicles to the production line.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For us at Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) that meant putting together a program with an emphasis on finding novel solutions to the typical problems faced by enterprises in the manufacturing sector, namely, cost and time inefficiencies in areas like warehousing and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Answers, we knew, would come from technologies like internet of things and blockchain. But apart from visiting companies breaking new ground in these areas we also made sure to mix in sessions on corporate innovation at Google, Amazon and Microsoft. After all, getting access to new technology is the relatively easy part. Actually knowing how to get an organization to embrace that technology and get the most out of it is where the real work begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so, with the schedule finalized and the hotel rooms booked, the Toyota Material Handling team touched down in Silicon Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Internet of Things<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The development which today presents the most threats and opportunities to a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling is Internet of Things, or IoT.  We dedicated a large part of the Japanese enterprise\u2019s time in Silicon Valley to meetings with companies currently using the technology in their operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest and most advanced users of IoT anywhere in the world today is contract manufacturer Jabil. Touring its production facilities, the Toyota team saw something they could emulate: sensors and data collectors on everything from pallets to machines and a huge control room to go with them where all the collected information is processed. The practical application of all this technology use was made clear through the huge gains in efficiency it has generated for Jabil throughout the manufacturing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Verizon, meanwhile, the emphasis was placed on a parallel aspect of the IoT revolution with a focus on connectivity and 5G mobile broadband. The communications company opened Toyota\u2019s eyes to the huge realm of possibilities 5G will open for IoT and the changes this could bring in everything from supply chain to smart cities. What\u2019s more, the Toyota execs learned how Verizon stays abreast of the latest technology developments by actively buying up and partnering with a range of startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That knowledge on the startup scene in the IoT space was expanded further with a visit to Wearable World, an IoT accelerator. The CEO laid out the current state of the industry, with an angel investor also giving a presentation detailing for Toyota Material Handling how the company might make the most of IoT\u2019s potential through investment in startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those learnings came to the fore on day three of the program during a startup showcase, when Toyota met several early stage companies. Roambee, which offers real-time location and condition monitoring for shipments, further deepened the forklift manufacturer\u2019s understanding of IoT\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corporate Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};

Search

Latest

\n

Brain Corp. is solving the challenge caused by fragmented robotics systems by creating a unified industry-agnostic robotics operating system. The company, founded in 2009 and supported by $125 million in funding from SoftBank, Qualcomm, and other investors, supports autonomous machine builders through its platform so they can build and deploy faster. Focusing on AI, Brain Corp. is powering intelligent machines, including industrial manufacturing robots, from the development phase through to the deployment and management phases. Brain Corp is headquartered in San Diego, California.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fetch Robotics<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Fetch Robotics is combining collaborative and intelligent Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR) with a cloud-based platform to offer on-demand automation. Leapfrogging the many challenges and bottlenecks involved in introducing automation to factory and warehouse floors, Fetch Robotics can deploy AMR solutions for material handling and data collection purposes within hours. Founded in 2014 and based in San Jose, California, the robotics for manufacturing and logistics startup has to date raised $48 million in venture capital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Machine-Human Collaboration<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the area of robotics for manufacturing becomes increasingly sophisticated, collaboration opportunities between robots and humans will abound. Where current tasks require segregated approaches with attendant inefficiencies, an increase in machine-human collaboration will unlock new levels of productivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the startups in this list and others continue to pioneer the future of manufacturing, the lesson to those in the manufacturing sector is clear \u2013 learn and follow fast and be ready to embrace the robotic future of manufacturing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


\n\n\n\n

Silicon Valley Manufacturing Industry Immersion Program<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Silicon Valley Innovation Center Manufacturing Industry immersion program<\/a> is designed as a highly-customized executive program tailored to the needs of your group of 10 people or more. The week-long manufacturing immersion program offers high-impact, learning experiences that explore in depth the emerging trends and the impact of disruptive technologies in the manufacturing industry.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Top Startups in Robotics for Manufacturing","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"top-startups-in-robotics-for-manufacturing","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-03-02 08:03:01","post_modified_gmt":"2020-03-02 16:03:01","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/top-startups-in-robotics-for-manufacturing\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":746,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-05-04 19:54:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-05-05 02:54:00","post_content":"\n

Transforming a large manufacturing business is impossible without deploying an array of automation and logistics innovations, such as robotics and artificial intelligence. It is also unimaginable without startup scouting, a practice of partnering with young and fast-moving companies to make innovation happen faster. All these things were on a checklist for a group of Sonepar executives who visited Silicon Valley Innovation Center in September 2017.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sonepar is a French manufacturer of electrical parts and products with a history that spans 45 years across 44 countries. If you have an old refrigerator or a vacuum cleaner at home, there\u2019s a good chance that it\u2019s using parts produced by Sonepar. Despite its glorious history, the company is currently struggling with fierce competition from Chinese manufacturers. Sonepar executives from Europe, America and Asia came to Silicon Valley to find solutions to this and their other ongoing challenges, namely growing  production costs combined with digital disruption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Companies we visited during a 3-day innovation program included Squadrone System, IngDan, Chariot, HP, SAP, UL Ventures, Jabil and others. At SVIC, our goal was to introduce the Sonepar delegates to the best ideas that could help them modernize their supply-chain and logistics business and equip them with the right tools to compete with e-commerce behemoths like Amazon. Here are some of the key takeaways from the trip as told by SVIC\u2019s director of business development Russel Climaco-Estardo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In order to stay afloat in the manufacturing business in our fast-paced digital era, companies need to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Digitize the supply-chain with smart drones<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Smart AI-powered drones help companies like Amazon automate warehousing. Sonepar executives admitted that their warehouses rely heavily on manual labor and use of paper. To show how drones can improve inventory control, we took our clients to Squadrone System. Eva Pagneux, the company\u2019s then VP of Strategy & Marketing  demonstrated how Sonepar can cut inventory time to minutes and increase data capture quality with a completely autonomous drone that navigates in alleys, guided by its companion app. She explained how a drone can fly in the evening and scan all the pallets and bars in its warehouse and log the data to a central inventory system. A fully digital, completely automated warehouse is the only way to build a scalable manufacturing business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/lWuLVTgWDTU\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Lower production costs with 3D-Printing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Using 3D-Printing to offset production and delivery costs instead of making products in bulk was another idea that came up during the trip. We paired the team with Hewlett-Packard Labs, an exploratory and advanced research group for HP Inc. HP Labs presented 3D-Printing technology capable of saving millions of dollars each year for a business like Sonepar. Instead of using traditional injection molding technology, Sonepar could use old blueprints to 3D print parts for outdated cars, machines and appliances that are not produced anymore. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3D-printing, or additive manufacturing, is a truly revolutionary technology, which is fast and relatively cheap. It gives engineers more time to be creative and inventive, in comparison with traditional manufacturing methods. 3D printing is a must-have for every manufacturing business on the path of digital transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Partner with innovative startups<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAcquihiring\u201d is becoming a thing of the past, says Climaco-Estardo. Instead of buying out interesting startups, manufacturing businesses need to find reliable partners to work with and embed themselves deeper into the innovation ecosystem. This was a cross-cutting theme of Sonepar\u2019s meetings with VC boutique Naiss, UL Ventures as well as a startup scouting workshop at SVIC. When a corporation acquires a young company, there\u2019s a good chance it will kill off the innovation. Using startups as service providers is a smarter strategy, as it makes it easier to get to the innovative technology without spending too much money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/uZvNmf7WOWk\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Innovation outpost<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a matter of three days, the Sonepar executives were able to get a grasp of what is shaping their industry and find inspiration to transform their business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe found some great startups to work with, that inspired us, challenged us and our thinking\u201d, said Jo Verbeek, President and Chairman at Sonepar, Asia-Pacific Region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a typical example of what we do at Silicon Valley Innovation Center. For most of our clients we are a first \u201cinnovation outpost\u201d. Businesses from around the globe use our services to broaden their innovation horizons and find valuable partners to work with. Here in Silicon Valley we have access to thousands of innovative startups. Let us be your guide in the word of modern companies operating in manufacturing and supply chain management across such technologies as artificial intelligence, robotics and IoT.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Three Ideas On How To Modernize A Legacy Manufacturing Business","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":769,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-04-17 13:58:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-04-17 20:58:00","post_content":"\n

Three days, 16 famous Silicon Valley companies and a dozen innovation experts \u2013 that\u2019s how Toyota Material Handling (TMH) spent its corporate retreat in 2017. A European subdivision of Toyota Industries and a producer of equipment for logistics, TMH has for many years sent its executives from all over the world to an annual gathering to discuss strategy and the future of the brand.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The three-day executive immersion program we designed for the company was months in the planning so if the executives felt a little overwhelmed at times that meant they were learning, which was exactly the point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not that there was anything atypical about such lengthy preparations. As with all our programs we engaged Toyota in a thorough consultation process in order to zoom in on the major \u201cpain points\u201d of its business. Then we built a schedule to provide introductions to the kind of high-technology solutions Silicon Valley is famous for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This particular trip was for Toyota Material Handling (TMH), a division of the company entirely separate from - though not unrelated to - the Japanese manufacturer\u2019s more well-known carmaking business. Where the latter builds the Priuses, Corollas and Camrys which have become staples of world motoring, the former is concerned with the manufacture and supply of the forklifts and pallet trucks which help get the parts for those vehicles to the production line.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For us at Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) that meant putting together a program with an emphasis on finding novel solutions to the typical problems faced by enterprises in the manufacturing sector, namely, cost and time inefficiencies in areas like warehousing and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Answers, we knew, would come from technologies like internet of things and blockchain. But apart from visiting companies breaking new ground in these areas we also made sure to mix in sessions on corporate innovation at Google, Amazon and Microsoft. After all, getting access to new technology is the relatively easy part. Actually knowing how to get an organization to embrace that technology and get the most out of it is where the real work begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so, with the schedule finalized and the hotel rooms booked, the Toyota Material Handling team touched down in Silicon Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Internet of Things<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The development which today presents the most threats and opportunities to a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling is Internet of Things, or IoT.  We dedicated a large part of the Japanese enterprise\u2019s time in Silicon Valley to meetings with companies currently using the technology in their operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest and most advanced users of IoT anywhere in the world today is contract manufacturer Jabil. Touring its production facilities, the Toyota team saw something they could emulate: sensors and data collectors on everything from pallets to machines and a huge control room to go with them where all the collected information is processed. The practical application of all this technology use was made clear through the huge gains in efficiency it has generated for Jabil throughout the manufacturing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Verizon, meanwhile, the emphasis was placed on a parallel aspect of the IoT revolution with a focus on connectivity and 5G mobile broadband. The communications company opened Toyota\u2019s eyes to the huge realm of possibilities 5G will open for IoT and the changes this could bring in everything from supply chain to smart cities. What\u2019s more, the Toyota execs learned how Verizon stays abreast of the latest technology developments by actively buying up and partnering with a range of startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That knowledge on the startup scene in the IoT space was expanded further with a visit to Wearable World, an IoT accelerator. The CEO laid out the current state of the industry, with an angel investor also giving a presentation detailing for Toyota Material Handling how the company might make the most of IoT\u2019s potential through investment in startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those learnings came to the fore on day three of the program during a startup showcase, when Toyota met several early stage companies. Roambee, which offers real-time location and condition monitoring for shipments, further deepened the forklift manufacturer\u2019s understanding of IoT\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corporate Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};

Search

Latest

\n

Brain Corp.<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Brain Corp. is solving the challenge caused by fragmented robotics systems by creating a unified industry-agnostic robotics operating system. The company, founded in 2009 and supported by $125 million in funding from SoftBank, Qualcomm, and other investors, supports autonomous machine builders through its platform so they can build and deploy faster. Focusing on AI, Brain Corp. is powering intelligent machines, including industrial manufacturing robots, from the development phase through to the deployment and management phases. Brain Corp is headquartered in San Diego, California.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fetch Robotics<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Fetch Robotics is combining collaborative and intelligent Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR) with a cloud-based platform to offer on-demand automation. Leapfrogging the many challenges and bottlenecks involved in introducing automation to factory and warehouse floors, Fetch Robotics can deploy AMR solutions for material handling and data collection purposes within hours. Founded in 2014 and based in San Jose, California, the robotics for manufacturing and logistics startup has to date raised $48 million in venture capital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Machine-Human Collaboration<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the area of robotics for manufacturing becomes increasingly sophisticated, collaboration opportunities between robots and humans will abound. Where current tasks require segregated approaches with attendant inefficiencies, an increase in machine-human collaboration will unlock new levels of productivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the startups in this list and others continue to pioneer the future of manufacturing, the lesson to those in the manufacturing sector is clear \u2013 learn and follow fast and be ready to embrace the robotic future of manufacturing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


\n\n\n\n

Silicon Valley Manufacturing Industry Immersion Program<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Silicon Valley Innovation Center Manufacturing Industry immersion program<\/a> is designed as a highly-customized executive program tailored to the needs of your group of 10 people or more. The week-long manufacturing immersion program offers high-impact, learning experiences that explore in depth the emerging trends and the impact of disruptive technologies in the manufacturing industry.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Top Startups in Robotics for Manufacturing","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"top-startups-in-robotics-for-manufacturing","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-03-02 08:03:01","post_modified_gmt":"2020-03-02 16:03:01","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/top-startups-in-robotics-for-manufacturing\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":746,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-05-04 19:54:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-05-05 02:54:00","post_content":"\n

Transforming a large manufacturing business is impossible without deploying an array of automation and logistics innovations, such as robotics and artificial intelligence. It is also unimaginable without startup scouting, a practice of partnering with young and fast-moving companies to make innovation happen faster. All these things were on a checklist for a group of Sonepar executives who visited Silicon Valley Innovation Center in September 2017.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sonepar is a French manufacturer of electrical parts and products with a history that spans 45 years across 44 countries. If you have an old refrigerator or a vacuum cleaner at home, there\u2019s a good chance that it\u2019s using parts produced by Sonepar. Despite its glorious history, the company is currently struggling with fierce competition from Chinese manufacturers. Sonepar executives from Europe, America and Asia came to Silicon Valley to find solutions to this and their other ongoing challenges, namely growing  production costs combined with digital disruption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Companies we visited during a 3-day innovation program included Squadrone System, IngDan, Chariot, HP, SAP, UL Ventures, Jabil and others. At SVIC, our goal was to introduce the Sonepar delegates to the best ideas that could help them modernize their supply-chain and logistics business and equip them with the right tools to compete with e-commerce behemoths like Amazon. Here are some of the key takeaways from the trip as told by SVIC\u2019s director of business development Russel Climaco-Estardo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In order to stay afloat in the manufacturing business in our fast-paced digital era, companies need to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Digitize the supply-chain with smart drones<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Smart AI-powered drones help companies like Amazon automate warehousing. Sonepar executives admitted that their warehouses rely heavily on manual labor and use of paper. To show how drones can improve inventory control, we took our clients to Squadrone System. Eva Pagneux, the company\u2019s then VP of Strategy & Marketing  demonstrated how Sonepar can cut inventory time to minutes and increase data capture quality with a completely autonomous drone that navigates in alleys, guided by its companion app. She explained how a drone can fly in the evening and scan all the pallets and bars in its warehouse and log the data to a central inventory system. A fully digital, completely automated warehouse is the only way to build a scalable manufacturing business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/lWuLVTgWDTU\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Lower production costs with 3D-Printing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Using 3D-Printing to offset production and delivery costs instead of making products in bulk was another idea that came up during the trip. We paired the team with Hewlett-Packard Labs, an exploratory and advanced research group for HP Inc. HP Labs presented 3D-Printing technology capable of saving millions of dollars each year for a business like Sonepar. Instead of using traditional injection molding technology, Sonepar could use old blueprints to 3D print parts for outdated cars, machines and appliances that are not produced anymore. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3D-printing, or additive manufacturing, is a truly revolutionary technology, which is fast and relatively cheap. It gives engineers more time to be creative and inventive, in comparison with traditional manufacturing methods. 3D printing is a must-have for every manufacturing business on the path of digital transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Partner with innovative startups<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAcquihiring\u201d is becoming a thing of the past, says Climaco-Estardo. Instead of buying out interesting startups, manufacturing businesses need to find reliable partners to work with and embed themselves deeper into the innovation ecosystem. This was a cross-cutting theme of Sonepar\u2019s meetings with VC boutique Naiss, UL Ventures as well as a startup scouting workshop at SVIC. When a corporation acquires a young company, there\u2019s a good chance it will kill off the innovation. Using startups as service providers is a smarter strategy, as it makes it easier to get to the innovative technology without spending too much money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/uZvNmf7WOWk\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Innovation outpost<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a matter of three days, the Sonepar executives were able to get a grasp of what is shaping their industry and find inspiration to transform their business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe found some great startups to work with, that inspired us, challenged us and our thinking\u201d, said Jo Verbeek, President and Chairman at Sonepar, Asia-Pacific Region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a typical example of what we do at Silicon Valley Innovation Center. For most of our clients we are a first \u201cinnovation outpost\u201d. Businesses from around the globe use our services to broaden their innovation horizons and find valuable partners to work with. Here in Silicon Valley we have access to thousands of innovative startups. Let us be your guide in the word of modern companies operating in manufacturing and supply chain management across such technologies as artificial intelligence, robotics and IoT.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Three Ideas On How To Modernize A Legacy Manufacturing Business","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":769,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-04-17 13:58:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-04-17 20:58:00","post_content":"\n

Three days, 16 famous Silicon Valley companies and a dozen innovation experts \u2013 that\u2019s how Toyota Material Handling (TMH) spent its corporate retreat in 2017. A European subdivision of Toyota Industries and a producer of equipment for logistics, TMH has for many years sent its executives from all over the world to an annual gathering to discuss strategy and the future of the brand.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The three-day executive immersion program we designed for the company was months in the planning so if the executives felt a little overwhelmed at times that meant they were learning, which was exactly the point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not that there was anything atypical about such lengthy preparations. As with all our programs we engaged Toyota in a thorough consultation process in order to zoom in on the major \u201cpain points\u201d of its business. Then we built a schedule to provide introductions to the kind of high-technology solutions Silicon Valley is famous for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This particular trip was for Toyota Material Handling (TMH), a division of the company entirely separate from - though not unrelated to - the Japanese manufacturer\u2019s more well-known carmaking business. Where the latter builds the Priuses, Corollas and Camrys which have become staples of world motoring, the former is concerned with the manufacture and supply of the forklifts and pallet trucks which help get the parts for those vehicles to the production line.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For us at Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) that meant putting together a program with an emphasis on finding novel solutions to the typical problems faced by enterprises in the manufacturing sector, namely, cost and time inefficiencies in areas like warehousing and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Answers, we knew, would come from technologies like internet of things and blockchain. But apart from visiting companies breaking new ground in these areas we also made sure to mix in sessions on corporate innovation at Google, Amazon and Microsoft. After all, getting access to new technology is the relatively easy part. Actually knowing how to get an organization to embrace that technology and get the most out of it is where the real work begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so, with the schedule finalized and the hotel rooms booked, the Toyota Material Handling team touched down in Silicon Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Internet of Things<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The development which today presents the most threats and opportunities to a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling is Internet of Things, or IoT.  We dedicated a large part of the Japanese enterprise\u2019s time in Silicon Valley to meetings with companies currently using the technology in their operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest and most advanced users of IoT anywhere in the world today is contract manufacturer Jabil. Touring its production facilities, the Toyota team saw something they could emulate: sensors and data collectors on everything from pallets to machines and a huge control room to go with them where all the collected information is processed. The practical application of all this technology use was made clear through the huge gains in efficiency it has generated for Jabil throughout the manufacturing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Verizon, meanwhile, the emphasis was placed on a parallel aspect of the IoT revolution with a focus on connectivity and 5G mobile broadband. The communications company opened Toyota\u2019s eyes to the huge realm of possibilities 5G will open for IoT and the changes this could bring in everything from supply chain to smart cities. What\u2019s more, the Toyota execs learned how Verizon stays abreast of the latest technology developments by actively buying up and partnering with a range of startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That knowledge on the startup scene in the IoT space was expanded further with a visit to Wearable World, an IoT accelerator. The CEO laid out the current state of the industry, with an angel investor also giving a presentation detailing for Toyota Material Handling how the company might make the most of IoT\u2019s potential through investment in startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those learnings came to the fore on day three of the program during a startup showcase, when Toyota met several early stage companies. Roambee, which offers real-time location and condition monitoring for shipments, further deepened the forklift manufacturer\u2019s understanding of IoT\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corporate Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};

Search

Latest

\n

Veo Robotics is building intelligent collaborative robots or cobots, using advanced computer vision, 3D sensing, and artificial intelligence. The robotics for manufacturing startup, founded in 2016 and based in Waltham, Massachusetts, is bringing perception and intelligence to high-performance industrial robots. Through this innovative approach, Veo Robotics is bridging the gap between machine-only and human-only manufacturing processes. Veo Robotics has raised $28 million to date from Baidu Ventures, GV, Lux Capital, and Next47.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brain Corp.<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Brain Corp. is solving the challenge caused by fragmented robotics systems by creating a unified industry-agnostic robotics operating system. The company, founded in 2009 and supported by $125 million in funding from SoftBank, Qualcomm, and other investors, supports autonomous machine builders through its platform so they can build and deploy faster. Focusing on AI, Brain Corp. is powering intelligent machines, including industrial manufacturing robots, from the development phase through to the deployment and management phases. Brain Corp is headquartered in San Diego, California.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fetch Robotics<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Fetch Robotics is combining collaborative and intelligent Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR) with a cloud-based platform to offer on-demand automation. Leapfrogging the many challenges and bottlenecks involved in introducing automation to factory and warehouse floors, Fetch Robotics can deploy AMR solutions for material handling and data collection purposes within hours. Founded in 2014 and based in San Jose, California, the robotics for manufacturing and logistics startup has to date raised $48 million in venture capital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Machine-Human Collaboration<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the area of robotics for manufacturing becomes increasingly sophisticated, collaboration opportunities between robots and humans will abound. Where current tasks require segregated approaches with attendant inefficiencies, an increase in machine-human collaboration will unlock new levels of productivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the startups in this list and others continue to pioneer the future of manufacturing, the lesson to those in the manufacturing sector is clear \u2013 learn and follow fast and be ready to embrace the robotic future of manufacturing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


\n\n\n\n

Silicon Valley Manufacturing Industry Immersion Program<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Silicon Valley Innovation Center Manufacturing Industry immersion program<\/a> is designed as a highly-customized executive program tailored to the needs of your group of 10 people or more. The week-long manufacturing immersion program offers high-impact, learning experiences that explore in depth the emerging trends and the impact of disruptive technologies in the manufacturing industry.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Top Startups in Robotics for Manufacturing","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"top-startups-in-robotics-for-manufacturing","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-03-02 08:03:01","post_modified_gmt":"2020-03-02 16:03:01","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/top-startups-in-robotics-for-manufacturing\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":746,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-05-04 19:54:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-05-05 02:54:00","post_content":"\n

Transforming a large manufacturing business is impossible without deploying an array of automation and logistics innovations, such as robotics and artificial intelligence. It is also unimaginable without startup scouting, a practice of partnering with young and fast-moving companies to make innovation happen faster. All these things were on a checklist for a group of Sonepar executives who visited Silicon Valley Innovation Center in September 2017.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sonepar is a French manufacturer of electrical parts and products with a history that spans 45 years across 44 countries. If you have an old refrigerator or a vacuum cleaner at home, there\u2019s a good chance that it\u2019s using parts produced by Sonepar. Despite its glorious history, the company is currently struggling with fierce competition from Chinese manufacturers. Sonepar executives from Europe, America and Asia came to Silicon Valley to find solutions to this and their other ongoing challenges, namely growing  production costs combined with digital disruption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Companies we visited during a 3-day innovation program included Squadrone System, IngDan, Chariot, HP, SAP, UL Ventures, Jabil and others. At SVIC, our goal was to introduce the Sonepar delegates to the best ideas that could help them modernize their supply-chain and logistics business and equip them with the right tools to compete with e-commerce behemoths like Amazon. Here are some of the key takeaways from the trip as told by SVIC\u2019s director of business development Russel Climaco-Estardo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In order to stay afloat in the manufacturing business in our fast-paced digital era, companies need to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Digitize the supply-chain with smart drones<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Smart AI-powered drones help companies like Amazon automate warehousing. Sonepar executives admitted that their warehouses rely heavily on manual labor and use of paper. To show how drones can improve inventory control, we took our clients to Squadrone System. Eva Pagneux, the company\u2019s then VP of Strategy & Marketing  demonstrated how Sonepar can cut inventory time to minutes and increase data capture quality with a completely autonomous drone that navigates in alleys, guided by its companion app. She explained how a drone can fly in the evening and scan all the pallets and bars in its warehouse and log the data to a central inventory system. A fully digital, completely automated warehouse is the only way to build a scalable manufacturing business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/lWuLVTgWDTU\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Lower production costs with 3D-Printing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Using 3D-Printing to offset production and delivery costs instead of making products in bulk was another idea that came up during the trip. We paired the team with Hewlett-Packard Labs, an exploratory and advanced research group for HP Inc. HP Labs presented 3D-Printing technology capable of saving millions of dollars each year for a business like Sonepar. Instead of using traditional injection molding technology, Sonepar could use old blueprints to 3D print parts for outdated cars, machines and appliances that are not produced anymore. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3D-printing, or additive manufacturing, is a truly revolutionary technology, which is fast and relatively cheap. It gives engineers more time to be creative and inventive, in comparison with traditional manufacturing methods. 3D printing is a must-have for every manufacturing business on the path of digital transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Partner with innovative startups<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAcquihiring\u201d is becoming a thing of the past, says Climaco-Estardo. Instead of buying out interesting startups, manufacturing businesses need to find reliable partners to work with and embed themselves deeper into the innovation ecosystem. This was a cross-cutting theme of Sonepar\u2019s meetings with VC boutique Naiss, UL Ventures as well as a startup scouting workshop at SVIC. When a corporation acquires a young company, there\u2019s a good chance it will kill off the innovation. Using startups as service providers is a smarter strategy, as it makes it easier to get to the innovative technology without spending too much money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/uZvNmf7WOWk\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Innovation outpost<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a matter of three days, the Sonepar executives were able to get a grasp of what is shaping their industry and find inspiration to transform their business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe found some great startups to work with, that inspired us, challenged us and our thinking\u201d, said Jo Verbeek, President and Chairman at Sonepar, Asia-Pacific Region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a typical example of what we do at Silicon Valley Innovation Center. For most of our clients we are a first \u201cinnovation outpost\u201d. Businesses from around the globe use our services to broaden their innovation horizons and find valuable partners to work with. Here in Silicon Valley we have access to thousands of innovative startups. Let us be your guide in the word of modern companies operating in manufacturing and supply chain management across such technologies as artificial intelligence, robotics and IoT.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Three Ideas On How To Modernize A Legacy Manufacturing Business","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":769,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-04-17 13:58:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-04-17 20:58:00","post_content":"\n

Three days, 16 famous Silicon Valley companies and a dozen innovation experts \u2013 that\u2019s how Toyota Material Handling (TMH) spent its corporate retreat in 2017. A European subdivision of Toyota Industries and a producer of equipment for logistics, TMH has for many years sent its executives from all over the world to an annual gathering to discuss strategy and the future of the brand.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The three-day executive immersion program we designed for the company was months in the planning so if the executives felt a little overwhelmed at times that meant they were learning, which was exactly the point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not that there was anything atypical about such lengthy preparations. As with all our programs we engaged Toyota in a thorough consultation process in order to zoom in on the major \u201cpain points\u201d of its business. Then we built a schedule to provide introductions to the kind of high-technology solutions Silicon Valley is famous for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This particular trip was for Toyota Material Handling (TMH), a division of the company entirely separate from - though not unrelated to - the Japanese manufacturer\u2019s more well-known carmaking business. Where the latter builds the Priuses, Corollas and Camrys which have become staples of world motoring, the former is concerned with the manufacture and supply of the forklifts and pallet trucks which help get the parts for those vehicles to the production line.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For us at Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) that meant putting together a program with an emphasis on finding novel solutions to the typical problems faced by enterprises in the manufacturing sector, namely, cost and time inefficiencies in areas like warehousing and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Answers, we knew, would come from technologies like internet of things and blockchain. But apart from visiting companies breaking new ground in these areas we also made sure to mix in sessions on corporate innovation at Google, Amazon and Microsoft. After all, getting access to new technology is the relatively easy part. Actually knowing how to get an organization to embrace that technology and get the most out of it is where the real work begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so, with the schedule finalized and the hotel rooms booked, the Toyota Material Handling team touched down in Silicon Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Internet of Things<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The development which today presents the most threats and opportunities to a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling is Internet of Things, or IoT.  We dedicated a large part of the Japanese enterprise\u2019s time in Silicon Valley to meetings with companies currently using the technology in their operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest and most advanced users of IoT anywhere in the world today is contract manufacturer Jabil. Touring its production facilities, the Toyota team saw something they could emulate: sensors and data collectors on everything from pallets to machines and a huge control room to go with them where all the collected information is processed. The practical application of all this technology use was made clear through the huge gains in efficiency it has generated for Jabil throughout the manufacturing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Verizon, meanwhile, the emphasis was placed on a parallel aspect of the IoT revolution with a focus on connectivity and 5G mobile broadband. The communications company opened Toyota\u2019s eyes to the huge realm of possibilities 5G will open for IoT and the changes this could bring in everything from supply chain to smart cities. What\u2019s more, the Toyota execs learned how Verizon stays abreast of the latest technology developments by actively buying up and partnering with a range of startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That knowledge on the startup scene in the IoT space was expanded further with a visit to Wearable World, an IoT accelerator. The CEO laid out the current state of the industry, with an angel investor also giving a presentation detailing for Toyota Material Handling how the company might make the most of IoT\u2019s potential through investment in startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those learnings came to the fore on day three of the program during a startup showcase, when Toyota met several early stage companies. Roambee, which offers real-time location and condition monitoring for shipments, further deepened the forklift manufacturer\u2019s understanding of IoT\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corporate Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};

Search

Latest

\n

Veo Robotics<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Veo Robotics is building intelligent collaborative robots or cobots, using advanced computer vision, 3D sensing, and artificial intelligence. The robotics for manufacturing startup, founded in 2016 and based in Waltham, Massachusetts, is bringing perception and intelligence to high-performance industrial robots. Through this innovative approach, Veo Robotics is bridging the gap between machine-only and human-only manufacturing processes. Veo Robotics has raised $28 million to date from Baidu Ventures, GV, Lux Capital, and Next47.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brain Corp.<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Brain Corp. is solving the challenge caused by fragmented robotics systems by creating a unified industry-agnostic robotics operating system. The company, founded in 2009 and supported by $125 million in funding from SoftBank, Qualcomm, and other investors, supports autonomous machine builders through its platform so they can build and deploy faster. Focusing on AI, Brain Corp. is powering intelligent machines, including industrial manufacturing robots, from the development phase through to the deployment and management phases. Brain Corp is headquartered in San Diego, California.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fetch Robotics<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Fetch Robotics is combining collaborative and intelligent Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR) with a cloud-based platform to offer on-demand automation. Leapfrogging the many challenges and bottlenecks involved in introducing automation to factory and warehouse floors, Fetch Robotics can deploy AMR solutions for material handling and data collection purposes within hours. Founded in 2014 and based in San Jose, California, the robotics for manufacturing and logistics startup has to date raised $48 million in venture capital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Machine-Human Collaboration<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the area of robotics for manufacturing becomes increasingly sophisticated, collaboration opportunities between robots and humans will abound. Where current tasks require segregated approaches with attendant inefficiencies, an increase in machine-human collaboration will unlock new levels of productivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the startups in this list and others continue to pioneer the future of manufacturing, the lesson to those in the manufacturing sector is clear \u2013 learn and follow fast and be ready to embrace the robotic future of manufacturing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


\n\n\n\n

Silicon Valley Manufacturing Industry Immersion Program<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Silicon Valley Innovation Center Manufacturing Industry immersion program<\/a> is designed as a highly-customized executive program tailored to the needs of your group of 10 people or more. The week-long manufacturing immersion program offers high-impact, learning experiences that explore in depth the emerging trends and the impact of disruptive technologies in the manufacturing industry.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Top Startups in Robotics for Manufacturing","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"top-startups-in-robotics-for-manufacturing","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-03-02 08:03:01","post_modified_gmt":"2020-03-02 16:03:01","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/top-startups-in-robotics-for-manufacturing\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":746,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-05-04 19:54:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-05-05 02:54:00","post_content":"\n

Transforming a large manufacturing business is impossible without deploying an array of automation and logistics innovations, such as robotics and artificial intelligence. It is also unimaginable without startup scouting, a practice of partnering with young and fast-moving companies to make innovation happen faster. All these things were on a checklist for a group of Sonepar executives who visited Silicon Valley Innovation Center in September 2017.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sonepar is a French manufacturer of electrical parts and products with a history that spans 45 years across 44 countries. If you have an old refrigerator or a vacuum cleaner at home, there\u2019s a good chance that it\u2019s using parts produced by Sonepar. Despite its glorious history, the company is currently struggling with fierce competition from Chinese manufacturers. Sonepar executives from Europe, America and Asia came to Silicon Valley to find solutions to this and their other ongoing challenges, namely growing  production costs combined with digital disruption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Companies we visited during a 3-day innovation program included Squadrone System, IngDan, Chariot, HP, SAP, UL Ventures, Jabil and others. At SVIC, our goal was to introduce the Sonepar delegates to the best ideas that could help them modernize their supply-chain and logistics business and equip them with the right tools to compete with e-commerce behemoths like Amazon. Here are some of the key takeaways from the trip as told by SVIC\u2019s director of business development Russel Climaco-Estardo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In order to stay afloat in the manufacturing business in our fast-paced digital era, companies need to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Digitize the supply-chain with smart drones<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Smart AI-powered drones help companies like Amazon automate warehousing. Sonepar executives admitted that their warehouses rely heavily on manual labor and use of paper. To show how drones can improve inventory control, we took our clients to Squadrone System. Eva Pagneux, the company\u2019s then VP of Strategy & Marketing  demonstrated how Sonepar can cut inventory time to minutes and increase data capture quality with a completely autonomous drone that navigates in alleys, guided by its companion app. She explained how a drone can fly in the evening and scan all the pallets and bars in its warehouse and log the data to a central inventory system. A fully digital, completely automated warehouse is the only way to build a scalable manufacturing business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/lWuLVTgWDTU\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Lower production costs with 3D-Printing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Using 3D-Printing to offset production and delivery costs instead of making products in bulk was another idea that came up during the trip. We paired the team with Hewlett-Packard Labs, an exploratory and advanced research group for HP Inc. HP Labs presented 3D-Printing technology capable of saving millions of dollars each year for a business like Sonepar. Instead of using traditional injection molding technology, Sonepar could use old blueprints to 3D print parts for outdated cars, machines and appliances that are not produced anymore. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3D-printing, or additive manufacturing, is a truly revolutionary technology, which is fast and relatively cheap. It gives engineers more time to be creative and inventive, in comparison with traditional manufacturing methods. 3D printing is a must-have for every manufacturing business on the path of digital transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Partner with innovative startups<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAcquihiring\u201d is becoming a thing of the past, says Climaco-Estardo. Instead of buying out interesting startups, manufacturing businesses need to find reliable partners to work with and embed themselves deeper into the innovation ecosystem. This was a cross-cutting theme of Sonepar\u2019s meetings with VC boutique Naiss, UL Ventures as well as a startup scouting workshop at SVIC. When a corporation acquires a young company, there\u2019s a good chance it will kill off the innovation. Using startups as service providers is a smarter strategy, as it makes it easier to get to the innovative technology without spending too much money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/uZvNmf7WOWk\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Innovation outpost<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a matter of three days, the Sonepar executives were able to get a grasp of what is shaping their industry and find inspiration to transform their business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe found some great startups to work with, that inspired us, challenged us and our thinking\u201d, said Jo Verbeek, President and Chairman at Sonepar, Asia-Pacific Region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a typical example of what we do at Silicon Valley Innovation Center. For most of our clients we are a first \u201cinnovation outpost\u201d. Businesses from around the globe use our services to broaden their innovation horizons and find valuable partners to work with. Here in Silicon Valley we have access to thousands of innovative startups. Let us be your guide in the word of modern companies operating in manufacturing and supply chain management across such technologies as artificial intelligence, robotics and IoT.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Three Ideas On How To Modernize A Legacy Manufacturing Business","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":769,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-04-17 13:58:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-04-17 20:58:00","post_content":"\n

Three days, 16 famous Silicon Valley companies and a dozen innovation experts \u2013 that\u2019s how Toyota Material Handling (TMH) spent its corporate retreat in 2017. A European subdivision of Toyota Industries and a producer of equipment for logistics, TMH has for many years sent its executives from all over the world to an annual gathering to discuss strategy and the future of the brand.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The three-day executive immersion program we designed for the company was months in the planning so if the executives felt a little overwhelmed at times that meant they were learning, which was exactly the point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not that there was anything atypical about such lengthy preparations. As with all our programs we engaged Toyota in a thorough consultation process in order to zoom in on the major \u201cpain points\u201d of its business. Then we built a schedule to provide introductions to the kind of high-technology solutions Silicon Valley is famous for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This particular trip was for Toyota Material Handling (TMH), a division of the company entirely separate from - though not unrelated to - the Japanese manufacturer\u2019s more well-known carmaking business. Where the latter builds the Priuses, Corollas and Camrys which have become staples of world motoring, the former is concerned with the manufacture and supply of the forklifts and pallet trucks which help get the parts for those vehicles to the production line.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For us at Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) that meant putting together a program with an emphasis on finding novel solutions to the typical problems faced by enterprises in the manufacturing sector, namely, cost and time inefficiencies in areas like warehousing and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Answers, we knew, would come from technologies like internet of things and blockchain. But apart from visiting companies breaking new ground in these areas we also made sure to mix in sessions on corporate innovation at Google, Amazon and Microsoft. After all, getting access to new technology is the relatively easy part. Actually knowing how to get an organization to embrace that technology and get the most out of it is where the real work begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so, with the schedule finalized and the hotel rooms booked, the Toyota Material Handling team touched down in Silicon Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Internet of Things<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The development which today presents the most threats and opportunities to a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling is Internet of Things, or IoT.  We dedicated a large part of the Japanese enterprise\u2019s time in Silicon Valley to meetings with companies currently using the technology in their operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest and most advanced users of IoT anywhere in the world today is contract manufacturer Jabil. Touring its production facilities, the Toyota team saw something they could emulate: sensors and data collectors on everything from pallets to machines and a huge control room to go with them where all the collected information is processed. The practical application of all this technology use was made clear through the huge gains in efficiency it has generated for Jabil throughout the manufacturing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Verizon, meanwhile, the emphasis was placed on a parallel aspect of the IoT revolution with a focus on connectivity and 5G mobile broadband. The communications company opened Toyota\u2019s eyes to the huge realm of possibilities 5G will open for IoT and the changes this could bring in everything from supply chain to smart cities. What\u2019s more, the Toyota execs learned how Verizon stays abreast of the latest technology developments by actively buying up and partnering with a range of startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That knowledge on the startup scene in the IoT space was expanded further with a visit to Wearable World, an IoT accelerator. The CEO laid out the current state of the industry, with an angel investor also giving a presentation detailing for Toyota Material Handling how the company might make the most of IoT\u2019s potential through investment in startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those learnings came to the fore on day three of the program during a startup showcase, when Toyota met several early stage companies. Roambee, which offers real-time location and condition monitoring for shipments, further deepened the forklift manufacturer\u2019s understanding of IoT\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corporate Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};

Search

Latest

\n

Grabit is using a revolutionary electroadhesion innovation to revolutionize grasping tasks in robotics, industrial automation, and material handling. Using the same energy that causes hair to stick to a statically charged balloon, the startup is reinventing how goods are handled on linear and gravity-fed conveyor belts. By introducing better goods handling, Grabit delivers load efficiency, higher operation density, and increased speed. Grabit, founded in 2013, is based in Sunnyvale, California and has raised $21 million to date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Veo Robotics<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Veo Robotics is building intelligent collaborative robots or cobots, using advanced computer vision, 3D sensing, and artificial intelligence. The robotics for manufacturing startup, founded in 2016 and based in Waltham, Massachusetts, is bringing perception and intelligence to high-performance industrial robots. Through this innovative approach, Veo Robotics is bridging the gap between machine-only and human-only manufacturing processes. Veo Robotics has raised $28 million to date from Baidu Ventures, GV, Lux Capital, and Next47.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brain Corp.<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Brain Corp. is solving the challenge caused by fragmented robotics systems by creating a unified industry-agnostic robotics operating system. The company, founded in 2009 and supported by $125 million in funding from SoftBank, Qualcomm, and other investors, supports autonomous machine builders through its platform so they can build and deploy faster. Focusing on AI, Brain Corp. is powering intelligent machines, including industrial manufacturing robots, from the development phase through to the deployment and management phases. Brain Corp is headquartered in San Diego, California.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fetch Robotics<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Fetch Robotics is combining collaborative and intelligent Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR) with a cloud-based platform to offer on-demand automation. Leapfrogging the many challenges and bottlenecks involved in introducing automation to factory and warehouse floors, Fetch Robotics can deploy AMR solutions for material handling and data collection purposes within hours. Founded in 2014 and based in San Jose, California, the robotics for manufacturing and logistics startup has to date raised $48 million in venture capital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Machine-Human Collaboration<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the area of robotics for manufacturing becomes increasingly sophisticated, collaboration opportunities between robots and humans will abound. Where current tasks require segregated approaches with attendant inefficiencies, an increase in machine-human collaboration will unlock new levels of productivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the startups in this list and others continue to pioneer the future of manufacturing, the lesson to those in the manufacturing sector is clear \u2013 learn and follow fast and be ready to embrace the robotic future of manufacturing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


\n\n\n\n

Silicon Valley Manufacturing Industry Immersion Program<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Silicon Valley Innovation Center Manufacturing Industry immersion program<\/a> is designed as a highly-customized executive program tailored to the needs of your group of 10 people or more. The week-long manufacturing immersion program offers high-impact, learning experiences that explore in depth the emerging trends and the impact of disruptive technologies in the manufacturing industry.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Top Startups in Robotics for Manufacturing","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"top-startups-in-robotics-for-manufacturing","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-03-02 08:03:01","post_modified_gmt":"2020-03-02 16:03:01","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/top-startups-in-robotics-for-manufacturing\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":746,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-05-04 19:54:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-05-05 02:54:00","post_content":"\n

Transforming a large manufacturing business is impossible without deploying an array of automation and logistics innovations, such as robotics and artificial intelligence. It is also unimaginable without startup scouting, a practice of partnering with young and fast-moving companies to make innovation happen faster. All these things were on a checklist for a group of Sonepar executives who visited Silicon Valley Innovation Center in September 2017.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sonepar is a French manufacturer of electrical parts and products with a history that spans 45 years across 44 countries. If you have an old refrigerator or a vacuum cleaner at home, there\u2019s a good chance that it\u2019s using parts produced by Sonepar. Despite its glorious history, the company is currently struggling with fierce competition from Chinese manufacturers. Sonepar executives from Europe, America and Asia came to Silicon Valley to find solutions to this and their other ongoing challenges, namely growing  production costs combined with digital disruption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Companies we visited during a 3-day innovation program included Squadrone System, IngDan, Chariot, HP, SAP, UL Ventures, Jabil and others. At SVIC, our goal was to introduce the Sonepar delegates to the best ideas that could help them modernize their supply-chain and logistics business and equip them with the right tools to compete with e-commerce behemoths like Amazon. Here are some of the key takeaways from the trip as told by SVIC\u2019s director of business development Russel Climaco-Estardo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In order to stay afloat in the manufacturing business in our fast-paced digital era, companies need to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Digitize the supply-chain with smart drones<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Smart AI-powered drones help companies like Amazon automate warehousing. Sonepar executives admitted that their warehouses rely heavily on manual labor and use of paper. To show how drones can improve inventory control, we took our clients to Squadrone System. Eva Pagneux, the company\u2019s then VP of Strategy & Marketing  demonstrated how Sonepar can cut inventory time to minutes and increase data capture quality with a completely autonomous drone that navigates in alleys, guided by its companion app. She explained how a drone can fly in the evening and scan all the pallets and bars in its warehouse and log the data to a central inventory system. A fully digital, completely automated warehouse is the only way to build a scalable manufacturing business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/lWuLVTgWDTU\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Lower production costs with 3D-Printing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Using 3D-Printing to offset production and delivery costs instead of making products in bulk was another idea that came up during the trip. We paired the team with Hewlett-Packard Labs, an exploratory and advanced research group for HP Inc. HP Labs presented 3D-Printing technology capable of saving millions of dollars each year for a business like Sonepar. Instead of using traditional injection molding technology, Sonepar could use old blueprints to 3D print parts for outdated cars, machines and appliances that are not produced anymore. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3D-printing, or additive manufacturing, is a truly revolutionary technology, which is fast and relatively cheap. It gives engineers more time to be creative and inventive, in comparison with traditional manufacturing methods. 3D printing is a must-have for every manufacturing business on the path of digital transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Partner with innovative startups<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAcquihiring\u201d is becoming a thing of the past, says Climaco-Estardo. Instead of buying out interesting startups, manufacturing businesses need to find reliable partners to work with and embed themselves deeper into the innovation ecosystem. This was a cross-cutting theme of Sonepar\u2019s meetings with VC boutique Naiss, UL Ventures as well as a startup scouting workshop at SVIC. When a corporation acquires a young company, there\u2019s a good chance it will kill off the innovation. Using startups as service providers is a smarter strategy, as it makes it easier to get to the innovative technology without spending too much money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/uZvNmf7WOWk\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Innovation outpost<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a matter of three days, the Sonepar executives were able to get a grasp of what is shaping their industry and find inspiration to transform their business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe found some great startups to work with, that inspired us, challenged us and our thinking\u201d, said Jo Verbeek, President and Chairman at Sonepar, Asia-Pacific Region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a typical example of what we do at Silicon Valley Innovation Center. For most of our clients we are a first \u201cinnovation outpost\u201d. Businesses from around the globe use our services to broaden their innovation horizons and find valuable partners to work with. Here in Silicon Valley we have access to thousands of innovative startups. Let us be your guide in the word of modern companies operating in manufacturing and supply chain management across such technologies as artificial intelligence, robotics and IoT.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Three Ideas On How To Modernize A Legacy Manufacturing Business","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":769,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-04-17 13:58:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-04-17 20:58:00","post_content":"\n

Three days, 16 famous Silicon Valley companies and a dozen innovation experts \u2013 that\u2019s how Toyota Material Handling (TMH) spent its corporate retreat in 2017. A European subdivision of Toyota Industries and a producer of equipment for logistics, TMH has for many years sent its executives from all over the world to an annual gathering to discuss strategy and the future of the brand.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The three-day executive immersion program we designed for the company was months in the planning so if the executives felt a little overwhelmed at times that meant they were learning, which was exactly the point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not that there was anything atypical about such lengthy preparations. As with all our programs we engaged Toyota in a thorough consultation process in order to zoom in on the major \u201cpain points\u201d of its business. Then we built a schedule to provide introductions to the kind of high-technology solutions Silicon Valley is famous for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This particular trip was for Toyota Material Handling (TMH), a division of the company entirely separate from - though not unrelated to - the Japanese manufacturer\u2019s more well-known carmaking business. Where the latter builds the Priuses, Corollas and Camrys which have become staples of world motoring, the former is concerned with the manufacture and supply of the forklifts and pallet trucks which help get the parts for those vehicles to the production line.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For us at Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) that meant putting together a program with an emphasis on finding novel solutions to the typical problems faced by enterprises in the manufacturing sector, namely, cost and time inefficiencies in areas like warehousing and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Answers, we knew, would come from technologies like internet of things and blockchain. But apart from visiting companies breaking new ground in these areas we also made sure to mix in sessions on corporate innovation at Google, Amazon and Microsoft. After all, getting access to new technology is the relatively easy part. Actually knowing how to get an organization to embrace that technology and get the most out of it is where the real work begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so, with the schedule finalized and the hotel rooms booked, the Toyota Material Handling team touched down in Silicon Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Internet of Things<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The development which today presents the most threats and opportunities to a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling is Internet of Things, or IoT.  We dedicated a large part of the Japanese enterprise\u2019s time in Silicon Valley to meetings with companies currently using the technology in their operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest and most advanced users of IoT anywhere in the world today is contract manufacturer Jabil. Touring its production facilities, the Toyota team saw something they could emulate: sensors and data collectors on everything from pallets to machines and a huge control room to go with them where all the collected information is processed. The practical application of all this technology use was made clear through the huge gains in efficiency it has generated for Jabil throughout the manufacturing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Verizon, meanwhile, the emphasis was placed on a parallel aspect of the IoT revolution with a focus on connectivity and 5G mobile broadband. The communications company opened Toyota\u2019s eyes to the huge realm of possibilities 5G will open for IoT and the changes this could bring in everything from supply chain to smart cities. What\u2019s more, the Toyota execs learned how Verizon stays abreast of the latest technology developments by actively buying up and partnering with a range of startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That knowledge on the startup scene in the IoT space was expanded further with a visit to Wearable World, an IoT accelerator. The CEO laid out the current state of the industry, with an angel investor also giving a presentation detailing for Toyota Material Handling how the company might make the most of IoT\u2019s potential through investment in startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those learnings came to the fore on day three of the program during a startup showcase, when Toyota met several early stage companies. Roambee, which offers real-time location and condition monitoring for shipments, further deepened the forklift manufacturer\u2019s understanding of IoT\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corporate Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};

Search

Latest

\n

Grabit<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Grabit is using a revolutionary electroadhesion innovation to revolutionize grasping tasks in robotics, industrial automation, and material handling. Using the same energy that causes hair to stick to a statically charged balloon, the startup is reinventing how goods are handled on linear and gravity-fed conveyor belts. By introducing better goods handling, Grabit delivers load efficiency, higher operation density, and increased speed. Grabit, founded in 2013, is based in Sunnyvale, California and has raised $21 million to date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Veo Robotics<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Veo Robotics is building intelligent collaborative robots or cobots, using advanced computer vision, 3D sensing, and artificial intelligence. The robotics for manufacturing startup, founded in 2016 and based in Waltham, Massachusetts, is bringing perception and intelligence to high-performance industrial robots. Through this innovative approach, Veo Robotics is bridging the gap between machine-only and human-only manufacturing processes. Veo Robotics has raised $28 million to date from Baidu Ventures, GV, Lux Capital, and Next47.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brain Corp.<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Brain Corp. is solving the challenge caused by fragmented robotics systems by creating a unified industry-agnostic robotics operating system. The company, founded in 2009 and supported by $125 million in funding from SoftBank, Qualcomm, and other investors, supports autonomous machine builders through its platform so they can build and deploy faster. Focusing on AI, Brain Corp. is powering intelligent machines, including industrial manufacturing robots, from the development phase through to the deployment and management phases. Brain Corp is headquartered in San Diego, California.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fetch Robotics<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Fetch Robotics is combining collaborative and intelligent Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR) with a cloud-based platform to offer on-demand automation. Leapfrogging the many challenges and bottlenecks involved in introducing automation to factory and warehouse floors, Fetch Robotics can deploy AMR solutions for material handling and data collection purposes within hours. Founded in 2014 and based in San Jose, California, the robotics for manufacturing and logistics startup has to date raised $48 million in venture capital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Machine-Human Collaboration<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the area of robotics for manufacturing becomes increasingly sophisticated, collaboration opportunities between robots and humans will abound. Where current tasks require segregated approaches with attendant inefficiencies, an increase in machine-human collaboration will unlock new levels of productivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the startups in this list and others continue to pioneer the future of manufacturing, the lesson to those in the manufacturing sector is clear \u2013 learn and follow fast and be ready to embrace the robotic future of manufacturing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


\n\n\n\n

Silicon Valley Manufacturing Industry Immersion Program<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Silicon Valley Innovation Center Manufacturing Industry immersion program<\/a> is designed as a highly-customized executive program tailored to the needs of your group of 10 people or more. The week-long manufacturing immersion program offers high-impact, learning experiences that explore in depth the emerging trends and the impact of disruptive technologies in the manufacturing industry.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Top Startups in Robotics for Manufacturing","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"top-startups-in-robotics-for-manufacturing","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-03-02 08:03:01","post_modified_gmt":"2020-03-02 16:03:01","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/top-startups-in-robotics-for-manufacturing\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":746,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-05-04 19:54:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-05-05 02:54:00","post_content":"\n

Transforming a large manufacturing business is impossible without deploying an array of automation and logistics innovations, such as robotics and artificial intelligence. It is also unimaginable without startup scouting, a practice of partnering with young and fast-moving companies to make innovation happen faster. All these things were on a checklist for a group of Sonepar executives who visited Silicon Valley Innovation Center in September 2017.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sonepar is a French manufacturer of electrical parts and products with a history that spans 45 years across 44 countries. If you have an old refrigerator or a vacuum cleaner at home, there\u2019s a good chance that it\u2019s using parts produced by Sonepar. Despite its glorious history, the company is currently struggling with fierce competition from Chinese manufacturers. Sonepar executives from Europe, America and Asia came to Silicon Valley to find solutions to this and their other ongoing challenges, namely growing  production costs combined with digital disruption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Companies we visited during a 3-day innovation program included Squadrone System, IngDan, Chariot, HP, SAP, UL Ventures, Jabil and others. At SVIC, our goal was to introduce the Sonepar delegates to the best ideas that could help them modernize their supply-chain and logistics business and equip them with the right tools to compete with e-commerce behemoths like Amazon. Here are some of the key takeaways from the trip as told by SVIC\u2019s director of business development Russel Climaco-Estardo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In order to stay afloat in the manufacturing business in our fast-paced digital era, companies need to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Digitize the supply-chain with smart drones<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Smart AI-powered drones help companies like Amazon automate warehousing. Sonepar executives admitted that their warehouses rely heavily on manual labor and use of paper. To show how drones can improve inventory control, we took our clients to Squadrone System. Eva Pagneux, the company\u2019s then VP of Strategy & Marketing  demonstrated how Sonepar can cut inventory time to minutes and increase data capture quality with a completely autonomous drone that navigates in alleys, guided by its companion app. She explained how a drone can fly in the evening and scan all the pallets and bars in its warehouse and log the data to a central inventory system. A fully digital, completely automated warehouse is the only way to build a scalable manufacturing business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/lWuLVTgWDTU\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Lower production costs with 3D-Printing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Using 3D-Printing to offset production and delivery costs instead of making products in bulk was another idea that came up during the trip. We paired the team with Hewlett-Packard Labs, an exploratory and advanced research group for HP Inc. HP Labs presented 3D-Printing technology capable of saving millions of dollars each year for a business like Sonepar. Instead of using traditional injection molding technology, Sonepar could use old blueprints to 3D print parts for outdated cars, machines and appliances that are not produced anymore. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3D-printing, or additive manufacturing, is a truly revolutionary technology, which is fast and relatively cheap. It gives engineers more time to be creative and inventive, in comparison with traditional manufacturing methods. 3D printing is a must-have for every manufacturing business on the path of digital transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Partner with innovative startups<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAcquihiring\u201d is becoming a thing of the past, says Climaco-Estardo. Instead of buying out interesting startups, manufacturing businesses need to find reliable partners to work with and embed themselves deeper into the innovation ecosystem. This was a cross-cutting theme of Sonepar\u2019s meetings with VC boutique Naiss, UL Ventures as well as a startup scouting workshop at SVIC. When a corporation acquires a young company, there\u2019s a good chance it will kill off the innovation. Using startups as service providers is a smarter strategy, as it makes it easier to get to the innovative technology without spending too much money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/uZvNmf7WOWk\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Innovation outpost<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a matter of three days, the Sonepar executives were able to get a grasp of what is shaping their industry and find inspiration to transform their business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe found some great startups to work with, that inspired us, challenged us and our thinking\u201d, said Jo Verbeek, President and Chairman at Sonepar, Asia-Pacific Region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a typical example of what we do at Silicon Valley Innovation Center. For most of our clients we are a first \u201cinnovation outpost\u201d. Businesses from around the globe use our services to broaden their innovation horizons and find valuable partners to work with. Here in Silicon Valley we have access to thousands of innovative startups. Let us be your guide in the word of modern companies operating in manufacturing and supply chain management across such technologies as artificial intelligence, robotics and IoT.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Three Ideas On How To Modernize A Legacy Manufacturing Business","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":769,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-04-17 13:58:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-04-17 20:58:00","post_content":"\n

Three days, 16 famous Silicon Valley companies and a dozen innovation experts \u2013 that\u2019s how Toyota Material Handling (TMH) spent its corporate retreat in 2017. A European subdivision of Toyota Industries and a producer of equipment for logistics, TMH has for many years sent its executives from all over the world to an annual gathering to discuss strategy and the future of the brand.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The three-day executive immersion program we designed for the company was months in the planning so if the executives felt a little overwhelmed at times that meant they were learning, which was exactly the point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not that there was anything atypical about such lengthy preparations. As with all our programs we engaged Toyota in a thorough consultation process in order to zoom in on the major \u201cpain points\u201d of its business. Then we built a schedule to provide introductions to the kind of high-technology solutions Silicon Valley is famous for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This particular trip was for Toyota Material Handling (TMH), a division of the company entirely separate from - though not unrelated to - the Japanese manufacturer\u2019s more well-known carmaking business. Where the latter builds the Priuses, Corollas and Camrys which have become staples of world motoring, the former is concerned with the manufacture and supply of the forklifts and pallet trucks which help get the parts for those vehicles to the production line.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For us at Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) that meant putting together a program with an emphasis on finding novel solutions to the typical problems faced by enterprises in the manufacturing sector, namely, cost and time inefficiencies in areas like warehousing and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Answers, we knew, would come from technologies like internet of things and blockchain. But apart from visiting companies breaking new ground in these areas we also made sure to mix in sessions on corporate innovation at Google, Amazon and Microsoft. After all, getting access to new technology is the relatively easy part. Actually knowing how to get an organization to embrace that technology and get the most out of it is where the real work begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so, with the schedule finalized and the hotel rooms booked, the Toyota Material Handling team touched down in Silicon Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Internet of Things<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The development which today presents the most threats and opportunities to a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling is Internet of Things, or IoT.  We dedicated a large part of the Japanese enterprise\u2019s time in Silicon Valley to meetings with companies currently using the technology in their operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest and most advanced users of IoT anywhere in the world today is contract manufacturer Jabil. Touring its production facilities, the Toyota team saw something they could emulate: sensors and data collectors on everything from pallets to machines and a huge control room to go with them where all the collected information is processed. The practical application of all this technology use was made clear through the huge gains in efficiency it has generated for Jabil throughout the manufacturing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Verizon, meanwhile, the emphasis was placed on a parallel aspect of the IoT revolution with a focus on connectivity and 5G mobile broadband. The communications company opened Toyota\u2019s eyes to the huge realm of possibilities 5G will open for IoT and the changes this could bring in everything from supply chain to smart cities. What\u2019s more, the Toyota execs learned how Verizon stays abreast of the latest technology developments by actively buying up and partnering with a range of startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That knowledge on the startup scene in the IoT space was expanded further with a visit to Wearable World, an IoT accelerator. The CEO laid out the current state of the industry, with an angel investor also giving a presentation detailing for Toyota Material Handling how the company might make the most of IoT\u2019s potential through investment in startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those learnings came to the fore on day three of the program during a startup showcase, when Toyota met several early stage companies. Roambee, which offers real-time location and condition monitoring for shipments, further deepened the forklift manufacturer\u2019s understanding of IoT\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corporate Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};

Search

Latest

\n

Seegrid is helping manufacturers run faster and more efficient production lines through autonomous infrastructure-free material-handling vehicles combined with a cloud fleet management system. With customers like Boeing, DHL, Whirlpool, and Zulily, Seegrid is reimagining autonomous vehicles for the factory floor. The manufacturing robotics startup, founded in 2003, has so far raised $59.5 million from Innovation Works, Giant Eagle, and other private equity investors. The robotics for manufacturing company has its headquarters in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grabit<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Grabit is using a revolutionary electroadhesion innovation to revolutionize grasping tasks in robotics, industrial automation, and material handling. Using the same energy that causes hair to stick to a statically charged balloon, the startup is reinventing how goods are handled on linear and gravity-fed conveyor belts. By introducing better goods handling, Grabit delivers load efficiency, higher operation density, and increased speed. Grabit, founded in 2013, is based in Sunnyvale, California and has raised $21 million to date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Veo Robotics<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Veo Robotics is building intelligent collaborative robots or cobots, using advanced computer vision, 3D sensing, and artificial intelligence. The robotics for manufacturing startup, founded in 2016 and based in Waltham, Massachusetts, is bringing perception and intelligence to high-performance industrial robots. Through this innovative approach, Veo Robotics is bridging the gap between machine-only and human-only manufacturing processes. Veo Robotics has raised $28 million to date from Baidu Ventures, GV, Lux Capital, and Next47.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brain Corp.<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Brain Corp. is solving the challenge caused by fragmented robotics systems by creating a unified industry-agnostic robotics operating system. The company, founded in 2009 and supported by $125 million in funding from SoftBank, Qualcomm, and other investors, supports autonomous machine builders through its platform so they can build and deploy faster. Focusing on AI, Brain Corp. is powering intelligent machines, including industrial manufacturing robots, from the development phase through to the deployment and management phases. Brain Corp is headquartered in San Diego, California.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fetch Robotics<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Fetch Robotics is combining collaborative and intelligent Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR) with a cloud-based platform to offer on-demand automation. Leapfrogging the many challenges and bottlenecks involved in introducing automation to factory and warehouse floors, Fetch Robotics can deploy AMR solutions for material handling and data collection purposes within hours. Founded in 2014 and based in San Jose, California, the robotics for manufacturing and logistics startup has to date raised $48 million in venture capital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Machine-Human Collaboration<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the area of robotics for manufacturing becomes increasingly sophisticated, collaboration opportunities between robots and humans will abound. Where current tasks require segregated approaches with attendant inefficiencies, an increase in machine-human collaboration will unlock new levels of productivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the startups in this list and others continue to pioneer the future of manufacturing, the lesson to those in the manufacturing sector is clear \u2013 learn and follow fast and be ready to embrace the robotic future of manufacturing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


\n\n\n\n

Silicon Valley Manufacturing Industry Immersion Program<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Silicon Valley Innovation Center Manufacturing Industry immersion program<\/a> is designed as a highly-customized executive program tailored to the needs of your group of 10 people or more. The week-long manufacturing immersion program offers high-impact, learning experiences that explore in depth the emerging trends and the impact of disruptive technologies in the manufacturing industry.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Top Startups in Robotics for Manufacturing","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"top-startups-in-robotics-for-manufacturing","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-03-02 08:03:01","post_modified_gmt":"2020-03-02 16:03:01","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/top-startups-in-robotics-for-manufacturing\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":746,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-05-04 19:54:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-05-05 02:54:00","post_content":"\n

Transforming a large manufacturing business is impossible without deploying an array of automation and logistics innovations, such as robotics and artificial intelligence. It is also unimaginable without startup scouting, a practice of partnering with young and fast-moving companies to make innovation happen faster. All these things were on a checklist for a group of Sonepar executives who visited Silicon Valley Innovation Center in September 2017.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sonepar is a French manufacturer of electrical parts and products with a history that spans 45 years across 44 countries. If you have an old refrigerator or a vacuum cleaner at home, there\u2019s a good chance that it\u2019s using parts produced by Sonepar. Despite its glorious history, the company is currently struggling with fierce competition from Chinese manufacturers. Sonepar executives from Europe, America and Asia came to Silicon Valley to find solutions to this and their other ongoing challenges, namely growing  production costs combined with digital disruption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Companies we visited during a 3-day innovation program included Squadrone System, IngDan, Chariot, HP, SAP, UL Ventures, Jabil and others. At SVIC, our goal was to introduce the Sonepar delegates to the best ideas that could help them modernize their supply-chain and logistics business and equip them with the right tools to compete with e-commerce behemoths like Amazon. Here are some of the key takeaways from the trip as told by SVIC\u2019s director of business development Russel Climaco-Estardo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In order to stay afloat in the manufacturing business in our fast-paced digital era, companies need to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Digitize the supply-chain with smart drones<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Smart AI-powered drones help companies like Amazon automate warehousing. Sonepar executives admitted that their warehouses rely heavily on manual labor and use of paper. To show how drones can improve inventory control, we took our clients to Squadrone System. Eva Pagneux, the company\u2019s then VP of Strategy & Marketing  demonstrated how Sonepar can cut inventory time to minutes and increase data capture quality with a completely autonomous drone that navigates in alleys, guided by its companion app. She explained how a drone can fly in the evening and scan all the pallets and bars in its warehouse and log the data to a central inventory system. A fully digital, completely automated warehouse is the only way to build a scalable manufacturing business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/lWuLVTgWDTU\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Lower production costs with 3D-Printing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Using 3D-Printing to offset production and delivery costs instead of making products in bulk was another idea that came up during the trip. We paired the team with Hewlett-Packard Labs, an exploratory and advanced research group for HP Inc. HP Labs presented 3D-Printing technology capable of saving millions of dollars each year for a business like Sonepar. Instead of using traditional injection molding technology, Sonepar could use old blueprints to 3D print parts for outdated cars, machines and appliances that are not produced anymore. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3D-printing, or additive manufacturing, is a truly revolutionary technology, which is fast and relatively cheap. It gives engineers more time to be creative and inventive, in comparison with traditional manufacturing methods. 3D printing is a must-have for every manufacturing business on the path of digital transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Partner with innovative startups<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAcquihiring\u201d is becoming a thing of the past, says Climaco-Estardo. Instead of buying out interesting startups, manufacturing businesses need to find reliable partners to work with and embed themselves deeper into the innovation ecosystem. This was a cross-cutting theme of Sonepar\u2019s meetings with VC boutique Naiss, UL Ventures as well as a startup scouting workshop at SVIC. When a corporation acquires a young company, there\u2019s a good chance it will kill off the innovation. Using startups as service providers is a smarter strategy, as it makes it easier to get to the innovative technology without spending too much money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/uZvNmf7WOWk\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Innovation outpost<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a matter of three days, the Sonepar executives were able to get a grasp of what is shaping their industry and find inspiration to transform their business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe found some great startups to work with, that inspired us, challenged us and our thinking\u201d, said Jo Verbeek, President and Chairman at Sonepar, Asia-Pacific Region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a typical example of what we do at Silicon Valley Innovation Center. For most of our clients we are a first \u201cinnovation outpost\u201d. Businesses from around the globe use our services to broaden their innovation horizons and find valuable partners to work with. Here in Silicon Valley we have access to thousands of innovative startups. Let us be your guide in the word of modern companies operating in manufacturing and supply chain management across such technologies as artificial intelligence, robotics and IoT.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Three Ideas On How To Modernize A Legacy Manufacturing Business","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":769,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-04-17 13:58:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-04-17 20:58:00","post_content":"\n

Three days, 16 famous Silicon Valley companies and a dozen innovation experts \u2013 that\u2019s how Toyota Material Handling (TMH) spent its corporate retreat in 2017. A European subdivision of Toyota Industries and a producer of equipment for logistics, TMH has for many years sent its executives from all over the world to an annual gathering to discuss strategy and the future of the brand.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The three-day executive immersion program we designed for the company was months in the planning so if the executives felt a little overwhelmed at times that meant they were learning, which was exactly the point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not that there was anything atypical about such lengthy preparations. As with all our programs we engaged Toyota in a thorough consultation process in order to zoom in on the major \u201cpain points\u201d of its business. Then we built a schedule to provide introductions to the kind of high-technology solutions Silicon Valley is famous for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This particular trip was for Toyota Material Handling (TMH), a division of the company entirely separate from - though not unrelated to - the Japanese manufacturer\u2019s more well-known carmaking business. Where the latter builds the Priuses, Corollas and Camrys which have become staples of world motoring, the former is concerned with the manufacture and supply of the forklifts and pallet trucks which help get the parts for those vehicles to the production line.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For us at Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) that meant putting together a program with an emphasis on finding novel solutions to the typical problems faced by enterprises in the manufacturing sector, namely, cost and time inefficiencies in areas like warehousing and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Answers, we knew, would come from technologies like internet of things and blockchain. But apart from visiting companies breaking new ground in these areas we also made sure to mix in sessions on corporate innovation at Google, Amazon and Microsoft. After all, getting access to new technology is the relatively easy part. Actually knowing how to get an organization to embrace that technology and get the most out of it is where the real work begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so, with the schedule finalized and the hotel rooms booked, the Toyota Material Handling team touched down in Silicon Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Internet of Things<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The development which today presents the most threats and opportunities to a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling is Internet of Things, or IoT.  We dedicated a large part of the Japanese enterprise\u2019s time in Silicon Valley to meetings with companies currently using the technology in their operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest and most advanced users of IoT anywhere in the world today is contract manufacturer Jabil. Touring its production facilities, the Toyota team saw something they could emulate: sensors and data collectors on everything from pallets to machines and a huge control room to go with them where all the collected information is processed. The practical application of all this technology use was made clear through the huge gains in efficiency it has generated for Jabil throughout the manufacturing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Verizon, meanwhile, the emphasis was placed on a parallel aspect of the IoT revolution with a focus on connectivity and 5G mobile broadband. The communications company opened Toyota\u2019s eyes to the huge realm of possibilities 5G will open for IoT and the changes this could bring in everything from supply chain to smart cities. What\u2019s more, the Toyota execs learned how Verizon stays abreast of the latest technology developments by actively buying up and partnering with a range of startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That knowledge on the startup scene in the IoT space was expanded further with a visit to Wearable World, an IoT accelerator. The CEO laid out the current state of the industry, with an angel investor also giving a presentation detailing for Toyota Material Handling how the company might make the most of IoT\u2019s potential through investment in startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those learnings came to the fore on day three of the program during a startup showcase, when Toyota met several early stage companies. Roambee, which offers real-time location and condition monitoring for shipments, further deepened the forklift manufacturer\u2019s understanding of IoT\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corporate Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};

Search

Latest

\n

Seegrid<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Seegrid is helping manufacturers run faster and more efficient production lines through autonomous infrastructure-free material-handling vehicles combined with a cloud fleet management system. With customers like Boeing, DHL, Whirlpool, and Zulily, Seegrid is reimagining autonomous vehicles for the factory floor. The manufacturing robotics startup, founded in 2003, has so far raised $59.5 million from Innovation Works, Giant Eagle, and other private equity investors. The robotics for manufacturing company has its headquarters in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grabit<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Grabit is using a revolutionary electroadhesion innovation to revolutionize grasping tasks in robotics, industrial automation, and material handling. Using the same energy that causes hair to stick to a statically charged balloon, the startup is reinventing how goods are handled on linear and gravity-fed conveyor belts. By introducing better goods handling, Grabit delivers load efficiency, higher operation density, and increased speed. Grabit, founded in 2013, is based in Sunnyvale, California and has raised $21 million to date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Veo Robotics<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Veo Robotics is building intelligent collaborative robots or cobots, using advanced computer vision, 3D sensing, and artificial intelligence. The robotics for manufacturing startup, founded in 2016 and based in Waltham, Massachusetts, is bringing perception and intelligence to high-performance industrial robots. Through this innovative approach, Veo Robotics is bridging the gap between machine-only and human-only manufacturing processes. Veo Robotics has raised $28 million to date from Baidu Ventures, GV, Lux Capital, and Next47.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brain Corp.<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Brain Corp. is solving the challenge caused by fragmented robotics systems by creating a unified industry-agnostic robotics operating system. The company, founded in 2009 and supported by $125 million in funding from SoftBank, Qualcomm, and other investors, supports autonomous machine builders through its platform so they can build and deploy faster. Focusing on AI, Brain Corp. is powering intelligent machines, including industrial manufacturing robots, from the development phase through to the deployment and management phases. Brain Corp is headquartered in San Diego, California.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fetch Robotics<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Fetch Robotics is combining collaborative and intelligent Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR) with a cloud-based platform to offer on-demand automation. Leapfrogging the many challenges and bottlenecks involved in introducing automation to factory and warehouse floors, Fetch Robotics can deploy AMR solutions for material handling and data collection purposes within hours. Founded in 2014 and based in San Jose, California, the robotics for manufacturing and logistics startup has to date raised $48 million in venture capital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Machine-Human Collaboration<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the area of robotics for manufacturing becomes increasingly sophisticated, collaboration opportunities between robots and humans will abound. Where current tasks require segregated approaches with attendant inefficiencies, an increase in machine-human collaboration will unlock new levels of productivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the startups in this list and others continue to pioneer the future of manufacturing, the lesson to those in the manufacturing sector is clear \u2013 learn and follow fast and be ready to embrace the robotic future of manufacturing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


\n\n\n\n

Silicon Valley Manufacturing Industry Immersion Program<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Silicon Valley Innovation Center Manufacturing Industry immersion program<\/a> is designed as a highly-customized executive program tailored to the needs of your group of 10 people or more. The week-long manufacturing immersion program offers high-impact, learning experiences that explore in depth the emerging trends and the impact of disruptive technologies in the manufacturing industry.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Top Startups in Robotics for Manufacturing","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"top-startups-in-robotics-for-manufacturing","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-03-02 08:03:01","post_modified_gmt":"2020-03-02 16:03:01","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/top-startups-in-robotics-for-manufacturing\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":746,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-05-04 19:54:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-05-05 02:54:00","post_content":"\n

Transforming a large manufacturing business is impossible without deploying an array of automation and logistics innovations, such as robotics and artificial intelligence. It is also unimaginable without startup scouting, a practice of partnering with young and fast-moving companies to make innovation happen faster. All these things were on a checklist for a group of Sonepar executives who visited Silicon Valley Innovation Center in September 2017.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sonepar is a French manufacturer of electrical parts and products with a history that spans 45 years across 44 countries. If you have an old refrigerator or a vacuum cleaner at home, there\u2019s a good chance that it\u2019s using parts produced by Sonepar. Despite its glorious history, the company is currently struggling with fierce competition from Chinese manufacturers. Sonepar executives from Europe, America and Asia came to Silicon Valley to find solutions to this and their other ongoing challenges, namely growing  production costs combined with digital disruption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Companies we visited during a 3-day innovation program included Squadrone System, IngDan, Chariot, HP, SAP, UL Ventures, Jabil and others. At SVIC, our goal was to introduce the Sonepar delegates to the best ideas that could help them modernize their supply-chain and logistics business and equip them with the right tools to compete with e-commerce behemoths like Amazon. Here are some of the key takeaways from the trip as told by SVIC\u2019s director of business development Russel Climaco-Estardo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In order to stay afloat in the manufacturing business in our fast-paced digital era, companies need to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Digitize the supply-chain with smart drones<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Smart AI-powered drones help companies like Amazon automate warehousing. Sonepar executives admitted that their warehouses rely heavily on manual labor and use of paper. To show how drones can improve inventory control, we took our clients to Squadrone System. Eva Pagneux, the company\u2019s then VP of Strategy & Marketing  demonstrated how Sonepar can cut inventory time to minutes and increase data capture quality with a completely autonomous drone that navigates in alleys, guided by its companion app. She explained how a drone can fly in the evening and scan all the pallets and bars in its warehouse and log the data to a central inventory system. A fully digital, completely automated warehouse is the only way to build a scalable manufacturing business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/lWuLVTgWDTU\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Lower production costs with 3D-Printing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Using 3D-Printing to offset production and delivery costs instead of making products in bulk was another idea that came up during the trip. We paired the team with Hewlett-Packard Labs, an exploratory and advanced research group for HP Inc. HP Labs presented 3D-Printing technology capable of saving millions of dollars each year for a business like Sonepar. Instead of using traditional injection molding technology, Sonepar could use old blueprints to 3D print parts for outdated cars, machines and appliances that are not produced anymore. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3D-printing, or additive manufacturing, is a truly revolutionary technology, which is fast and relatively cheap. It gives engineers more time to be creative and inventive, in comparison with traditional manufacturing methods. 3D printing is a must-have for every manufacturing business on the path of digital transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Partner with innovative startups<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAcquihiring\u201d is becoming a thing of the past, says Climaco-Estardo. Instead of buying out interesting startups, manufacturing businesses need to find reliable partners to work with and embed themselves deeper into the innovation ecosystem. This was a cross-cutting theme of Sonepar\u2019s meetings with VC boutique Naiss, UL Ventures as well as a startup scouting workshop at SVIC. When a corporation acquires a young company, there\u2019s a good chance it will kill off the innovation. Using startups as service providers is a smarter strategy, as it makes it easier to get to the innovative technology without spending too much money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/uZvNmf7WOWk\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Innovation outpost<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a matter of three days, the Sonepar executives were able to get a grasp of what is shaping their industry and find inspiration to transform their business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe found some great startups to work with, that inspired us, challenged us and our thinking\u201d, said Jo Verbeek, President and Chairman at Sonepar, Asia-Pacific Region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a typical example of what we do at Silicon Valley Innovation Center. For most of our clients we are a first \u201cinnovation outpost\u201d. Businesses from around the globe use our services to broaden their innovation horizons and find valuable partners to work with. Here in Silicon Valley we have access to thousands of innovative startups. Let us be your guide in the word of modern companies operating in manufacturing and supply chain management across such technologies as artificial intelligence, robotics and IoT.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Three Ideas On How To Modernize A Legacy Manufacturing Business","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":769,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-04-17 13:58:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-04-17 20:58:00","post_content":"\n

Three days, 16 famous Silicon Valley companies and a dozen innovation experts \u2013 that\u2019s how Toyota Material Handling (TMH) spent its corporate retreat in 2017. A European subdivision of Toyota Industries and a producer of equipment for logistics, TMH has for many years sent its executives from all over the world to an annual gathering to discuss strategy and the future of the brand.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The three-day executive immersion program we designed for the company was months in the planning so if the executives felt a little overwhelmed at times that meant they were learning, which was exactly the point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not that there was anything atypical about such lengthy preparations. As with all our programs we engaged Toyota in a thorough consultation process in order to zoom in on the major \u201cpain points\u201d of its business. Then we built a schedule to provide introductions to the kind of high-technology solutions Silicon Valley is famous for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This particular trip was for Toyota Material Handling (TMH), a division of the company entirely separate from - though not unrelated to - the Japanese manufacturer\u2019s more well-known carmaking business. Where the latter builds the Priuses, Corollas and Camrys which have become staples of world motoring, the former is concerned with the manufacture and supply of the forklifts and pallet trucks which help get the parts for those vehicles to the production line.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For us at Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) that meant putting together a program with an emphasis on finding novel solutions to the typical problems faced by enterprises in the manufacturing sector, namely, cost and time inefficiencies in areas like warehousing and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Answers, we knew, would come from technologies like internet of things and blockchain. But apart from visiting companies breaking new ground in these areas we also made sure to mix in sessions on corporate innovation at Google, Amazon and Microsoft. After all, getting access to new technology is the relatively easy part. Actually knowing how to get an organization to embrace that technology and get the most out of it is where the real work begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so, with the schedule finalized and the hotel rooms booked, the Toyota Material Handling team touched down in Silicon Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Internet of Things<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The development which today presents the most threats and opportunities to a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling is Internet of Things, or IoT.  We dedicated a large part of the Japanese enterprise\u2019s time in Silicon Valley to meetings with companies currently using the technology in their operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest and most advanced users of IoT anywhere in the world today is contract manufacturer Jabil. Touring its production facilities, the Toyota team saw something they could emulate: sensors and data collectors on everything from pallets to machines and a huge control room to go with them where all the collected information is processed. The practical application of all this technology use was made clear through the huge gains in efficiency it has generated for Jabil throughout the manufacturing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Verizon, meanwhile, the emphasis was placed on a parallel aspect of the IoT revolution with a focus on connectivity and 5G mobile broadband. The communications company opened Toyota\u2019s eyes to the huge realm of possibilities 5G will open for IoT and the changes this could bring in everything from supply chain to smart cities. What\u2019s more, the Toyota execs learned how Verizon stays abreast of the latest technology developments by actively buying up and partnering with a range of startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That knowledge on the startup scene in the IoT space was expanded further with a visit to Wearable World, an IoT accelerator. The CEO laid out the current state of the industry, with an angel investor also giving a presentation detailing for Toyota Material Handling how the company might make the most of IoT\u2019s potential through investment in startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those learnings came to the fore on day three of the program during a startup showcase, when Toyota met several early stage companies. Roambee, which offers real-time location and condition monitoring for shipments, further deepened the forklift manufacturer\u2019s understanding of IoT\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corporate Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};

Search

Latest

\n

UiPath is the Adobe for industrial process design. Building robotic process automation software, the company, founded in 2005, is using a platform approach to process design and execution. The company\u2019s core platform, UiPath Studio, offers visual automation modeling while its complementary services, UiPath Orchestrator and UiPath Robot, provide last-mile process execution. Some of the industries the robotics automation company serves include manufacturing, finance, and banking, healthcare, telecom, among others. UiPath, currently in late-stage venture funding, has raised $448 million to date. The robotics for manufacturing company, based in New York, has offices in London, Paris, Bucharest, Tokyo, Singapore, Bengaluru, and Melbourne.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seegrid<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Seegrid is helping manufacturers run faster and more efficient production lines through autonomous infrastructure-free material-handling vehicles combined with a cloud fleet management system. With customers like Boeing, DHL, Whirlpool, and Zulily, Seegrid is reimagining autonomous vehicles for the factory floor. The manufacturing robotics startup, founded in 2003, has so far raised $59.5 million from Innovation Works, Giant Eagle, and other private equity investors. The robotics for manufacturing company has its headquarters in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grabit<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Grabit is using a revolutionary electroadhesion innovation to revolutionize grasping tasks in robotics, industrial automation, and material handling. Using the same energy that causes hair to stick to a statically charged balloon, the startup is reinventing how goods are handled on linear and gravity-fed conveyor belts. By introducing better goods handling, Grabit delivers load efficiency, higher operation density, and increased speed. Grabit, founded in 2013, is based in Sunnyvale, California and has raised $21 million to date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Veo Robotics<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Veo Robotics is building intelligent collaborative robots or cobots, using advanced computer vision, 3D sensing, and artificial intelligence. The robotics for manufacturing startup, founded in 2016 and based in Waltham, Massachusetts, is bringing perception and intelligence to high-performance industrial robots. Through this innovative approach, Veo Robotics is bridging the gap between machine-only and human-only manufacturing processes. Veo Robotics has raised $28 million to date from Baidu Ventures, GV, Lux Capital, and Next47.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brain Corp.<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Brain Corp. is solving the challenge caused by fragmented robotics systems by creating a unified industry-agnostic robotics operating system. The company, founded in 2009 and supported by $125 million in funding from SoftBank, Qualcomm, and other investors, supports autonomous machine builders through its platform so they can build and deploy faster. Focusing on AI, Brain Corp. is powering intelligent machines, including industrial manufacturing robots, from the development phase through to the deployment and management phases. Brain Corp is headquartered in San Diego, California.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fetch Robotics<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Fetch Robotics is combining collaborative and intelligent Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR) with a cloud-based platform to offer on-demand automation. Leapfrogging the many challenges and bottlenecks involved in introducing automation to factory and warehouse floors, Fetch Robotics can deploy AMR solutions for material handling and data collection purposes within hours. Founded in 2014 and based in San Jose, California, the robotics for manufacturing and logistics startup has to date raised $48 million in venture capital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Machine-Human Collaboration<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the area of robotics for manufacturing becomes increasingly sophisticated, collaboration opportunities between robots and humans will abound. Where current tasks require segregated approaches with attendant inefficiencies, an increase in machine-human collaboration will unlock new levels of productivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the startups in this list and others continue to pioneer the future of manufacturing, the lesson to those in the manufacturing sector is clear \u2013 learn and follow fast and be ready to embrace the robotic future of manufacturing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


\n\n\n\n

Silicon Valley Manufacturing Industry Immersion Program<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Silicon Valley Innovation Center Manufacturing Industry immersion program<\/a> is designed as a highly-customized executive program tailored to the needs of your group of 10 people or more. The week-long manufacturing immersion program offers high-impact, learning experiences that explore in depth the emerging trends and the impact of disruptive technologies in the manufacturing industry.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Top Startups in Robotics for Manufacturing","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"top-startups-in-robotics-for-manufacturing","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-03-02 08:03:01","post_modified_gmt":"2020-03-02 16:03:01","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/top-startups-in-robotics-for-manufacturing\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":746,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-05-04 19:54:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-05-05 02:54:00","post_content":"\n

Transforming a large manufacturing business is impossible without deploying an array of automation and logistics innovations, such as robotics and artificial intelligence. It is also unimaginable without startup scouting, a practice of partnering with young and fast-moving companies to make innovation happen faster. All these things were on a checklist for a group of Sonepar executives who visited Silicon Valley Innovation Center in September 2017.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sonepar is a French manufacturer of electrical parts and products with a history that spans 45 years across 44 countries. If you have an old refrigerator or a vacuum cleaner at home, there\u2019s a good chance that it\u2019s using parts produced by Sonepar. Despite its glorious history, the company is currently struggling with fierce competition from Chinese manufacturers. Sonepar executives from Europe, America and Asia came to Silicon Valley to find solutions to this and their other ongoing challenges, namely growing  production costs combined with digital disruption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Companies we visited during a 3-day innovation program included Squadrone System, IngDan, Chariot, HP, SAP, UL Ventures, Jabil and others. At SVIC, our goal was to introduce the Sonepar delegates to the best ideas that could help them modernize their supply-chain and logistics business and equip them with the right tools to compete with e-commerce behemoths like Amazon. Here are some of the key takeaways from the trip as told by SVIC\u2019s director of business development Russel Climaco-Estardo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In order to stay afloat in the manufacturing business in our fast-paced digital era, companies need to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Digitize the supply-chain with smart drones<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Smart AI-powered drones help companies like Amazon automate warehousing. Sonepar executives admitted that their warehouses rely heavily on manual labor and use of paper. To show how drones can improve inventory control, we took our clients to Squadrone System. Eva Pagneux, the company\u2019s then VP of Strategy & Marketing  demonstrated how Sonepar can cut inventory time to minutes and increase data capture quality with a completely autonomous drone that navigates in alleys, guided by its companion app. She explained how a drone can fly in the evening and scan all the pallets and bars in its warehouse and log the data to a central inventory system. A fully digital, completely automated warehouse is the only way to build a scalable manufacturing business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/lWuLVTgWDTU\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Lower production costs with 3D-Printing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Using 3D-Printing to offset production and delivery costs instead of making products in bulk was another idea that came up during the trip. We paired the team with Hewlett-Packard Labs, an exploratory and advanced research group for HP Inc. HP Labs presented 3D-Printing technology capable of saving millions of dollars each year for a business like Sonepar. Instead of using traditional injection molding technology, Sonepar could use old blueprints to 3D print parts for outdated cars, machines and appliances that are not produced anymore. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3D-printing, or additive manufacturing, is a truly revolutionary technology, which is fast and relatively cheap. It gives engineers more time to be creative and inventive, in comparison with traditional manufacturing methods. 3D printing is a must-have for every manufacturing business on the path of digital transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Partner with innovative startups<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAcquihiring\u201d is becoming a thing of the past, says Climaco-Estardo. Instead of buying out interesting startups, manufacturing businesses need to find reliable partners to work with and embed themselves deeper into the innovation ecosystem. This was a cross-cutting theme of Sonepar\u2019s meetings with VC boutique Naiss, UL Ventures as well as a startup scouting workshop at SVIC. When a corporation acquires a young company, there\u2019s a good chance it will kill off the innovation. Using startups as service providers is a smarter strategy, as it makes it easier to get to the innovative technology without spending too much money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/uZvNmf7WOWk\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Innovation outpost<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a matter of three days, the Sonepar executives were able to get a grasp of what is shaping their industry and find inspiration to transform their business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe found some great startups to work with, that inspired us, challenged us and our thinking\u201d, said Jo Verbeek, President and Chairman at Sonepar, Asia-Pacific Region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a typical example of what we do at Silicon Valley Innovation Center. For most of our clients we are a first \u201cinnovation outpost\u201d. Businesses from around the globe use our services to broaden their innovation horizons and find valuable partners to work with. Here in Silicon Valley we have access to thousands of innovative startups. Let us be your guide in the word of modern companies operating in manufacturing and supply chain management across such technologies as artificial intelligence, robotics and IoT.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Three Ideas On How To Modernize A Legacy Manufacturing Business","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":769,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-04-17 13:58:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-04-17 20:58:00","post_content":"\n

Three days, 16 famous Silicon Valley companies and a dozen innovation experts \u2013 that\u2019s how Toyota Material Handling (TMH) spent its corporate retreat in 2017. A European subdivision of Toyota Industries and a producer of equipment for logistics, TMH has for many years sent its executives from all over the world to an annual gathering to discuss strategy and the future of the brand.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The three-day executive immersion program we designed for the company was months in the planning so if the executives felt a little overwhelmed at times that meant they were learning, which was exactly the point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not that there was anything atypical about such lengthy preparations. As with all our programs we engaged Toyota in a thorough consultation process in order to zoom in on the major \u201cpain points\u201d of its business. Then we built a schedule to provide introductions to the kind of high-technology solutions Silicon Valley is famous for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This particular trip was for Toyota Material Handling (TMH), a division of the company entirely separate from - though not unrelated to - the Japanese manufacturer\u2019s more well-known carmaking business. Where the latter builds the Priuses, Corollas and Camrys which have become staples of world motoring, the former is concerned with the manufacture and supply of the forklifts and pallet trucks which help get the parts for those vehicles to the production line.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For us at Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) that meant putting together a program with an emphasis on finding novel solutions to the typical problems faced by enterprises in the manufacturing sector, namely, cost and time inefficiencies in areas like warehousing and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Answers, we knew, would come from technologies like internet of things and blockchain. But apart from visiting companies breaking new ground in these areas we also made sure to mix in sessions on corporate innovation at Google, Amazon and Microsoft. After all, getting access to new technology is the relatively easy part. Actually knowing how to get an organization to embrace that technology and get the most out of it is where the real work begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so, with the schedule finalized and the hotel rooms booked, the Toyota Material Handling team touched down in Silicon Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Internet of Things<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The development which today presents the most threats and opportunities to a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling is Internet of Things, or IoT.  We dedicated a large part of the Japanese enterprise\u2019s time in Silicon Valley to meetings with companies currently using the technology in their operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest and most advanced users of IoT anywhere in the world today is contract manufacturer Jabil. Touring its production facilities, the Toyota team saw something they could emulate: sensors and data collectors on everything from pallets to machines and a huge control room to go with them where all the collected information is processed. The practical application of all this technology use was made clear through the huge gains in efficiency it has generated for Jabil throughout the manufacturing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Verizon, meanwhile, the emphasis was placed on a parallel aspect of the IoT revolution with a focus on connectivity and 5G mobile broadband. The communications company opened Toyota\u2019s eyes to the huge realm of possibilities 5G will open for IoT and the changes this could bring in everything from supply chain to smart cities. What\u2019s more, the Toyota execs learned how Verizon stays abreast of the latest technology developments by actively buying up and partnering with a range of startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That knowledge on the startup scene in the IoT space was expanded further with a visit to Wearable World, an IoT accelerator. The CEO laid out the current state of the industry, with an angel investor also giving a presentation detailing for Toyota Material Handling how the company might make the most of IoT\u2019s potential through investment in startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those learnings came to the fore on day three of the program during a startup showcase, when Toyota met several early stage companies. Roambee, which offers real-time location and condition monitoring for shipments, further deepened the forklift manufacturer\u2019s understanding of IoT\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corporate Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};

Search

Latest

\n

UiPath<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

UiPath is the Adobe for industrial process design. Building robotic process automation software, the company, founded in 2005, is using a platform approach to process design and execution. The company\u2019s core platform, UiPath Studio, offers visual automation modeling while its complementary services, UiPath Orchestrator and UiPath Robot, provide last-mile process execution. Some of the industries the robotics automation company serves include manufacturing, finance, and banking, healthcare, telecom, among others. UiPath, currently in late-stage venture funding, has raised $448 million to date. The robotics for manufacturing company, based in New York, has offices in London, Paris, Bucharest, Tokyo, Singapore, Bengaluru, and Melbourne.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seegrid<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Seegrid is helping manufacturers run faster and more efficient production lines through autonomous infrastructure-free material-handling vehicles combined with a cloud fleet management system. With customers like Boeing, DHL, Whirlpool, and Zulily, Seegrid is reimagining autonomous vehicles for the factory floor. The manufacturing robotics startup, founded in 2003, has so far raised $59.5 million from Innovation Works, Giant Eagle, and other private equity investors. The robotics for manufacturing company has its headquarters in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grabit<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Grabit is using a revolutionary electroadhesion innovation to revolutionize grasping tasks in robotics, industrial automation, and material handling. Using the same energy that causes hair to stick to a statically charged balloon, the startup is reinventing how goods are handled on linear and gravity-fed conveyor belts. By introducing better goods handling, Grabit delivers load efficiency, higher operation density, and increased speed. Grabit, founded in 2013, is based in Sunnyvale, California and has raised $21 million to date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Veo Robotics<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Veo Robotics is building intelligent collaborative robots or cobots, using advanced computer vision, 3D sensing, and artificial intelligence. The robotics for manufacturing startup, founded in 2016 and based in Waltham, Massachusetts, is bringing perception and intelligence to high-performance industrial robots. Through this innovative approach, Veo Robotics is bridging the gap between machine-only and human-only manufacturing processes. Veo Robotics has raised $28 million to date from Baidu Ventures, GV, Lux Capital, and Next47.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brain Corp.<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Brain Corp. is solving the challenge caused by fragmented robotics systems by creating a unified industry-agnostic robotics operating system. The company, founded in 2009 and supported by $125 million in funding from SoftBank, Qualcomm, and other investors, supports autonomous machine builders through its platform so they can build and deploy faster. Focusing on AI, Brain Corp. is powering intelligent machines, including industrial manufacturing robots, from the development phase through to the deployment and management phases. Brain Corp is headquartered in San Diego, California.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fetch Robotics<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Fetch Robotics is combining collaborative and intelligent Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR) with a cloud-based platform to offer on-demand automation. Leapfrogging the many challenges and bottlenecks involved in introducing automation to factory and warehouse floors, Fetch Robotics can deploy AMR solutions for material handling and data collection purposes within hours. Founded in 2014 and based in San Jose, California, the robotics for manufacturing and logistics startup has to date raised $48 million in venture capital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Machine-Human Collaboration<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the area of robotics for manufacturing becomes increasingly sophisticated, collaboration opportunities between robots and humans will abound. Where current tasks require segregated approaches with attendant inefficiencies, an increase in machine-human collaboration will unlock new levels of productivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the startups in this list and others continue to pioneer the future of manufacturing, the lesson to those in the manufacturing sector is clear \u2013 learn and follow fast and be ready to embrace the robotic future of manufacturing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


\n\n\n\n

Silicon Valley Manufacturing Industry Immersion Program<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Silicon Valley Innovation Center Manufacturing Industry immersion program<\/a> is designed as a highly-customized executive program tailored to the needs of your group of 10 people or more. The week-long manufacturing immersion program offers high-impact, learning experiences that explore in depth the emerging trends and the impact of disruptive technologies in the manufacturing industry.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Top Startups in Robotics for Manufacturing","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"top-startups-in-robotics-for-manufacturing","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-03-02 08:03:01","post_modified_gmt":"2020-03-02 16:03:01","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/top-startups-in-robotics-for-manufacturing\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":746,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-05-04 19:54:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-05-05 02:54:00","post_content":"\n

Transforming a large manufacturing business is impossible without deploying an array of automation and logistics innovations, such as robotics and artificial intelligence. It is also unimaginable without startup scouting, a practice of partnering with young and fast-moving companies to make innovation happen faster. All these things were on a checklist for a group of Sonepar executives who visited Silicon Valley Innovation Center in September 2017.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sonepar is a French manufacturer of electrical parts and products with a history that spans 45 years across 44 countries. If you have an old refrigerator or a vacuum cleaner at home, there\u2019s a good chance that it\u2019s using parts produced by Sonepar. Despite its glorious history, the company is currently struggling with fierce competition from Chinese manufacturers. Sonepar executives from Europe, America and Asia came to Silicon Valley to find solutions to this and their other ongoing challenges, namely growing  production costs combined with digital disruption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Companies we visited during a 3-day innovation program included Squadrone System, IngDan, Chariot, HP, SAP, UL Ventures, Jabil and others. At SVIC, our goal was to introduce the Sonepar delegates to the best ideas that could help them modernize their supply-chain and logistics business and equip them with the right tools to compete with e-commerce behemoths like Amazon. Here are some of the key takeaways from the trip as told by SVIC\u2019s director of business development Russel Climaco-Estardo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In order to stay afloat in the manufacturing business in our fast-paced digital era, companies need to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Digitize the supply-chain with smart drones<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Smart AI-powered drones help companies like Amazon automate warehousing. Sonepar executives admitted that their warehouses rely heavily on manual labor and use of paper. To show how drones can improve inventory control, we took our clients to Squadrone System. Eva Pagneux, the company\u2019s then VP of Strategy & Marketing  demonstrated how Sonepar can cut inventory time to minutes and increase data capture quality with a completely autonomous drone that navigates in alleys, guided by its companion app. She explained how a drone can fly in the evening and scan all the pallets and bars in its warehouse and log the data to a central inventory system. A fully digital, completely automated warehouse is the only way to build a scalable manufacturing business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/lWuLVTgWDTU\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Lower production costs with 3D-Printing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Using 3D-Printing to offset production and delivery costs instead of making products in bulk was another idea that came up during the trip. We paired the team with Hewlett-Packard Labs, an exploratory and advanced research group for HP Inc. HP Labs presented 3D-Printing technology capable of saving millions of dollars each year for a business like Sonepar. Instead of using traditional injection molding technology, Sonepar could use old blueprints to 3D print parts for outdated cars, machines and appliances that are not produced anymore. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3D-printing, or additive manufacturing, is a truly revolutionary technology, which is fast and relatively cheap. It gives engineers more time to be creative and inventive, in comparison with traditional manufacturing methods. 3D printing is a must-have for every manufacturing business on the path of digital transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Partner with innovative startups<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAcquihiring\u201d is becoming a thing of the past, says Climaco-Estardo. Instead of buying out interesting startups, manufacturing businesses need to find reliable partners to work with and embed themselves deeper into the innovation ecosystem. This was a cross-cutting theme of Sonepar\u2019s meetings with VC boutique Naiss, UL Ventures as well as a startup scouting workshop at SVIC. When a corporation acquires a young company, there\u2019s a good chance it will kill off the innovation. Using startups as service providers is a smarter strategy, as it makes it easier to get to the innovative technology without spending too much money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/uZvNmf7WOWk\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Innovation outpost<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a matter of three days, the Sonepar executives were able to get a grasp of what is shaping their industry and find inspiration to transform their business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe found some great startups to work with, that inspired us, challenged us and our thinking\u201d, said Jo Verbeek, President and Chairman at Sonepar, Asia-Pacific Region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a typical example of what we do at Silicon Valley Innovation Center. For most of our clients we are a first \u201cinnovation outpost\u201d. Businesses from around the globe use our services to broaden their innovation horizons and find valuable partners to work with. Here in Silicon Valley we have access to thousands of innovative startups. Let us be your guide in the word of modern companies operating in manufacturing and supply chain management across such technologies as artificial intelligence, robotics and IoT.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Three Ideas On How To Modernize A Legacy Manufacturing Business","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":769,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-04-17 13:58:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-04-17 20:58:00","post_content":"\n

Three days, 16 famous Silicon Valley companies and a dozen innovation experts \u2013 that\u2019s how Toyota Material Handling (TMH) spent its corporate retreat in 2017. A European subdivision of Toyota Industries and a producer of equipment for logistics, TMH has for many years sent its executives from all over the world to an annual gathering to discuss strategy and the future of the brand.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The three-day executive immersion program we designed for the company was months in the planning so if the executives felt a little overwhelmed at times that meant they were learning, which was exactly the point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not that there was anything atypical about such lengthy preparations. As with all our programs we engaged Toyota in a thorough consultation process in order to zoom in on the major \u201cpain points\u201d of its business. Then we built a schedule to provide introductions to the kind of high-technology solutions Silicon Valley is famous for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This particular trip was for Toyota Material Handling (TMH), a division of the company entirely separate from - though not unrelated to - the Japanese manufacturer\u2019s more well-known carmaking business. Where the latter builds the Priuses, Corollas and Camrys which have become staples of world motoring, the former is concerned with the manufacture and supply of the forklifts and pallet trucks which help get the parts for those vehicles to the production line.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For us at Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) that meant putting together a program with an emphasis on finding novel solutions to the typical problems faced by enterprises in the manufacturing sector, namely, cost and time inefficiencies in areas like warehousing and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Answers, we knew, would come from technologies like internet of things and blockchain. But apart from visiting companies breaking new ground in these areas we also made sure to mix in sessions on corporate innovation at Google, Amazon and Microsoft. After all, getting access to new technology is the relatively easy part. Actually knowing how to get an organization to embrace that technology and get the most out of it is where the real work begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so, with the schedule finalized and the hotel rooms booked, the Toyota Material Handling team touched down in Silicon Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Internet of Things<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The development which today presents the most threats and opportunities to a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling is Internet of Things, or IoT.  We dedicated a large part of the Japanese enterprise\u2019s time in Silicon Valley to meetings with companies currently using the technology in their operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest and most advanced users of IoT anywhere in the world today is contract manufacturer Jabil. Touring its production facilities, the Toyota team saw something they could emulate: sensors and data collectors on everything from pallets to machines and a huge control room to go with them where all the collected information is processed. The practical application of all this technology use was made clear through the huge gains in efficiency it has generated for Jabil throughout the manufacturing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Verizon, meanwhile, the emphasis was placed on a parallel aspect of the IoT revolution with a focus on connectivity and 5G mobile broadband. The communications company opened Toyota\u2019s eyes to the huge realm of possibilities 5G will open for IoT and the changes this could bring in everything from supply chain to smart cities. What\u2019s more, the Toyota execs learned how Verizon stays abreast of the latest technology developments by actively buying up and partnering with a range of startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That knowledge on the startup scene in the IoT space was expanded further with a visit to Wearable World, an IoT accelerator. The CEO laid out the current state of the industry, with an angel investor also giving a presentation detailing for Toyota Material Handling how the company might make the most of IoT\u2019s potential through investment in startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those learnings came to the fore on day three of the program during a startup showcase, when Toyota met several early stage companies. Roambee, which offers real-time location and condition monitoring for shipments, further deepened the forklift manufacturer\u2019s understanding of IoT\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corporate Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};

Search

Latest

\n

Ready Robotics is making it easy for manufacturers to deploy robots through an all-in-one robot programming terminal. The robotics for manufacturing startup\u2019s flagship product, the Forge Station, allows any manufacturer to program robots to complete a wide array of tasks without writing a single line of code. Ready Robotics is also pioneering robots-as-a-service, a service that can configure and deploy robots to customer facilities in thirty days or less. Ready Robotics, founded in 2016, is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio and has raised $18.8 million to date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

UiPath<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

UiPath is the Adobe for industrial process design. Building robotic process automation software, the company, founded in 2005, is using a platform approach to process design and execution. The company\u2019s core platform, UiPath Studio, offers visual automation modeling while its complementary services, UiPath Orchestrator and UiPath Robot, provide last-mile process execution. Some of the industries the robotics automation company serves include manufacturing, finance, and banking, healthcare, telecom, among others. UiPath, currently in late-stage venture funding, has raised $448 million to date. The robotics for manufacturing company, based in New York, has offices in London, Paris, Bucharest, Tokyo, Singapore, Bengaluru, and Melbourne.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seegrid<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Seegrid is helping manufacturers run faster and more efficient production lines through autonomous infrastructure-free material-handling vehicles combined with a cloud fleet management system. With customers like Boeing, DHL, Whirlpool, and Zulily, Seegrid is reimagining autonomous vehicles for the factory floor. The manufacturing robotics startup, founded in 2003, has so far raised $59.5 million from Innovation Works, Giant Eagle, and other private equity investors. The robotics for manufacturing company has its headquarters in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grabit<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Grabit is using a revolutionary electroadhesion innovation to revolutionize grasping tasks in robotics, industrial automation, and material handling. Using the same energy that causes hair to stick to a statically charged balloon, the startup is reinventing how goods are handled on linear and gravity-fed conveyor belts. By introducing better goods handling, Grabit delivers load efficiency, higher operation density, and increased speed. Grabit, founded in 2013, is based in Sunnyvale, California and has raised $21 million to date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Veo Robotics<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Veo Robotics is building intelligent collaborative robots or cobots, using advanced computer vision, 3D sensing, and artificial intelligence. The robotics for manufacturing startup, founded in 2016 and based in Waltham, Massachusetts, is bringing perception and intelligence to high-performance industrial robots. Through this innovative approach, Veo Robotics is bridging the gap between machine-only and human-only manufacturing processes. Veo Robotics has raised $28 million to date from Baidu Ventures, GV, Lux Capital, and Next47.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brain Corp.<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Brain Corp. is solving the challenge caused by fragmented robotics systems by creating a unified industry-agnostic robotics operating system. The company, founded in 2009 and supported by $125 million in funding from SoftBank, Qualcomm, and other investors, supports autonomous machine builders through its platform so they can build and deploy faster. Focusing on AI, Brain Corp. is powering intelligent machines, including industrial manufacturing robots, from the development phase through to the deployment and management phases. Brain Corp is headquartered in San Diego, California.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fetch Robotics<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Fetch Robotics is combining collaborative and intelligent Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR) with a cloud-based platform to offer on-demand automation. Leapfrogging the many challenges and bottlenecks involved in introducing automation to factory and warehouse floors, Fetch Robotics can deploy AMR solutions for material handling and data collection purposes within hours. Founded in 2014 and based in San Jose, California, the robotics for manufacturing and logistics startup has to date raised $48 million in venture capital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Machine-Human Collaboration<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the area of robotics for manufacturing becomes increasingly sophisticated, collaboration opportunities between robots and humans will abound. Where current tasks require segregated approaches with attendant inefficiencies, an increase in machine-human collaboration will unlock new levels of productivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the startups in this list and others continue to pioneer the future of manufacturing, the lesson to those in the manufacturing sector is clear \u2013 learn and follow fast and be ready to embrace the robotic future of manufacturing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


\n\n\n\n

Silicon Valley Manufacturing Industry Immersion Program<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Silicon Valley Innovation Center Manufacturing Industry immersion program<\/a> is designed as a highly-customized executive program tailored to the needs of your group of 10 people or more. The week-long manufacturing immersion program offers high-impact, learning experiences that explore in depth the emerging trends and the impact of disruptive technologies in the manufacturing industry.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Top Startups in Robotics for Manufacturing","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"top-startups-in-robotics-for-manufacturing","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-03-02 08:03:01","post_modified_gmt":"2020-03-02 16:03:01","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/top-startups-in-robotics-for-manufacturing\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":746,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-05-04 19:54:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-05-05 02:54:00","post_content":"\n

Transforming a large manufacturing business is impossible without deploying an array of automation and logistics innovations, such as robotics and artificial intelligence. It is also unimaginable without startup scouting, a practice of partnering with young and fast-moving companies to make innovation happen faster. All these things were on a checklist for a group of Sonepar executives who visited Silicon Valley Innovation Center in September 2017.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sonepar is a French manufacturer of electrical parts and products with a history that spans 45 years across 44 countries. If you have an old refrigerator or a vacuum cleaner at home, there\u2019s a good chance that it\u2019s using parts produced by Sonepar. Despite its glorious history, the company is currently struggling with fierce competition from Chinese manufacturers. Sonepar executives from Europe, America and Asia came to Silicon Valley to find solutions to this and their other ongoing challenges, namely growing  production costs combined with digital disruption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Companies we visited during a 3-day innovation program included Squadrone System, IngDan, Chariot, HP, SAP, UL Ventures, Jabil and others. At SVIC, our goal was to introduce the Sonepar delegates to the best ideas that could help them modernize their supply-chain and logistics business and equip them with the right tools to compete with e-commerce behemoths like Amazon. Here are some of the key takeaways from the trip as told by SVIC\u2019s director of business development Russel Climaco-Estardo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In order to stay afloat in the manufacturing business in our fast-paced digital era, companies need to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Digitize the supply-chain with smart drones<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Smart AI-powered drones help companies like Amazon automate warehousing. Sonepar executives admitted that their warehouses rely heavily on manual labor and use of paper. To show how drones can improve inventory control, we took our clients to Squadrone System. Eva Pagneux, the company\u2019s then VP of Strategy & Marketing  demonstrated how Sonepar can cut inventory time to minutes and increase data capture quality with a completely autonomous drone that navigates in alleys, guided by its companion app. She explained how a drone can fly in the evening and scan all the pallets and bars in its warehouse and log the data to a central inventory system. A fully digital, completely automated warehouse is the only way to build a scalable manufacturing business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/lWuLVTgWDTU\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Lower production costs with 3D-Printing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Using 3D-Printing to offset production and delivery costs instead of making products in bulk was another idea that came up during the trip. We paired the team with Hewlett-Packard Labs, an exploratory and advanced research group for HP Inc. HP Labs presented 3D-Printing technology capable of saving millions of dollars each year for a business like Sonepar. Instead of using traditional injection molding technology, Sonepar could use old blueprints to 3D print parts for outdated cars, machines and appliances that are not produced anymore. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3D-printing, or additive manufacturing, is a truly revolutionary technology, which is fast and relatively cheap. It gives engineers more time to be creative and inventive, in comparison with traditional manufacturing methods. 3D printing is a must-have for every manufacturing business on the path of digital transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Partner with innovative startups<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAcquihiring\u201d is becoming a thing of the past, says Climaco-Estardo. Instead of buying out interesting startups, manufacturing businesses need to find reliable partners to work with and embed themselves deeper into the innovation ecosystem. This was a cross-cutting theme of Sonepar\u2019s meetings with VC boutique Naiss, UL Ventures as well as a startup scouting workshop at SVIC. When a corporation acquires a young company, there\u2019s a good chance it will kill off the innovation. Using startups as service providers is a smarter strategy, as it makes it easier to get to the innovative technology without spending too much money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/uZvNmf7WOWk\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Innovation outpost<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a matter of three days, the Sonepar executives were able to get a grasp of what is shaping their industry and find inspiration to transform their business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe found some great startups to work with, that inspired us, challenged us and our thinking\u201d, said Jo Verbeek, President and Chairman at Sonepar, Asia-Pacific Region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a typical example of what we do at Silicon Valley Innovation Center. For most of our clients we are a first \u201cinnovation outpost\u201d. Businesses from around the globe use our services to broaden their innovation horizons and find valuable partners to work with. Here in Silicon Valley we have access to thousands of innovative startups. Let us be your guide in the word of modern companies operating in manufacturing and supply chain management across such technologies as artificial intelligence, robotics and IoT.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Three Ideas On How To Modernize A Legacy Manufacturing Business","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":769,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-04-17 13:58:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-04-17 20:58:00","post_content":"\n

Three days, 16 famous Silicon Valley companies and a dozen innovation experts \u2013 that\u2019s how Toyota Material Handling (TMH) spent its corporate retreat in 2017. A European subdivision of Toyota Industries and a producer of equipment for logistics, TMH has for many years sent its executives from all over the world to an annual gathering to discuss strategy and the future of the brand.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The three-day executive immersion program we designed for the company was months in the planning so if the executives felt a little overwhelmed at times that meant they were learning, which was exactly the point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not that there was anything atypical about such lengthy preparations. As with all our programs we engaged Toyota in a thorough consultation process in order to zoom in on the major \u201cpain points\u201d of its business. Then we built a schedule to provide introductions to the kind of high-technology solutions Silicon Valley is famous for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This particular trip was for Toyota Material Handling (TMH), a division of the company entirely separate from - though not unrelated to - the Japanese manufacturer\u2019s more well-known carmaking business. Where the latter builds the Priuses, Corollas and Camrys which have become staples of world motoring, the former is concerned with the manufacture and supply of the forklifts and pallet trucks which help get the parts for those vehicles to the production line.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For us at Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) that meant putting together a program with an emphasis on finding novel solutions to the typical problems faced by enterprises in the manufacturing sector, namely, cost and time inefficiencies in areas like warehousing and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Answers, we knew, would come from technologies like internet of things and blockchain. But apart from visiting companies breaking new ground in these areas we also made sure to mix in sessions on corporate innovation at Google, Amazon and Microsoft. After all, getting access to new technology is the relatively easy part. Actually knowing how to get an organization to embrace that technology and get the most out of it is where the real work begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so, with the schedule finalized and the hotel rooms booked, the Toyota Material Handling team touched down in Silicon Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Internet of Things<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The development which today presents the most threats and opportunities to a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling is Internet of Things, or IoT.  We dedicated a large part of the Japanese enterprise\u2019s time in Silicon Valley to meetings with companies currently using the technology in their operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest and most advanced users of IoT anywhere in the world today is contract manufacturer Jabil. Touring its production facilities, the Toyota team saw something they could emulate: sensors and data collectors on everything from pallets to machines and a huge control room to go with them where all the collected information is processed. The practical application of all this technology use was made clear through the huge gains in efficiency it has generated for Jabil throughout the manufacturing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Verizon, meanwhile, the emphasis was placed on a parallel aspect of the IoT revolution with a focus on connectivity and 5G mobile broadband. The communications company opened Toyota\u2019s eyes to the huge realm of possibilities 5G will open for IoT and the changes this could bring in everything from supply chain to smart cities. What\u2019s more, the Toyota execs learned how Verizon stays abreast of the latest technology developments by actively buying up and partnering with a range of startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That knowledge on the startup scene in the IoT space was expanded further with a visit to Wearable World, an IoT accelerator. The CEO laid out the current state of the industry, with an angel investor also giving a presentation detailing for Toyota Material Handling how the company might make the most of IoT\u2019s potential through investment in startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those learnings came to the fore on day three of the program during a startup showcase, when Toyota met several early stage companies. Roambee, which offers real-time location and condition monitoring for shipments, further deepened the forklift manufacturer\u2019s understanding of IoT\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corporate Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};

Search

Latest

\n

Ready Robotics<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ready Robotics is making it easy for manufacturers to deploy robots through an all-in-one robot programming terminal. The robotics for manufacturing startup\u2019s flagship product, the Forge Station, allows any manufacturer to program robots to complete a wide array of tasks without writing a single line of code. Ready Robotics is also pioneering robots-as-a-service, a service that can configure and deploy robots to customer facilities in thirty days or less. Ready Robotics, founded in 2016, is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio and has raised $18.8 million to date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

UiPath<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

UiPath is the Adobe for industrial process design. Building robotic process automation software, the company, founded in 2005, is using a platform approach to process design and execution. The company\u2019s core platform, UiPath Studio, offers visual automation modeling while its complementary services, UiPath Orchestrator and UiPath Robot, provide last-mile process execution. Some of the industries the robotics automation company serves include manufacturing, finance, and banking, healthcare, telecom, among others. UiPath, currently in late-stage venture funding, has raised $448 million to date. The robotics for manufacturing company, based in New York, has offices in London, Paris, Bucharest, Tokyo, Singapore, Bengaluru, and Melbourne.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seegrid<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Seegrid is helping manufacturers run faster and more efficient production lines through autonomous infrastructure-free material-handling vehicles combined with a cloud fleet management system. With customers like Boeing, DHL, Whirlpool, and Zulily, Seegrid is reimagining autonomous vehicles for the factory floor. The manufacturing robotics startup, founded in 2003, has so far raised $59.5 million from Innovation Works, Giant Eagle, and other private equity investors. The robotics for manufacturing company has its headquarters in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grabit<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Grabit is using a revolutionary electroadhesion innovation to revolutionize grasping tasks in robotics, industrial automation, and material handling. Using the same energy that causes hair to stick to a statically charged balloon, the startup is reinventing how goods are handled on linear and gravity-fed conveyor belts. By introducing better goods handling, Grabit delivers load efficiency, higher operation density, and increased speed. Grabit, founded in 2013, is based in Sunnyvale, California and has raised $21 million to date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Veo Robotics<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Veo Robotics is building intelligent collaborative robots or cobots, using advanced computer vision, 3D sensing, and artificial intelligence. The robotics for manufacturing startup, founded in 2016 and based in Waltham, Massachusetts, is bringing perception and intelligence to high-performance industrial robots. Through this innovative approach, Veo Robotics is bridging the gap between machine-only and human-only manufacturing processes. Veo Robotics has raised $28 million to date from Baidu Ventures, GV, Lux Capital, and Next47.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brain Corp.<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Brain Corp. is solving the challenge caused by fragmented robotics systems by creating a unified industry-agnostic robotics operating system. The company, founded in 2009 and supported by $125 million in funding from SoftBank, Qualcomm, and other investors, supports autonomous machine builders through its platform so they can build and deploy faster. Focusing on AI, Brain Corp. is powering intelligent machines, including industrial manufacturing robots, from the development phase through to the deployment and management phases. Brain Corp is headquartered in San Diego, California.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fetch Robotics<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Fetch Robotics is combining collaborative and intelligent Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR) with a cloud-based platform to offer on-demand automation. Leapfrogging the many challenges and bottlenecks involved in introducing automation to factory and warehouse floors, Fetch Robotics can deploy AMR solutions for material handling and data collection purposes within hours. Founded in 2014 and based in San Jose, California, the robotics for manufacturing and logistics startup has to date raised $48 million in venture capital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Machine-Human Collaboration<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the area of robotics for manufacturing becomes increasingly sophisticated, collaboration opportunities between robots and humans will abound. Where current tasks require segregated approaches with attendant inefficiencies, an increase in machine-human collaboration will unlock new levels of productivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the startups in this list and others continue to pioneer the future of manufacturing, the lesson to those in the manufacturing sector is clear \u2013 learn and follow fast and be ready to embrace the robotic future of manufacturing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


\n\n\n\n

Silicon Valley Manufacturing Industry Immersion Program<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Silicon Valley Innovation Center Manufacturing Industry immersion program<\/a> is designed as a highly-customized executive program tailored to the needs of your group of 10 people or more. The week-long manufacturing immersion program offers high-impact, learning experiences that explore in depth the emerging trends and the impact of disruptive technologies in the manufacturing industry.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Top Startups in Robotics for Manufacturing","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"top-startups-in-robotics-for-manufacturing","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-03-02 08:03:01","post_modified_gmt":"2020-03-02 16:03:01","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/top-startups-in-robotics-for-manufacturing\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":746,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-05-04 19:54:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-05-05 02:54:00","post_content":"\n

Transforming a large manufacturing business is impossible without deploying an array of automation and logistics innovations, such as robotics and artificial intelligence. It is also unimaginable without startup scouting, a practice of partnering with young and fast-moving companies to make innovation happen faster. All these things were on a checklist for a group of Sonepar executives who visited Silicon Valley Innovation Center in September 2017.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sonepar is a French manufacturer of electrical parts and products with a history that spans 45 years across 44 countries. If you have an old refrigerator or a vacuum cleaner at home, there\u2019s a good chance that it\u2019s using parts produced by Sonepar. Despite its glorious history, the company is currently struggling with fierce competition from Chinese manufacturers. Sonepar executives from Europe, America and Asia came to Silicon Valley to find solutions to this and their other ongoing challenges, namely growing  production costs combined with digital disruption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Companies we visited during a 3-day innovation program included Squadrone System, IngDan, Chariot, HP, SAP, UL Ventures, Jabil and others. At SVIC, our goal was to introduce the Sonepar delegates to the best ideas that could help them modernize their supply-chain and logistics business and equip them with the right tools to compete with e-commerce behemoths like Amazon. Here are some of the key takeaways from the trip as told by SVIC\u2019s director of business development Russel Climaco-Estardo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In order to stay afloat in the manufacturing business in our fast-paced digital era, companies need to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Digitize the supply-chain with smart drones<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Smart AI-powered drones help companies like Amazon automate warehousing. Sonepar executives admitted that their warehouses rely heavily on manual labor and use of paper. To show how drones can improve inventory control, we took our clients to Squadrone System. Eva Pagneux, the company\u2019s then VP of Strategy & Marketing  demonstrated how Sonepar can cut inventory time to minutes and increase data capture quality with a completely autonomous drone that navigates in alleys, guided by its companion app. She explained how a drone can fly in the evening and scan all the pallets and bars in its warehouse and log the data to a central inventory system. A fully digital, completely automated warehouse is the only way to build a scalable manufacturing business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/lWuLVTgWDTU\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Lower production costs with 3D-Printing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Using 3D-Printing to offset production and delivery costs instead of making products in bulk was another idea that came up during the trip. We paired the team with Hewlett-Packard Labs, an exploratory and advanced research group for HP Inc. HP Labs presented 3D-Printing technology capable of saving millions of dollars each year for a business like Sonepar. Instead of using traditional injection molding technology, Sonepar could use old blueprints to 3D print parts for outdated cars, machines and appliances that are not produced anymore. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3D-printing, or additive manufacturing, is a truly revolutionary technology, which is fast and relatively cheap. It gives engineers more time to be creative and inventive, in comparison with traditional manufacturing methods. 3D printing is a must-have for every manufacturing business on the path of digital transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Partner with innovative startups<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAcquihiring\u201d is becoming a thing of the past, says Climaco-Estardo. Instead of buying out interesting startups, manufacturing businesses need to find reliable partners to work with and embed themselves deeper into the innovation ecosystem. This was a cross-cutting theme of Sonepar\u2019s meetings with VC boutique Naiss, UL Ventures as well as a startup scouting workshop at SVIC. When a corporation acquires a young company, there\u2019s a good chance it will kill off the innovation. Using startups as service providers is a smarter strategy, as it makes it easier to get to the innovative technology without spending too much money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/uZvNmf7WOWk\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Innovation outpost<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a matter of three days, the Sonepar executives were able to get a grasp of what is shaping their industry and find inspiration to transform their business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe found some great startups to work with, that inspired us, challenged us and our thinking\u201d, said Jo Verbeek, President and Chairman at Sonepar, Asia-Pacific Region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a typical example of what we do at Silicon Valley Innovation Center. For most of our clients we are a first \u201cinnovation outpost\u201d. Businesses from around the globe use our services to broaden their innovation horizons and find valuable partners to work with. Here in Silicon Valley we have access to thousands of innovative startups. Let us be your guide in the word of modern companies operating in manufacturing and supply chain management across such technologies as artificial intelligence, robotics and IoT.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Three Ideas On How To Modernize A Legacy Manufacturing Business","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":769,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-04-17 13:58:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-04-17 20:58:00","post_content":"\n

Three days, 16 famous Silicon Valley companies and a dozen innovation experts \u2013 that\u2019s how Toyota Material Handling (TMH) spent its corporate retreat in 2017. A European subdivision of Toyota Industries and a producer of equipment for logistics, TMH has for many years sent its executives from all over the world to an annual gathering to discuss strategy and the future of the brand.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The three-day executive immersion program we designed for the company was months in the planning so if the executives felt a little overwhelmed at times that meant they were learning, which was exactly the point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not that there was anything atypical about such lengthy preparations. As with all our programs we engaged Toyota in a thorough consultation process in order to zoom in on the major \u201cpain points\u201d of its business. Then we built a schedule to provide introductions to the kind of high-technology solutions Silicon Valley is famous for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This particular trip was for Toyota Material Handling (TMH), a division of the company entirely separate from - though not unrelated to - the Japanese manufacturer\u2019s more well-known carmaking business. Where the latter builds the Priuses, Corollas and Camrys which have become staples of world motoring, the former is concerned with the manufacture and supply of the forklifts and pallet trucks which help get the parts for those vehicles to the production line.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For us at Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) that meant putting together a program with an emphasis on finding novel solutions to the typical problems faced by enterprises in the manufacturing sector, namely, cost and time inefficiencies in areas like warehousing and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Answers, we knew, would come from technologies like internet of things and blockchain. But apart from visiting companies breaking new ground in these areas we also made sure to mix in sessions on corporate innovation at Google, Amazon and Microsoft. After all, getting access to new technology is the relatively easy part. Actually knowing how to get an organization to embrace that technology and get the most out of it is where the real work begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so, with the schedule finalized and the hotel rooms booked, the Toyota Material Handling team touched down in Silicon Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Internet of Things<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The development which today presents the most threats and opportunities to a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling is Internet of Things, or IoT.  We dedicated a large part of the Japanese enterprise\u2019s time in Silicon Valley to meetings with companies currently using the technology in their operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest and most advanced users of IoT anywhere in the world today is contract manufacturer Jabil. Touring its production facilities, the Toyota team saw something they could emulate: sensors and data collectors on everything from pallets to machines and a huge control room to go with them where all the collected information is processed. The practical application of all this technology use was made clear through the huge gains in efficiency it has generated for Jabil throughout the manufacturing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Verizon, meanwhile, the emphasis was placed on a parallel aspect of the IoT revolution with a focus on connectivity and 5G mobile broadband. The communications company opened Toyota\u2019s eyes to the huge realm of possibilities 5G will open for IoT and the changes this could bring in everything from supply chain to smart cities. What\u2019s more, the Toyota execs learned how Verizon stays abreast of the latest technology developments by actively buying up and partnering with a range of startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That knowledge on the startup scene in the IoT space was expanded further with a visit to Wearable World, an IoT accelerator. The CEO laid out the current state of the industry, with an angel investor also giving a presentation detailing for Toyota Material Handling how the company might make the most of IoT\u2019s potential through investment in startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those learnings came to the fore on day three of the program during a startup showcase, when Toyota met several early stage companies. Roambee, which offers real-time location and condition monitoring for shipments, further deepened the forklift manufacturer\u2019s understanding of IoT\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corporate Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};

Search

Latest

\n

The Watertown, Massachusetts startup, founded in 2013, is using a proprietary 3D printing technique that utilizes advanced materials such as nylon, reinforced continuous fiber, chopped carbon fiber, and metal to create end-use composite material parts. The robotics for manufacturing startup is applying this unique approach to upend traditional 3D printing and numerous traditional manufacturing techniques, in the process delivering substantial cost, efficiency, and time savings. Markforged, currently in late-stage venture funding, has raised $136.8 million to date and has grown 12,687 percent from 2015 to 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ready Robotics<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ready Robotics is making it easy for manufacturers to deploy robots through an all-in-one robot programming terminal. The robotics for manufacturing startup\u2019s flagship product, the Forge Station, allows any manufacturer to program robots to complete a wide array of tasks without writing a single line of code. Ready Robotics is also pioneering robots-as-a-service, a service that can configure and deploy robots to customer facilities in thirty days or less. Ready Robotics, founded in 2016, is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio and has raised $18.8 million to date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

UiPath<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

UiPath is the Adobe for industrial process design. Building robotic process automation software, the company, founded in 2005, is using a platform approach to process design and execution. The company\u2019s core platform, UiPath Studio, offers visual automation modeling while its complementary services, UiPath Orchestrator and UiPath Robot, provide last-mile process execution. Some of the industries the robotics automation company serves include manufacturing, finance, and banking, healthcare, telecom, among others. UiPath, currently in late-stage venture funding, has raised $448 million to date. The robotics for manufacturing company, based in New York, has offices in London, Paris, Bucharest, Tokyo, Singapore, Bengaluru, and Melbourne.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seegrid<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Seegrid is helping manufacturers run faster and more efficient production lines through autonomous infrastructure-free material-handling vehicles combined with a cloud fleet management system. With customers like Boeing, DHL, Whirlpool, and Zulily, Seegrid is reimagining autonomous vehicles for the factory floor. The manufacturing robotics startup, founded in 2003, has so far raised $59.5 million from Innovation Works, Giant Eagle, and other private equity investors. The robotics for manufacturing company has its headquarters in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grabit<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Grabit is using a revolutionary electroadhesion innovation to revolutionize grasping tasks in robotics, industrial automation, and material handling. Using the same energy that causes hair to stick to a statically charged balloon, the startup is reinventing how goods are handled on linear and gravity-fed conveyor belts. By introducing better goods handling, Grabit delivers load efficiency, higher operation density, and increased speed. Grabit, founded in 2013, is based in Sunnyvale, California and has raised $21 million to date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Veo Robotics<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Veo Robotics is building intelligent collaborative robots or cobots, using advanced computer vision, 3D sensing, and artificial intelligence. The robotics for manufacturing startup, founded in 2016 and based in Waltham, Massachusetts, is bringing perception and intelligence to high-performance industrial robots. Through this innovative approach, Veo Robotics is bridging the gap between machine-only and human-only manufacturing processes. Veo Robotics has raised $28 million to date from Baidu Ventures, GV, Lux Capital, and Next47.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brain Corp.<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Brain Corp. is solving the challenge caused by fragmented robotics systems by creating a unified industry-agnostic robotics operating system. The company, founded in 2009 and supported by $125 million in funding from SoftBank, Qualcomm, and other investors, supports autonomous machine builders through its platform so they can build and deploy faster. Focusing on AI, Brain Corp. is powering intelligent machines, including industrial manufacturing robots, from the development phase through to the deployment and management phases. Brain Corp is headquartered in San Diego, California.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fetch Robotics<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Fetch Robotics is combining collaborative and intelligent Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR) with a cloud-based platform to offer on-demand automation. Leapfrogging the many challenges and bottlenecks involved in introducing automation to factory and warehouse floors, Fetch Robotics can deploy AMR solutions for material handling and data collection purposes within hours. Founded in 2014 and based in San Jose, California, the robotics for manufacturing and logistics startup has to date raised $48 million in venture capital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Machine-Human Collaboration<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the area of robotics for manufacturing becomes increasingly sophisticated, collaboration opportunities between robots and humans will abound. Where current tasks require segregated approaches with attendant inefficiencies, an increase in machine-human collaboration will unlock new levels of productivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the startups in this list and others continue to pioneer the future of manufacturing, the lesson to those in the manufacturing sector is clear \u2013 learn and follow fast and be ready to embrace the robotic future of manufacturing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


\n\n\n\n

Silicon Valley Manufacturing Industry Immersion Program<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Silicon Valley Innovation Center Manufacturing Industry immersion program<\/a> is designed as a highly-customized executive program tailored to the needs of your group of 10 people or more. The week-long manufacturing immersion program offers high-impact, learning experiences that explore in depth the emerging trends and the impact of disruptive technologies in the manufacturing industry.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Top Startups in Robotics for Manufacturing","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"top-startups-in-robotics-for-manufacturing","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-03-02 08:03:01","post_modified_gmt":"2020-03-02 16:03:01","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/top-startups-in-robotics-for-manufacturing\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":746,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-05-04 19:54:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-05-05 02:54:00","post_content":"\n

Transforming a large manufacturing business is impossible without deploying an array of automation and logistics innovations, such as robotics and artificial intelligence. It is also unimaginable without startup scouting, a practice of partnering with young and fast-moving companies to make innovation happen faster. All these things were on a checklist for a group of Sonepar executives who visited Silicon Valley Innovation Center in September 2017.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sonepar is a French manufacturer of electrical parts and products with a history that spans 45 years across 44 countries. If you have an old refrigerator or a vacuum cleaner at home, there\u2019s a good chance that it\u2019s using parts produced by Sonepar. Despite its glorious history, the company is currently struggling with fierce competition from Chinese manufacturers. Sonepar executives from Europe, America and Asia came to Silicon Valley to find solutions to this and their other ongoing challenges, namely growing  production costs combined with digital disruption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Companies we visited during a 3-day innovation program included Squadrone System, IngDan, Chariot, HP, SAP, UL Ventures, Jabil and others. At SVIC, our goal was to introduce the Sonepar delegates to the best ideas that could help them modernize their supply-chain and logistics business and equip them with the right tools to compete with e-commerce behemoths like Amazon. Here are some of the key takeaways from the trip as told by SVIC\u2019s director of business development Russel Climaco-Estardo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In order to stay afloat in the manufacturing business in our fast-paced digital era, companies need to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Digitize the supply-chain with smart drones<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Smart AI-powered drones help companies like Amazon automate warehousing. Sonepar executives admitted that their warehouses rely heavily on manual labor and use of paper. To show how drones can improve inventory control, we took our clients to Squadrone System. Eva Pagneux, the company\u2019s then VP of Strategy & Marketing  demonstrated how Sonepar can cut inventory time to minutes and increase data capture quality with a completely autonomous drone that navigates in alleys, guided by its companion app. She explained how a drone can fly in the evening and scan all the pallets and bars in its warehouse and log the data to a central inventory system. A fully digital, completely automated warehouse is the only way to build a scalable manufacturing business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/lWuLVTgWDTU\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Lower production costs with 3D-Printing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Using 3D-Printing to offset production and delivery costs instead of making products in bulk was another idea that came up during the trip. We paired the team with Hewlett-Packard Labs, an exploratory and advanced research group for HP Inc. HP Labs presented 3D-Printing technology capable of saving millions of dollars each year for a business like Sonepar. Instead of using traditional injection molding technology, Sonepar could use old blueprints to 3D print parts for outdated cars, machines and appliances that are not produced anymore. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3D-printing, or additive manufacturing, is a truly revolutionary technology, which is fast and relatively cheap. It gives engineers more time to be creative and inventive, in comparison with traditional manufacturing methods. 3D printing is a must-have for every manufacturing business on the path of digital transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Partner with innovative startups<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAcquihiring\u201d is becoming a thing of the past, says Climaco-Estardo. Instead of buying out interesting startups, manufacturing businesses need to find reliable partners to work with and embed themselves deeper into the innovation ecosystem. This was a cross-cutting theme of Sonepar\u2019s meetings with VC boutique Naiss, UL Ventures as well as a startup scouting workshop at SVIC. When a corporation acquires a young company, there\u2019s a good chance it will kill off the innovation. Using startups as service providers is a smarter strategy, as it makes it easier to get to the innovative technology without spending too much money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/uZvNmf7WOWk\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Innovation outpost<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a matter of three days, the Sonepar executives were able to get a grasp of what is shaping their industry and find inspiration to transform their business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe found some great startups to work with, that inspired us, challenged us and our thinking\u201d, said Jo Verbeek, President and Chairman at Sonepar, Asia-Pacific Region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a typical example of what we do at Silicon Valley Innovation Center. For most of our clients we are a first \u201cinnovation outpost\u201d. Businesses from around the globe use our services to broaden their innovation horizons and find valuable partners to work with. Here in Silicon Valley we have access to thousands of innovative startups. Let us be your guide in the word of modern companies operating in manufacturing and supply chain management across such technologies as artificial intelligence, robotics and IoT.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Three Ideas On How To Modernize A Legacy Manufacturing Business","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":769,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-04-17 13:58:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-04-17 20:58:00","post_content":"\n

Three days, 16 famous Silicon Valley companies and a dozen innovation experts \u2013 that\u2019s how Toyota Material Handling (TMH) spent its corporate retreat in 2017. A European subdivision of Toyota Industries and a producer of equipment for logistics, TMH has for many years sent its executives from all over the world to an annual gathering to discuss strategy and the future of the brand.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The three-day executive immersion program we designed for the company was months in the planning so if the executives felt a little overwhelmed at times that meant they were learning, which was exactly the point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not that there was anything atypical about such lengthy preparations. As with all our programs we engaged Toyota in a thorough consultation process in order to zoom in on the major \u201cpain points\u201d of its business. Then we built a schedule to provide introductions to the kind of high-technology solutions Silicon Valley is famous for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This particular trip was for Toyota Material Handling (TMH), a division of the company entirely separate from - though not unrelated to - the Japanese manufacturer\u2019s more well-known carmaking business. Where the latter builds the Priuses, Corollas and Camrys which have become staples of world motoring, the former is concerned with the manufacture and supply of the forklifts and pallet trucks which help get the parts for those vehicles to the production line.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For us at Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) that meant putting together a program with an emphasis on finding novel solutions to the typical problems faced by enterprises in the manufacturing sector, namely, cost and time inefficiencies in areas like warehousing and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Answers, we knew, would come from technologies like internet of things and blockchain. But apart from visiting companies breaking new ground in these areas we also made sure to mix in sessions on corporate innovation at Google, Amazon and Microsoft. After all, getting access to new technology is the relatively easy part. Actually knowing how to get an organization to embrace that technology and get the most out of it is where the real work begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so, with the schedule finalized and the hotel rooms booked, the Toyota Material Handling team touched down in Silicon Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Internet of Things<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The development which today presents the most threats and opportunities to a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling is Internet of Things, or IoT.  We dedicated a large part of the Japanese enterprise\u2019s time in Silicon Valley to meetings with companies currently using the technology in their operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest and most advanced users of IoT anywhere in the world today is contract manufacturer Jabil. Touring its production facilities, the Toyota team saw something they could emulate: sensors and data collectors on everything from pallets to machines and a huge control room to go with them where all the collected information is processed. The practical application of all this technology use was made clear through the huge gains in efficiency it has generated for Jabil throughout the manufacturing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Verizon, meanwhile, the emphasis was placed on a parallel aspect of the IoT revolution with a focus on connectivity and 5G mobile broadband. The communications company opened Toyota\u2019s eyes to the huge realm of possibilities 5G will open for IoT and the changes this could bring in everything from supply chain to smart cities. What\u2019s more, the Toyota execs learned how Verizon stays abreast of the latest technology developments by actively buying up and partnering with a range of startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That knowledge on the startup scene in the IoT space was expanded further with a visit to Wearable World, an IoT accelerator. The CEO laid out the current state of the industry, with an angel investor also giving a presentation detailing for Toyota Material Handling how the company might make the most of IoT\u2019s potential through investment in startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those learnings came to the fore on day three of the program during a startup showcase, when Toyota met several early stage companies. Roambee, which offers real-time location and condition monitoring for shipments, further deepened the forklift manufacturer\u2019s understanding of IoT\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corporate Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};

Search

Latest

\n

Markforged<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Watertown, Massachusetts startup, founded in 2013, is using a proprietary 3D printing technique that utilizes advanced materials such as nylon, reinforced continuous fiber, chopped carbon fiber, and metal to create end-use composite material parts. The robotics for manufacturing startup is applying this unique approach to upend traditional 3D printing and numerous traditional manufacturing techniques, in the process delivering substantial cost, efficiency, and time savings. Markforged, currently in late-stage venture funding, has raised $136.8 million to date and has grown 12,687 percent from 2015 to 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ready Robotics<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ready Robotics is making it easy for manufacturers to deploy robots through an all-in-one robot programming terminal. The robotics for manufacturing startup\u2019s flagship product, the Forge Station, allows any manufacturer to program robots to complete a wide array of tasks without writing a single line of code. Ready Robotics is also pioneering robots-as-a-service, a service that can configure and deploy robots to customer facilities in thirty days or less. Ready Robotics, founded in 2016, is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio and has raised $18.8 million to date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

UiPath<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

UiPath is the Adobe for industrial process design. Building robotic process automation software, the company, founded in 2005, is using a platform approach to process design and execution. The company\u2019s core platform, UiPath Studio, offers visual automation modeling while its complementary services, UiPath Orchestrator and UiPath Robot, provide last-mile process execution. Some of the industries the robotics automation company serves include manufacturing, finance, and banking, healthcare, telecom, among others. UiPath, currently in late-stage venture funding, has raised $448 million to date. The robotics for manufacturing company, based in New York, has offices in London, Paris, Bucharest, Tokyo, Singapore, Bengaluru, and Melbourne.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seegrid<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Seegrid is helping manufacturers run faster and more efficient production lines through autonomous infrastructure-free material-handling vehicles combined with a cloud fleet management system. With customers like Boeing, DHL, Whirlpool, and Zulily, Seegrid is reimagining autonomous vehicles for the factory floor. The manufacturing robotics startup, founded in 2003, has so far raised $59.5 million from Innovation Works, Giant Eagle, and other private equity investors. The robotics for manufacturing company has its headquarters in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grabit<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Grabit is using a revolutionary electroadhesion innovation to revolutionize grasping tasks in robotics, industrial automation, and material handling. Using the same energy that causes hair to stick to a statically charged balloon, the startup is reinventing how goods are handled on linear and gravity-fed conveyor belts. By introducing better goods handling, Grabit delivers load efficiency, higher operation density, and increased speed. Grabit, founded in 2013, is based in Sunnyvale, California and has raised $21 million to date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Veo Robotics<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Veo Robotics is building intelligent collaborative robots or cobots, using advanced computer vision, 3D sensing, and artificial intelligence. The robotics for manufacturing startup, founded in 2016 and based in Waltham, Massachusetts, is bringing perception and intelligence to high-performance industrial robots. Through this innovative approach, Veo Robotics is bridging the gap between machine-only and human-only manufacturing processes. Veo Robotics has raised $28 million to date from Baidu Ventures, GV, Lux Capital, and Next47.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brain Corp.<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Brain Corp. is solving the challenge caused by fragmented robotics systems by creating a unified industry-agnostic robotics operating system. The company, founded in 2009 and supported by $125 million in funding from SoftBank, Qualcomm, and other investors, supports autonomous machine builders through its platform so they can build and deploy faster. Focusing on AI, Brain Corp. is powering intelligent machines, including industrial manufacturing robots, from the development phase through to the deployment and management phases. Brain Corp is headquartered in San Diego, California.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fetch Robotics<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Fetch Robotics is combining collaborative and intelligent Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR) with a cloud-based platform to offer on-demand automation. Leapfrogging the many challenges and bottlenecks involved in introducing automation to factory and warehouse floors, Fetch Robotics can deploy AMR solutions for material handling and data collection purposes within hours. Founded in 2014 and based in San Jose, California, the robotics for manufacturing and logistics startup has to date raised $48 million in venture capital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Machine-Human Collaboration<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the area of robotics for manufacturing becomes increasingly sophisticated, collaboration opportunities between robots and humans will abound. Where current tasks require segregated approaches with attendant inefficiencies, an increase in machine-human collaboration will unlock new levels of productivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the startups in this list and others continue to pioneer the future of manufacturing, the lesson to those in the manufacturing sector is clear \u2013 learn and follow fast and be ready to embrace the robotic future of manufacturing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


\n\n\n\n

Silicon Valley Manufacturing Industry Immersion Program<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Silicon Valley Innovation Center Manufacturing Industry immersion program<\/a> is designed as a highly-customized executive program tailored to the needs of your group of 10 people or more. The week-long manufacturing immersion program offers high-impact, learning experiences that explore in depth the emerging trends and the impact of disruptive technologies in the manufacturing industry.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Top Startups in Robotics for Manufacturing","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"top-startups-in-robotics-for-manufacturing","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-03-02 08:03:01","post_modified_gmt":"2020-03-02 16:03:01","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/top-startups-in-robotics-for-manufacturing\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":746,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-05-04 19:54:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-05-05 02:54:00","post_content":"\n

Transforming a large manufacturing business is impossible without deploying an array of automation and logistics innovations, such as robotics and artificial intelligence. It is also unimaginable without startup scouting, a practice of partnering with young and fast-moving companies to make innovation happen faster. All these things were on a checklist for a group of Sonepar executives who visited Silicon Valley Innovation Center in September 2017.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sonepar is a French manufacturer of electrical parts and products with a history that spans 45 years across 44 countries. If you have an old refrigerator or a vacuum cleaner at home, there\u2019s a good chance that it\u2019s using parts produced by Sonepar. Despite its glorious history, the company is currently struggling with fierce competition from Chinese manufacturers. Sonepar executives from Europe, America and Asia came to Silicon Valley to find solutions to this and their other ongoing challenges, namely growing  production costs combined with digital disruption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Companies we visited during a 3-day innovation program included Squadrone System, IngDan, Chariot, HP, SAP, UL Ventures, Jabil and others. At SVIC, our goal was to introduce the Sonepar delegates to the best ideas that could help them modernize their supply-chain and logistics business and equip them with the right tools to compete with e-commerce behemoths like Amazon. Here are some of the key takeaways from the trip as told by SVIC\u2019s director of business development Russel Climaco-Estardo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In order to stay afloat in the manufacturing business in our fast-paced digital era, companies need to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Digitize the supply-chain with smart drones<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Smart AI-powered drones help companies like Amazon automate warehousing. Sonepar executives admitted that their warehouses rely heavily on manual labor and use of paper. To show how drones can improve inventory control, we took our clients to Squadrone System. Eva Pagneux, the company\u2019s then VP of Strategy & Marketing  demonstrated how Sonepar can cut inventory time to minutes and increase data capture quality with a completely autonomous drone that navigates in alleys, guided by its companion app. She explained how a drone can fly in the evening and scan all the pallets and bars in its warehouse and log the data to a central inventory system. A fully digital, completely automated warehouse is the only way to build a scalable manufacturing business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/lWuLVTgWDTU\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Lower production costs with 3D-Printing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Using 3D-Printing to offset production and delivery costs instead of making products in bulk was another idea that came up during the trip. We paired the team with Hewlett-Packard Labs, an exploratory and advanced research group for HP Inc. HP Labs presented 3D-Printing technology capable of saving millions of dollars each year for a business like Sonepar. Instead of using traditional injection molding technology, Sonepar could use old blueprints to 3D print parts for outdated cars, machines and appliances that are not produced anymore. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3D-printing, or additive manufacturing, is a truly revolutionary technology, which is fast and relatively cheap. It gives engineers more time to be creative and inventive, in comparison with traditional manufacturing methods. 3D printing is a must-have for every manufacturing business on the path of digital transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Partner with innovative startups<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAcquihiring\u201d is becoming a thing of the past, says Climaco-Estardo. Instead of buying out interesting startups, manufacturing businesses need to find reliable partners to work with and embed themselves deeper into the innovation ecosystem. This was a cross-cutting theme of Sonepar\u2019s meetings with VC boutique Naiss, UL Ventures as well as a startup scouting workshop at SVIC. When a corporation acquires a young company, there\u2019s a good chance it will kill off the innovation. Using startups as service providers is a smarter strategy, as it makes it easier to get to the innovative technology without spending too much money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/uZvNmf7WOWk\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Innovation outpost<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a matter of three days, the Sonepar executives were able to get a grasp of what is shaping their industry and find inspiration to transform their business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe found some great startups to work with, that inspired us, challenged us and our thinking\u201d, said Jo Verbeek, President and Chairman at Sonepar, Asia-Pacific Region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a typical example of what we do at Silicon Valley Innovation Center. For most of our clients we are a first \u201cinnovation outpost\u201d. Businesses from around the globe use our services to broaden their innovation horizons and find valuable partners to work with. Here in Silicon Valley we have access to thousands of innovative startups. Let us be your guide in the word of modern companies operating in manufacturing and supply chain management across such technologies as artificial intelligence, robotics and IoT.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Three Ideas On How To Modernize A Legacy Manufacturing Business","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":769,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-04-17 13:58:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-04-17 20:58:00","post_content":"\n

Three days, 16 famous Silicon Valley companies and a dozen innovation experts \u2013 that\u2019s how Toyota Material Handling (TMH) spent its corporate retreat in 2017. A European subdivision of Toyota Industries and a producer of equipment for logistics, TMH has for many years sent its executives from all over the world to an annual gathering to discuss strategy and the future of the brand.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The three-day executive immersion program we designed for the company was months in the planning so if the executives felt a little overwhelmed at times that meant they were learning, which was exactly the point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not that there was anything atypical about such lengthy preparations. As with all our programs we engaged Toyota in a thorough consultation process in order to zoom in on the major \u201cpain points\u201d of its business. Then we built a schedule to provide introductions to the kind of high-technology solutions Silicon Valley is famous for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This particular trip was for Toyota Material Handling (TMH), a division of the company entirely separate from - though not unrelated to - the Japanese manufacturer\u2019s more well-known carmaking business. Where the latter builds the Priuses, Corollas and Camrys which have become staples of world motoring, the former is concerned with the manufacture and supply of the forklifts and pallet trucks which help get the parts for those vehicles to the production line.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For us at Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) that meant putting together a program with an emphasis on finding novel solutions to the typical problems faced by enterprises in the manufacturing sector, namely, cost and time inefficiencies in areas like warehousing and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Answers, we knew, would come from technologies like internet of things and blockchain. But apart from visiting companies breaking new ground in these areas we also made sure to mix in sessions on corporate innovation at Google, Amazon and Microsoft. After all, getting access to new technology is the relatively easy part. Actually knowing how to get an organization to embrace that technology and get the most out of it is where the real work begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so, with the schedule finalized and the hotel rooms booked, the Toyota Material Handling team touched down in Silicon Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Internet of Things<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The development which today presents the most threats and opportunities to a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling is Internet of Things, or IoT.  We dedicated a large part of the Japanese enterprise\u2019s time in Silicon Valley to meetings with companies currently using the technology in their operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest and most advanced users of IoT anywhere in the world today is contract manufacturer Jabil. Touring its production facilities, the Toyota team saw something they could emulate: sensors and data collectors on everything from pallets to machines and a huge control room to go with them where all the collected information is processed. The practical application of all this technology use was made clear through the huge gains in efficiency it has generated for Jabil throughout the manufacturing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Verizon, meanwhile, the emphasis was placed on a parallel aspect of the IoT revolution with a focus on connectivity and 5G mobile broadband. The communications company opened Toyota\u2019s eyes to the huge realm of possibilities 5G will open for IoT and the changes this could bring in everything from supply chain to smart cities. What\u2019s more, the Toyota execs learned how Verizon stays abreast of the latest technology developments by actively buying up and partnering with a range of startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That knowledge on the startup scene in the IoT space was expanded further with a visit to Wearable World, an IoT accelerator. The CEO laid out the current state of the industry, with an angel investor also giving a presentation detailing for Toyota Material Handling how the company might make the most of IoT\u2019s potential through investment in startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those learnings came to the fore on day three of the program during a startup showcase, when Toyota met several early stage companies. Roambee, which offers real-time location and condition monitoring for shipments, further deepened the forklift manufacturer\u2019s understanding of IoT\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corporate Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};

Search

Latest

\n

Arevo Labs is combining advanced composite materials, intelligent lifecycle management software, and true free-motion 3D printing to create ultra-strong polymer parts that cannot be made using conventional manufacturing techniques. The robotics for manufacturing startup is exploring a new take on industrial part manufacturing with an intention to disrupt the traditional design-for-manufacturing (DFM) process, replacing it with a manufacturing-for-design (MFD) approach. Founded in 2013, Arevo Labs\u2019 total funding to date is $19.5 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Markforged<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Watertown, Massachusetts startup, founded in 2013, is using a proprietary 3D printing technique that utilizes advanced materials such as nylon, reinforced continuous fiber, chopped carbon fiber, and metal to create end-use composite material parts. The robotics for manufacturing startup is applying this unique approach to upend traditional 3D printing and numerous traditional manufacturing techniques, in the process delivering substantial cost, efficiency, and time savings. Markforged, currently in late-stage venture funding, has raised $136.8 million to date and has grown 12,687 percent from 2015 to 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ready Robotics<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ready Robotics is making it easy for manufacturers to deploy robots through an all-in-one robot programming terminal. The robotics for manufacturing startup\u2019s flagship product, the Forge Station, allows any manufacturer to program robots to complete a wide array of tasks without writing a single line of code. Ready Robotics is also pioneering robots-as-a-service, a service that can configure and deploy robots to customer facilities in thirty days or less. Ready Robotics, founded in 2016, is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio and has raised $18.8 million to date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

UiPath<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

UiPath is the Adobe for industrial process design. Building robotic process automation software, the company, founded in 2005, is using a platform approach to process design and execution. The company\u2019s core platform, UiPath Studio, offers visual automation modeling while its complementary services, UiPath Orchestrator and UiPath Robot, provide last-mile process execution. Some of the industries the robotics automation company serves include manufacturing, finance, and banking, healthcare, telecom, among others. UiPath, currently in late-stage venture funding, has raised $448 million to date. The robotics for manufacturing company, based in New York, has offices in London, Paris, Bucharest, Tokyo, Singapore, Bengaluru, and Melbourne.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seegrid<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Seegrid is helping manufacturers run faster and more efficient production lines through autonomous infrastructure-free material-handling vehicles combined with a cloud fleet management system. With customers like Boeing, DHL, Whirlpool, and Zulily, Seegrid is reimagining autonomous vehicles for the factory floor. The manufacturing robotics startup, founded in 2003, has so far raised $59.5 million from Innovation Works, Giant Eagle, and other private equity investors. The robotics for manufacturing company has its headquarters in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grabit<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Grabit is using a revolutionary electroadhesion innovation to revolutionize grasping tasks in robotics, industrial automation, and material handling. Using the same energy that causes hair to stick to a statically charged balloon, the startup is reinventing how goods are handled on linear and gravity-fed conveyor belts. By introducing better goods handling, Grabit delivers load efficiency, higher operation density, and increased speed. Grabit, founded in 2013, is based in Sunnyvale, California and has raised $21 million to date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Veo Robotics<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Veo Robotics is building intelligent collaborative robots or cobots, using advanced computer vision, 3D sensing, and artificial intelligence. The robotics for manufacturing startup, founded in 2016 and based in Waltham, Massachusetts, is bringing perception and intelligence to high-performance industrial robots. Through this innovative approach, Veo Robotics is bridging the gap between machine-only and human-only manufacturing processes. Veo Robotics has raised $28 million to date from Baidu Ventures, GV, Lux Capital, and Next47.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brain Corp.<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Brain Corp. is solving the challenge caused by fragmented robotics systems by creating a unified industry-agnostic robotics operating system. The company, founded in 2009 and supported by $125 million in funding from SoftBank, Qualcomm, and other investors, supports autonomous machine builders through its platform so they can build and deploy faster. Focusing on AI, Brain Corp. is powering intelligent machines, including industrial manufacturing robots, from the development phase through to the deployment and management phases. Brain Corp is headquartered in San Diego, California.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fetch Robotics<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Fetch Robotics is combining collaborative and intelligent Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR) with a cloud-based platform to offer on-demand automation. Leapfrogging the many challenges and bottlenecks involved in introducing automation to factory and warehouse floors, Fetch Robotics can deploy AMR solutions for material handling and data collection purposes within hours. Founded in 2014 and based in San Jose, California, the robotics for manufacturing and logistics startup has to date raised $48 million in venture capital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Machine-Human Collaboration<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the area of robotics for manufacturing becomes increasingly sophisticated, collaboration opportunities between robots and humans will abound. Where current tasks require segregated approaches with attendant inefficiencies, an increase in machine-human collaboration will unlock new levels of productivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the startups in this list and others continue to pioneer the future of manufacturing, the lesson to those in the manufacturing sector is clear \u2013 learn and follow fast and be ready to embrace the robotic future of manufacturing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


\n\n\n\n

Silicon Valley Manufacturing Industry Immersion Program<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Silicon Valley Innovation Center Manufacturing Industry immersion program<\/a> is designed as a highly-customized executive program tailored to the needs of your group of 10 people or more. The week-long manufacturing immersion program offers high-impact, learning experiences that explore in depth the emerging trends and the impact of disruptive technologies in the manufacturing industry.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Top Startups in Robotics for Manufacturing","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"top-startups-in-robotics-for-manufacturing","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-03-02 08:03:01","post_modified_gmt":"2020-03-02 16:03:01","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/top-startups-in-robotics-for-manufacturing\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":746,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-05-04 19:54:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-05-05 02:54:00","post_content":"\n

Transforming a large manufacturing business is impossible without deploying an array of automation and logistics innovations, such as robotics and artificial intelligence. It is also unimaginable without startup scouting, a practice of partnering with young and fast-moving companies to make innovation happen faster. All these things were on a checklist for a group of Sonepar executives who visited Silicon Valley Innovation Center in September 2017.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sonepar is a French manufacturer of electrical parts and products with a history that spans 45 years across 44 countries. If you have an old refrigerator or a vacuum cleaner at home, there\u2019s a good chance that it\u2019s using parts produced by Sonepar. Despite its glorious history, the company is currently struggling with fierce competition from Chinese manufacturers. Sonepar executives from Europe, America and Asia came to Silicon Valley to find solutions to this and their other ongoing challenges, namely growing  production costs combined with digital disruption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Companies we visited during a 3-day innovation program included Squadrone System, IngDan, Chariot, HP, SAP, UL Ventures, Jabil and others. At SVIC, our goal was to introduce the Sonepar delegates to the best ideas that could help them modernize their supply-chain and logistics business and equip them with the right tools to compete with e-commerce behemoths like Amazon. Here are some of the key takeaways from the trip as told by SVIC\u2019s director of business development Russel Climaco-Estardo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In order to stay afloat in the manufacturing business in our fast-paced digital era, companies need to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Digitize the supply-chain with smart drones<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Smart AI-powered drones help companies like Amazon automate warehousing. Sonepar executives admitted that their warehouses rely heavily on manual labor and use of paper. To show how drones can improve inventory control, we took our clients to Squadrone System. Eva Pagneux, the company\u2019s then VP of Strategy & Marketing  demonstrated how Sonepar can cut inventory time to minutes and increase data capture quality with a completely autonomous drone that navigates in alleys, guided by its companion app. She explained how a drone can fly in the evening and scan all the pallets and bars in its warehouse and log the data to a central inventory system. A fully digital, completely automated warehouse is the only way to build a scalable manufacturing business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/lWuLVTgWDTU\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Lower production costs with 3D-Printing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Using 3D-Printing to offset production and delivery costs instead of making products in bulk was another idea that came up during the trip. We paired the team with Hewlett-Packard Labs, an exploratory and advanced research group for HP Inc. HP Labs presented 3D-Printing technology capable of saving millions of dollars each year for a business like Sonepar. Instead of using traditional injection molding technology, Sonepar could use old blueprints to 3D print parts for outdated cars, machines and appliances that are not produced anymore. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3D-printing, or additive manufacturing, is a truly revolutionary technology, which is fast and relatively cheap. It gives engineers more time to be creative and inventive, in comparison with traditional manufacturing methods. 3D printing is a must-have for every manufacturing business on the path of digital transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Partner with innovative startups<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAcquihiring\u201d is becoming a thing of the past, says Climaco-Estardo. Instead of buying out interesting startups, manufacturing businesses need to find reliable partners to work with and embed themselves deeper into the innovation ecosystem. This was a cross-cutting theme of Sonepar\u2019s meetings with VC boutique Naiss, UL Ventures as well as a startup scouting workshop at SVIC. When a corporation acquires a young company, there\u2019s a good chance it will kill off the innovation. Using startups as service providers is a smarter strategy, as it makes it easier to get to the innovative technology without spending too much money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/uZvNmf7WOWk\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Innovation outpost<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a matter of three days, the Sonepar executives were able to get a grasp of what is shaping their industry and find inspiration to transform their business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe found some great startups to work with, that inspired us, challenged us and our thinking\u201d, said Jo Verbeek, President and Chairman at Sonepar, Asia-Pacific Region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a typical example of what we do at Silicon Valley Innovation Center. For most of our clients we are a first \u201cinnovation outpost\u201d. Businesses from around the globe use our services to broaden their innovation horizons and find valuable partners to work with. Here in Silicon Valley we have access to thousands of innovative startups. Let us be your guide in the word of modern companies operating in manufacturing and supply chain management across such technologies as artificial intelligence, robotics and IoT.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Three Ideas On How To Modernize A Legacy Manufacturing Business","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":769,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-04-17 13:58:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-04-17 20:58:00","post_content":"\n

Three days, 16 famous Silicon Valley companies and a dozen innovation experts \u2013 that\u2019s how Toyota Material Handling (TMH) spent its corporate retreat in 2017. A European subdivision of Toyota Industries and a producer of equipment for logistics, TMH has for many years sent its executives from all over the world to an annual gathering to discuss strategy and the future of the brand.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The three-day executive immersion program we designed for the company was months in the planning so if the executives felt a little overwhelmed at times that meant they were learning, which was exactly the point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not that there was anything atypical about such lengthy preparations. As with all our programs we engaged Toyota in a thorough consultation process in order to zoom in on the major \u201cpain points\u201d of its business. Then we built a schedule to provide introductions to the kind of high-technology solutions Silicon Valley is famous for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This particular trip was for Toyota Material Handling (TMH), a division of the company entirely separate from - though not unrelated to - the Japanese manufacturer\u2019s more well-known carmaking business. Where the latter builds the Priuses, Corollas and Camrys which have become staples of world motoring, the former is concerned with the manufacture and supply of the forklifts and pallet trucks which help get the parts for those vehicles to the production line.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For us at Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) that meant putting together a program with an emphasis on finding novel solutions to the typical problems faced by enterprises in the manufacturing sector, namely, cost and time inefficiencies in areas like warehousing and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Answers, we knew, would come from technologies like internet of things and blockchain. But apart from visiting companies breaking new ground in these areas we also made sure to mix in sessions on corporate innovation at Google, Amazon and Microsoft. After all, getting access to new technology is the relatively easy part. Actually knowing how to get an organization to embrace that technology and get the most out of it is where the real work begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so, with the schedule finalized and the hotel rooms booked, the Toyota Material Handling team touched down in Silicon Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Internet of Things<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The development which today presents the most threats and opportunities to a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling is Internet of Things, or IoT.  We dedicated a large part of the Japanese enterprise\u2019s time in Silicon Valley to meetings with companies currently using the technology in their operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest and most advanced users of IoT anywhere in the world today is contract manufacturer Jabil. Touring its production facilities, the Toyota team saw something they could emulate: sensors and data collectors on everything from pallets to machines and a huge control room to go with them where all the collected information is processed. The practical application of all this technology use was made clear through the huge gains in efficiency it has generated for Jabil throughout the manufacturing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Verizon, meanwhile, the emphasis was placed on a parallel aspect of the IoT revolution with a focus on connectivity and 5G mobile broadband. The communications company opened Toyota\u2019s eyes to the huge realm of possibilities 5G will open for IoT and the changes this could bring in everything from supply chain to smart cities. What\u2019s more, the Toyota execs learned how Verizon stays abreast of the latest technology developments by actively buying up and partnering with a range of startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That knowledge on the startup scene in the IoT space was expanded further with a visit to Wearable World, an IoT accelerator. The CEO laid out the current state of the industry, with an angel investor also giving a presentation detailing for Toyota Material Handling how the company might make the most of IoT\u2019s potential through investment in startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those learnings came to the fore on day three of the program during a startup showcase, when Toyota met several early stage companies. Roambee, which offers real-time location and condition monitoring for shipments, further deepened the forklift manufacturer\u2019s understanding of IoT\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corporate Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};

Search

Latest

\n

Arevo Labs<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Arevo Labs is combining advanced composite materials, intelligent lifecycle management software, and true free-motion 3D printing to create ultra-strong polymer parts that cannot be made using conventional manufacturing techniques. The robotics for manufacturing startup is exploring a new take on industrial part manufacturing with an intention to disrupt the traditional design-for-manufacturing (DFM) process, replacing it with a manufacturing-for-design (MFD) approach. Founded in 2013, Arevo Labs\u2019 total funding to date is $19.5 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Markforged<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Watertown, Massachusetts startup, founded in 2013, is using a proprietary 3D printing technique that utilizes advanced materials such as nylon, reinforced continuous fiber, chopped carbon fiber, and metal to create end-use composite material parts. The robotics for manufacturing startup is applying this unique approach to upend traditional 3D printing and numerous traditional manufacturing techniques, in the process delivering substantial cost, efficiency, and time savings. Markforged, currently in late-stage venture funding, has raised $136.8 million to date and has grown 12,687 percent from 2015 to 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ready Robotics<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ready Robotics is making it easy for manufacturers to deploy robots through an all-in-one robot programming terminal. The robotics for manufacturing startup\u2019s flagship product, the Forge Station, allows any manufacturer to program robots to complete a wide array of tasks without writing a single line of code. Ready Robotics is also pioneering robots-as-a-service, a service that can configure and deploy robots to customer facilities in thirty days or less. Ready Robotics, founded in 2016, is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio and has raised $18.8 million to date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

UiPath<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

UiPath is the Adobe for industrial process design. Building robotic process automation software, the company, founded in 2005, is using a platform approach to process design and execution. The company\u2019s core platform, UiPath Studio, offers visual automation modeling while its complementary services, UiPath Orchestrator and UiPath Robot, provide last-mile process execution. Some of the industries the robotics automation company serves include manufacturing, finance, and banking, healthcare, telecom, among others. UiPath, currently in late-stage venture funding, has raised $448 million to date. The robotics for manufacturing company, based in New York, has offices in London, Paris, Bucharest, Tokyo, Singapore, Bengaluru, and Melbourne.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seegrid<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Seegrid is helping manufacturers run faster and more efficient production lines through autonomous infrastructure-free material-handling vehicles combined with a cloud fleet management system. With customers like Boeing, DHL, Whirlpool, and Zulily, Seegrid is reimagining autonomous vehicles for the factory floor. The manufacturing robotics startup, founded in 2003, has so far raised $59.5 million from Innovation Works, Giant Eagle, and other private equity investors. The robotics for manufacturing company has its headquarters in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grabit<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Grabit is using a revolutionary electroadhesion innovation to revolutionize grasping tasks in robotics, industrial automation, and material handling. Using the same energy that causes hair to stick to a statically charged balloon, the startup is reinventing how goods are handled on linear and gravity-fed conveyor belts. By introducing better goods handling, Grabit delivers load efficiency, higher operation density, and increased speed. Grabit, founded in 2013, is based in Sunnyvale, California and has raised $21 million to date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Veo Robotics<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Veo Robotics is building intelligent collaborative robots or cobots, using advanced computer vision, 3D sensing, and artificial intelligence. The robotics for manufacturing startup, founded in 2016 and based in Waltham, Massachusetts, is bringing perception and intelligence to high-performance industrial robots. Through this innovative approach, Veo Robotics is bridging the gap between machine-only and human-only manufacturing processes. Veo Robotics has raised $28 million to date from Baidu Ventures, GV, Lux Capital, and Next47.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brain Corp.<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Brain Corp. is solving the challenge caused by fragmented robotics systems by creating a unified industry-agnostic robotics operating system. The company, founded in 2009 and supported by $125 million in funding from SoftBank, Qualcomm, and other investors, supports autonomous machine builders through its platform so they can build and deploy faster. Focusing on AI, Brain Corp. is powering intelligent machines, including industrial manufacturing robots, from the development phase through to the deployment and management phases. Brain Corp is headquartered in San Diego, California.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fetch Robotics<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Fetch Robotics is combining collaborative and intelligent Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR) with a cloud-based platform to offer on-demand automation. Leapfrogging the many challenges and bottlenecks involved in introducing automation to factory and warehouse floors, Fetch Robotics can deploy AMR solutions for material handling and data collection purposes within hours. Founded in 2014 and based in San Jose, California, the robotics for manufacturing and logistics startup has to date raised $48 million in venture capital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Machine-Human Collaboration<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the area of robotics for manufacturing becomes increasingly sophisticated, collaboration opportunities between robots and humans will abound. Where current tasks require segregated approaches with attendant inefficiencies, an increase in machine-human collaboration will unlock new levels of productivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the startups in this list and others continue to pioneer the future of manufacturing, the lesson to those in the manufacturing sector is clear \u2013 learn and follow fast and be ready to embrace the robotic future of manufacturing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


\n\n\n\n

Silicon Valley Manufacturing Industry Immersion Program<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Silicon Valley Innovation Center Manufacturing Industry immersion program<\/a> is designed as a highly-customized executive program tailored to the needs of your group of 10 people or more. The week-long manufacturing immersion program offers high-impact, learning experiences that explore in depth the emerging trends and the impact of disruptive technologies in the manufacturing industry.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Top Startups in Robotics for Manufacturing","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"top-startups-in-robotics-for-manufacturing","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-03-02 08:03:01","post_modified_gmt":"2020-03-02 16:03:01","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/top-startups-in-robotics-for-manufacturing\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":746,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-05-04 19:54:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-05-05 02:54:00","post_content":"\n

Transforming a large manufacturing business is impossible without deploying an array of automation and logistics innovations, such as robotics and artificial intelligence. It is also unimaginable without startup scouting, a practice of partnering with young and fast-moving companies to make innovation happen faster. All these things were on a checklist for a group of Sonepar executives who visited Silicon Valley Innovation Center in September 2017.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sonepar is a French manufacturer of electrical parts and products with a history that spans 45 years across 44 countries. If you have an old refrigerator or a vacuum cleaner at home, there\u2019s a good chance that it\u2019s using parts produced by Sonepar. Despite its glorious history, the company is currently struggling with fierce competition from Chinese manufacturers. Sonepar executives from Europe, America and Asia came to Silicon Valley to find solutions to this and their other ongoing challenges, namely growing  production costs combined with digital disruption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Companies we visited during a 3-day innovation program included Squadrone System, IngDan, Chariot, HP, SAP, UL Ventures, Jabil and others. At SVIC, our goal was to introduce the Sonepar delegates to the best ideas that could help them modernize their supply-chain and logistics business and equip them with the right tools to compete with e-commerce behemoths like Amazon. Here are some of the key takeaways from the trip as told by SVIC\u2019s director of business development Russel Climaco-Estardo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In order to stay afloat in the manufacturing business in our fast-paced digital era, companies need to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Digitize the supply-chain with smart drones<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Smart AI-powered drones help companies like Amazon automate warehousing. Sonepar executives admitted that their warehouses rely heavily on manual labor and use of paper. To show how drones can improve inventory control, we took our clients to Squadrone System. Eva Pagneux, the company\u2019s then VP of Strategy & Marketing  demonstrated how Sonepar can cut inventory time to minutes and increase data capture quality with a completely autonomous drone that navigates in alleys, guided by its companion app. She explained how a drone can fly in the evening and scan all the pallets and bars in its warehouse and log the data to a central inventory system. A fully digital, completely automated warehouse is the only way to build a scalable manufacturing business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/lWuLVTgWDTU\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Lower production costs with 3D-Printing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Using 3D-Printing to offset production and delivery costs instead of making products in bulk was another idea that came up during the trip. We paired the team with Hewlett-Packard Labs, an exploratory and advanced research group for HP Inc. HP Labs presented 3D-Printing technology capable of saving millions of dollars each year for a business like Sonepar. Instead of using traditional injection molding technology, Sonepar could use old blueprints to 3D print parts for outdated cars, machines and appliances that are not produced anymore. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3D-printing, or additive manufacturing, is a truly revolutionary technology, which is fast and relatively cheap. It gives engineers more time to be creative and inventive, in comparison with traditional manufacturing methods. 3D printing is a must-have for every manufacturing business on the path of digital transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Partner with innovative startups<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAcquihiring\u201d is becoming a thing of the past, says Climaco-Estardo. Instead of buying out interesting startups, manufacturing businesses need to find reliable partners to work with and embed themselves deeper into the innovation ecosystem. This was a cross-cutting theme of Sonepar\u2019s meetings with VC boutique Naiss, UL Ventures as well as a startup scouting workshop at SVIC. When a corporation acquires a young company, there\u2019s a good chance it will kill off the innovation. Using startups as service providers is a smarter strategy, as it makes it easier to get to the innovative technology without spending too much money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/uZvNmf7WOWk\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Innovation outpost<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a matter of three days, the Sonepar executives were able to get a grasp of what is shaping their industry and find inspiration to transform their business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe found some great startups to work with, that inspired us, challenged us and our thinking\u201d, said Jo Verbeek, President and Chairman at Sonepar, Asia-Pacific Region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a typical example of what we do at Silicon Valley Innovation Center. For most of our clients we are a first \u201cinnovation outpost\u201d. Businesses from around the globe use our services to broaden their innovation horizons and find valuable partners to work with. Here in Silicon Valley we have access to thousands of innovative startups. Let us be your guide in the word of modern companies operating in manufacturing and supply chain management across such technologies as artificial intelligence, robotics and IoT.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Three Ideas On How To Modernize A Legacy Manufacturing Business","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":769,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-04-17 13:58:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-04-17 20:58:00","post_content":"\n

Three days, 16 famous Silicon Valley companies and a dozen innovation experts \u2013 that\u2019s how Toyota Material Handling (TMH) spent its corporate retreat in 2017. A European subdivision of Toyota Industries and a producer of equipment for logistics, TMH has for many years sent its executives from all over the world to an annual gathering to discuss strategy and the future of the brand.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The three-day executive immersion program we designed for the company was months in the planning so if the executives felt a little overwhelmed at times that meant they were learning, which was exactly the point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not that there was anything atypical about such lengthy preparations. As with all our programs we engaged Toyota in a thorough consultation process in order to zoom in on the major \u201cpain points\u201d of its business. Then we built a schedule to provide introductions to the kind of high-technology solutions Silicon Valley is famous for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This particular trip was for Toyota Material Handling (TMH), a division of the company entirely separate from - though not unrelated to - the Japanese manufacturer\u2019s more well-known carmaking business. Where the latter builds the Priuses, Corollas and Camrys which have become staples of world motoring, the former is concerned with the manufacture and supply of the forklifts and pallet trucks which help get the parts for those vehicles to the production line.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For us at Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) that meant putting together a program with an emphasis on finding novel solutions to the typical problems faced by enterprises in the manufacturing sector, namely, cost and time inefficiencies in areas like warehousing and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Answers, we knew, would come from technologies like internet of things and blockchain. But apart from visiting companies breaking new ground in these areas we also made sure to mix in sessions on corporate innovation at Google, Amazon and Microsoft. After all, getting access to new technology is the relatively easy part. Actually knowing how to get an organization to embrace that technology and get the most out of it is where the real work begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so, with the schedule finalized and the hotel rooms booked, the Toyota Material Handling team touched down in Silicon Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Internet of Things<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The development which today presents the most threats and opportunities to a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling is Internet of Things, or IoT.  We dedicated a large part of the Japanese enterprise\u2019s time in Silicon Valley to meetings with companies currently using the technology in their operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest and most advanced users of IoT anywhere in the world today is contract manufacturer Jabil. Touring its production facilities, the Toyota team saw something they could emulate: sensors and data collectors on everything from pallets to machines and a huge control room to go with them where all the collected information is processed. The practical application of all this technology use was made clear through the huge gains in efficiency it has generated for Jabil throughout the manufacturing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Verizon, meanwhile, the emphasis was placed on a parallel aspect of the IoT revolution with a focus on connectivity and 5G mobile broadband. The communications company opened Toyota\u2019s eyes to the huge realm of possibilities 5G will open for IoT and the changes this could bring in everything from supply chain to smart cities. What\u2019s more, the Toyota execs learned how Verizon stays abreast of the latest technology developments by actively buying up and partnering with a range of startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That knowledge on the startup scene in the IoT space was expanded further with a visit to Wearable World, an IoT accelerator. The CEO laid out the current state of the industry, with an angel investor also giving a presentation detailing for Toyota Material Handling how the company might make the most of IoT\u2019s potential through investment in startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those learnings came to the fore on day three of the program during a startup showcase, when Toyota met several early stage companies. Roambee, which offers real-time location and condition monitoring for shipments, further deepened the forklift manufacturer\u2019s understanding of IoT\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corporate Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};

Search

Latest

\n

Founded in 2015, Soft Robotics is solving end-of-arm tooling in industrial robots through smart material soft-touch grippers. As most robots lack the fine, dexterous touch and grip humans have, humans complete tasks involving delicate or irregularly-shaped items. Soft Robotics uses advanced materials in its soft-touch gripper that enable it to grip anything from fresh fruit to candy bars, with the same dexterity and finesse as a human. Soft Robotics, headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, has to date raised $25 million in venture capital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arevo Labs<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Arevo Labs is combining advanced composite materials, intelligent lifecycle management software, and true free-motion 3D printing to create ultra-strong polymer parts that cannot be made using conventional manufacturing techniques. The robotics for manufacturing startup is exploring a new take on industrial part manufacturing with an intention to disrupt the traditional design-for-manufacturing (DFM) process, replacing it with a manufacturing-for-design (MFD) approach. Founded in 2013, Arevo Labs\u2019 total funding to date is $19.5 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Markforged<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Watertown, Massachusetts startup, founded in 2013, is using a proprietary 3D printing technique that utilizes advanced materials such as nylon, reinforced continuous fiber, chopped carbon fiber, and metal to create end-use composite material parts. The robotics for manufacturing startup is applying this unique approach to upend traditional 3D printing and numerous traditional manufacturing techniques, in the process delivering substantial cost, efficiency, and time savings. Markforged, currently in late-stage venture funding, has raised $136.8 million to date and has grown 12,687 percent from 2015 to 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ready Robotics<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ready Robotics is making it easy for manufacturers to deploy robots through an all-in-one robot programming terminal. The robotics for manufacturing startup\u2019s flagship product, the Forge Station, allows any manufacturer to program robots to complete a wide array of tasks without writing a single line of code. Ready Robotics is also pioneering robots-as-a-service, a service that can configure and deploy robots to customer facilities in thirty days or less. Ready Robotics, founded in 2016, is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio and has raised $18.8 million to date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

UiPath<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

UiPath is the Adobe for industrial process design. Building robotic process automation software, the company, founded in 2005, is using a platform approach to process design and execution. The company\u2019s core platform, UiPath Studio, offers visual automation modeling while its complementary services, UiPath Orchestrator and UiPath Robot, provide last-mile process execution. Some of the industries the robotics automation company serves include manufacturing, finance, and banking, healthcare, telecom, among others. UiPath, currently in late-stage venture funding, has raised $448 million to date. The robotics for manufacturing company, based in New York, has offices in London, Paris, Bucharest, Tokyo, Singapore, Bengaluru, and Melbourne.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seegrid<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Seegrid is helping manufacturers run faster and more efficient production lines through autonomous infrastructure-free material-handling vehicles combined with a cloud fleet management system. With customers like Boeing, DHL, Whirlpool, and Zulily, Seegrid is reimagining autonomous vehicles for the factory floor. The manufacturing robotics startup, founded in 2003, has so far raised $59.5 million from Innovation Works, Giant Eagle, and other private equity investors. The robotics for manufacturing company has its headquarters in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grabit<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Grabit is using a revolutionary electroadhesion innovation to revolutionize grasping tasks in robotics, industrial automation, and material handling. Using the same energy that causes hair to stick to a statically charged balloon, the startup is reinventing how goods are handled on linear and gravity-fed conveyor belts. By introducing better goods handling, Grabit delivers load efficiency, higher operation density, and increased speed. Grabit, founded in 2013, is based in Sunnyvale, California and has raised $21 million to date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Veo Robotics<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Veo Robotics is building intelligent collaborative robots or cobots, using advanced computer vision, 3D sensing, and artificial intelligence. The robotics for manufacturing startup, founded in 2016 and based in Waltham, Massachusetts, is bringing perception and intelligence to high-performance industrial robots. Through this innovative approach, Veo Robotics is bridging the gap between machine-only and human-only manufacturing processes. Veo Robotics has raised $28 million to date from Baidu Ventures, GV, Lux Capital, and Next47.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brain Corp.<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Brain Corp. is solving the challenge caused by fragmented robotics systems by creating a unified industry-agnostic robotics operating system. The company, founded in 2009 and supported by $125 million in funding from SoftBank, Qualcomm, and other investors, supports autonomous machine builders through its platform so they can build and deploy faster. Focusing on AI, Brain Corp. is powering intelligent machines, including industrial manufacturing robots, from the development phase through to the deployment and management phases. Brain Corp is headquartered in San Diego, California.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fetch Robotics<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Fetch Robotics is combining collaborative and intelligent Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR) with a cloud-based platform to offer on-demand automation. Leapfrogging the many challenges and bottlenecks involved in introducing automation to factory and warehouse floors, Fetch Robotics can deploy AMR solutions for material handling and data collection purposes within hours. Founded in 2014 and based in San Jose, California, the robotics for manufacturing and logistics startup has to date raised $48 million in venture capital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Machine-Human Collaboration<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the area of robotics for manufacturing becomes increasingly sophisticated, collaboration opportunities between robots and humans will abound. Where current tasks require segregated approaches with attendant inefficiencies, an increase in machine-human collaboration will unlock new levels of productivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the startups in this list and others continue to pioneer the future of manufacturing, the lesson to those in the manufacturing sector is clear \u2013 learn and follow fast and be ready to embrace the robotic future of manufacturing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


\n\n\n\n

Silicon Valley Manufacturing Industry Immersion Program<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Silicon Valley Innovation Center Manufacturing Industry immersion program<\/a> is designed as a highly-customized executive program tailored to the needs of your group of 10 people or more. The week-long manufacturing immersion program offers high-impact, learning experiences that explore in depth the emerging trends and the impact of disruptive technologies in the manufacturing industry.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Top Startups in Robotics for Manufacturing","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"top-startups-in-robotics-for-manufacturing","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-03-02 08:03:01","post_modified_gmt":"2020-03-02 16:03:01","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/top-startups-in-robotics-for-manufacturing\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":746,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-05-04 19:54:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-05-05 02:54:00","post_content":"\n

Transforming a large manufacturing business is impossible without deploying an array of automation and logistics innovations, such as robotics and artificial intelligence. It is also unimaginable without startup scouting, a practice of partnering with young and fast-moving companies to make innovation happen faster. All these things were on a checklist for a group of Sonepar executives who visited Silicon Valley Innovation Center in September 2017.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sonepar is a French manufacturer of electrical parts and products with a history that spans 45 years across 44 countries. If you have an old refrigerator or a vacuum cleaner at home, there\u2019s a good chance that it\u2019s using parts produced by Sonepar. Despite its glorious history, the company is currently struggling with fierce competition from Chinese manufacturers. Sonepar executives from Europe, America and Asia came to Silicon Valley to find solutions to this and their other ongoing challenges, namely growing  production costs combined with digital disruption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Companies we visited during a 3-day innovation program included Squadrone System, IngDan, Chariot, HP, SAP, UL Ventures, Jabil and others. At SVIC, our goal was to introduce the Sonepar delegates to the best ideas that could help them modernize their supply-chain and logistics business and equip them with the right tools to compete with e-commerce behemoths like Amazon. Here are some of the key takeaways from the trip as told by SVIC\u2019s director of business development Russel Climaco-Estardo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In order to stay afloat in the manufacturing business in our fast-paced digital era, companies need to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Digitize the supply-chain with smart drones<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Smart AI-powered drones help companies like Amazon automate warehousing. Sonepar executives admitted that their warehouses rely heavily on manual labor and use of paper. To show how drones can improve inventory control, we took our clients to Squadrone System. Eva Pagneux, the company\u2019s then VP of Strategy & Marketing  demonstrated how Sonepar can cut inventory time to minutes and increase data capture quality with a completely autonomous drone that navigates in alleys, guided by its companion app. She explained how a drone can fly in the evening and scan all the pallets and bars in its warehouse and log the data to a central inventory system. A fully digital, completely automated warehouse is the only way to build a scalable manufacturing business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/lWuLVTgWDTU\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Lower production costs with 3D-Printing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Using 3D-Printing to offset production and delivery costs instead of making products in bulk was another idea that came up during the trip. We paired the team with Hewlett-Packard Labs, an exploratory and advanced research group for HP Inc. HP Labs presented 3D-Printing technology capable of saving millions of dollars each year for a business like Sonepar. Instead of using traditional injection molding technology, Sonepar could use old blueprints to 3D print parts for outdated cars, machines and appliances that are not produced anymore. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3D-printing, or additive manufacturing, is a truly revolutionary technology, which is fast and relatively cheap. It gives engineers more time to be creative and inventive, in comparison with traditional manufacturing methods. 3D printing is a must-have for every manufacturing business on the path of digital transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Partner with innovative startups<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAcquihiring\u201d is becoming a thing of the past, says Climaco-Estardo. Instead of buying out interesting startups, manufacturing businesses need to find reliable partners to work with and embed themselves deeper into the innovation ecosystem. This was a cross-cutting theme of Sonepar\u2019s meetings with VC boutique Naiss, UL Ventures as well as a startup scouting workshop at SVIC. When a corporation acquires a young company, there\u2019s a good chance it will kill off the innovation. Using startups as service providers is a smarter strategy, as it makes it easier to get to the innovative technology without spending too much money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/uZvNmf7WOWk\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Innovation outpost<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a matter of three days, the Sonepar executives were able to get a grasp of what is shaping their industry and find inspiration to transform their business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe found some great startups to work with, that inspired us, challenged us and our thinking\u201d, said Jo Verbeek, President and Chairman at Sonepar, Asia-Pacific Region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a typical example of what we do at Silicon Valley Innovation Center. For most of our clients we are a first \u201cinnovation outpost\u201d. Businesses from around the globe use our services to broaden their innovation horizons and find valuable partners to work with. Here in Silicon Valley we have access to thousands of innovative startups. Let us be your guide in the word of modern companies operating in manufacturing and supply chain management across such technologies as artificial intelligence, robotics and IoT.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Three Ideas On How To Modernize A Legacy Manufacturing Business","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":769,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-04-17 13:58:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-04-17 20:58:00","post_content":"\n

Three days, 16 famous Silicon Valley companies and a dozen innovation experts \u2013 that\u2019s how Toyota Material Handling (TMH) spent its corporate retreat in 2017. A European subdivision of Toyota Industries and a producer of equipment for logistics, TMH has for many years sent its executives from all over the world to an annual gathering to discuss strategy and the future of the brand.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The three-day executive immersion program we designed for the company was months in the planning so if the executives felt a little overwhelmed at times that meant they were learning, which was exactly the point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not that there was anything atypical about such lengthy preparations. As with all our programs we engaged Toyota in a thorough consultation process in order to zoom in on the major \u201cpain points\u201d of its business. Then we built a schedule to provide introductions to the kind of high-technology solutions Silicon Valley is famous for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This particular trip was for Toyota Material Handling (TMH), a division of the company entirely separate from - though not unrelated to - the Japanese manufacturer\u2019s more well-known carmaking business. Where the latter builds the Priuses, Corollas and Camrys which have become staples of world motoring, the former is concerned with the manufacture and supply of the forklifts and pallet trucks which help get the parts for those vehicles to the production line.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For us at Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) that meant putting together a program with an emphasis on finding novel solutions to the typical problems faced by enterprises in the manufacturing sector, namely, cost and time inefficiencies in areas like warehousing and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Answers, we knew, would come from technologies like internet of things and blockchain. But apart from visiting companies breaking new ground in these areas we also made sure to mix in sessions on corporate innovation at Google, Amazon and Microsoft. After all, getting access to new technology is the relatively easy part. Actually knowing how to get an organization to embrace that technology and get the most out of it is where the real work begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so, with the schedule finalized and the hotel rooms booked, the Toyota Material Handling team touched down in Silicon Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Internet of Things<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The development which today presents the most threats and opportunities to a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling is Internet of Things, or IoT.  We dedicated a large part of the Japanese enterprise\u2019s time in Silicon Valley to meetings with companies currently using the technology in their operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest and most advanced users of IoT anywhere in the world today is contract manufacturer Jabil. Touring its production facilities, the Toyota team saw something they could emulate: sensors and data collectors on everything from pallets to machines and a huge control room to go with them where all the collected information is processed. The practical application of all this technology use was made clear through the huge gains in efficiency it has generated for Jabil throughout the manufacturing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Verizon, meanwhile, the emphasis was placed on a parallel aspect of the IoT revolution with a focus on connectivity and 5G mobile broadband. The communications company opened Toyota\u2019s eyes to the huge realm of possibilities 5G will open for IoT and the changes this could bring in everything from supply chain to smart cities. What\u2019s more, the Toyota execs learned how Verizon stays abreast of the latest technology developments by actively buying up and partnering with a range of startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That knowledge on the startup scene in the IoT space was expanded further with a visit to Wearable World, an IoT accelerator. The CEO laid out the current state of the industry, with an angel investor also giving a presentation detailing for Toyota Material Handling how the company might make the most of IoT\u2019s potential through investment in startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those learnings came to the fore on day three of the program during a startup showcase, when Toyota met several early stage companies. Roambee, which offers real-time location and condition monitoring for shipments, further deepened the forklift manufacturer\u2019s understanding of IoT\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corporate Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};

Search

Latest

\n

Soft Robotics<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Founded in 2015, Soft Robotics is solving end-of-arm tooling in industrial robots through smart material soft-touch grippers. As most robots lack the fine, dexterous touch and grip humans have, humans complete tasks involving delicate or irregularly-shaped items. Soft Robotics uses advanced materials in its soft-touch gripper that enable it to grip anything from fresh fruit to candy bars, with the same dexterity and finesse as a human. Soft Robotics, headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, has to date raised $25 million in venture capital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arevo Labs<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Arevo Labs is combining advanced composite materials, intelligent lifecycle management software, and true free-motion 3D printing to create ultra-strong polymer parts that cannot be made using conventional manufacturing techniques. The robotics for manufacturing startup is exploring a new take on industrial part manufacturing with an intention to disrupt the traditional design-for-manufacturing (DFM) process, replacing it with a manufacturing-for-design (MFD) approach. Founded in 2013, Arevo Labs\u2019 total funding to date is $19.5 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Markforged<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Watertown, Massachusetts startup, founded in 2013, is using a proprietary 3D printing technique that utilizes advanced materials such as nylon, reinforced continuous fiber, chopped carbon fiber, and metal to create end-use composite material parts. The robotics for manufacturing startup is applying this unique approach to upend traditional 3D printing and numerous traditional manufacturing techniques, in the process delivering substantial cost, efficiency, and time savings. Markforged, currently in late-stage venture funding, has raised $136.8 million to date and has grown 12,687 percent from 2015 to 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ready Robotics<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ready Robotics is making it easy for manufacturers to deploy robots through an all-in-one robot programming terminal. The robotics for manufacturing startup\u2019s flagship product, the Forge Station, allows any manufacturer to program robots to complete a wide array of tasks without writing a single line of code. Ready Robotics is also pioneering robots-as-a-service, a service that can configure and deploy robots to customer facilities in thirty days or less. Ready Robotics, founded in 2016, is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio and has raised $18.8 million to date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

UiPath<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

UiPath is the Adobe for industrial process design. Building robotic process automation software, the company, founded in 2005, is using a platform approach to process design and execution. The company\u2019s core platform, UiPath Studio, offers visual automation modeling while its complementary services, UiPath Orchestrator and UiPath Robot, provide last-mile process execution. Some of the industries the robotics automation company serves include manufacturing, finance, and banking, healthcare, telecom, among others. UiPath, currently in late-stage venture funding, has raised $448 million to date. The robotics for manufacturing company, based in New York, has offices in London, Paris, Bucharest, Tokyo, Singapore, Bengaluru, and Melbourne.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seegrid<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Seegrid is helping manufacturers run faster and more efficient production lines through autonomous infrastructure-free material-handling vehicles combined with a cloud fleet management system. With customers like Boeing, DHL, Whirlpool, and Zulily, Seegrid is reimagining autonomous vehicles for the factory floor. The manufacturing robotics startup, founded in 2003, has so far raised $59.5 million from Innovation Works, Giant Eagle, and other private equity investors. The robotics for manufacturing company has its headquarters in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grabit<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Grabit is using a revolutionary electroadhesion innovation to revolutionize grasping tasks in robotics, industrial automation, and material handling. Using the same energy that causes hair to stick to a statically charged balloon, the startup is reinventing how goods are handled on linear and gravity-fed conveyor belts. By introducing better goods handling, Grabit delivers load efficiency, higher operation density, and increased speed. Grabit, founded in 2013, is based in Sunnyvale, California and has raised $21 million to date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Veo Robotics<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Veo Robotics is building intelligent collaborative robots or cobots, using advanced computer vision, 3D sensing, and artificial intelligence. The robotics for manufacturing startup, founded in 2016 and based in Waltham, Massachusetts, is bringing perception and intelligence to high-performance industrial robots. Through this innovative approach, Veo Robotics is bridging the gap between machine-only and human-only manufacturing processes. Veo Robotics has raised $28 million to date from Baidu Ventures, GV, Lux Capital, and Next47.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brain Corp.<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Brain Corp. is solving the challenge caused by fragmented robotics systems by creating a unified industry-agnostic robotics operating system. The company, founded in 2009 and supported by $125 million in funding from SoftBank, Qualcomm, and other investors, supports autonomous machine builders through its platform so they can build and deploy faster. Focusing on AI, Brain Corp. is powering intelligent machines, including industrial manufacturing robots, from the development phase through to the deployment and management phases. Brain Corp is headquartered in San Diego, California.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fetch Robotics<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Fetch Robotics is combining collaborative and intelligent Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR) with a cloud-based platform to offer on-demand automation. Leapfrogging the many challenges and bottlenecks involved in introducing automation to factory and warehouse floors, Fetch Robotics can deploy AMR solutions for material handling and data collection purposes within hours. Founded in 2014 and based in San Jose, California, the robotics for manufacturing and logistics startup has to date raised $48 million in venture capital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Machine-Human Collaboration<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the area of robotics for manufacturing becomes increasingly sophisticated, collaboration opportunities between robots and humans will abound. Where current tasks require segregated approaches with attendant inefficiencies, an increase in machine-human collaboration will unlock new levels of productivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the startups in this list and others continue to pioneer the future of manufacturing, the lesson to those in the manufacturing sector is clear \u2013 learn and follow fast and be ready to embrace the robotic future of manufacturing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


\n\n\n\n

Silicon Valley Manufacturing Industry Immersion Program<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Silicon Valley Innovation Center Manufacturing Industry immersion program<\/a> is designed as a highly-customized executive program tailored to the needs of your group of 10 people or more. The week-long manufacturing immersion program offers high-impact, learning experiences that explore in depth the emerging trends and the impact of disruptive technologies in the manufacturing industry.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Top Startups in Robotics for Manufacturing","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"top-startups-in-robotics-for-manufacturing","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-03-02 08:03:01","post_modified_gmt":"2020-03-02 16:03:01","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/top-startups-in-robotics-for-manufacturing\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":746,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-05-04 19:54:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-05-05 02:54:00","post_content":"\n

Transforming a large manufacturing business is impossible without deploying an array of automation and logistics innovations, such as robotics and artificial intelligence. It is also unimaginable without startup scouting, a practice of partnering with young and fast-moving companies to make innovation happen faster. All these things were on a checklist for a group of Sonepar executives who visited Silicon Valley Innovation Center in September 2017.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sonepar is a French manufacturer of electrical parts and products with a history that spans 45 years across 44 countries. If you have an old refrigerator or a vacuum cleaner at home, there\u2019s a good chance that it\u2019s using parts produced by Sonepar. Despite its glorious history, the company is currently struggling with fierce competition from Chinese manufacturers. Sonepar executives from Europe, America and Asia came to Silicon Valley to find solutions to this and their other ongoing challenges, namely growing  production costs combined with digital disruption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Companies we visited during a 3-day innovation program included Squadrone System, IngDan, Chariot, HP, SAP, UL Ventures, Jabil and others. At SVIC, our goal was to introduce the Sonepar delegates to the best ideas that could help them modernize their supply-chain and logistics business and equip them with the right tools to compete with e-commerce behemoths like Amazon. Here are some of the key takeaways from the trip as told by SVIC\u2019s director of business development Russel Climaco-Estardo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In order to stay afloat in the manufacturing business in our fast-paced digital era, companies need to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Digitize the supply-chain with smart drones<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Smart AI-powered drones help companies like Amazon automate warehousing. Sonepar executives admitted that their warehouses rely heavily on manual labor and use of paper. To show how drones can improve inventory control, we took our clients to Squadrone System. Eva Pagneux, the company\u2019s then VP of Strategy & Marketing  demonstrated how Sonepar can cut inventory time to minutes and increase data capture quality with a completely autonomous drone that navigates in alleys, guided by its companion app. She explained how a drone can fly in the evening and scan all the pallets and bars in its warehouse and log the data to a central inventory system. A fully digital, completely automated warehouse is the only way to build a scalable manufacturing business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/lWuLVTgWDTU\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Lower production costs with 3D-Printing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Using 3D-Printing to offset production and delivery costs instead of making products in bulk was another idea that came up during the trip. We paired the team with Hewlett-Packard Labs, an exploratory and advanced research group for HP Inc. HP Labs presented 3D-Printing technology capable of saving millions of dollars each year for a business like Sonepar. Instead of using traditional injection molding technology, Sonepar could use old blueprints to 3D print parts for outdated cars, machines and appliances that are not produced anymore. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3D-printing, or additive manufacturing, is a truly revolutionary technology, which is fast and relatively cheap. It gives engineers more time to be creative and inventive, in comparison with traditional manufacturing methods. 3D printing is a must-have for every manufacturing business on the path of digital transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Partner with innovative startups<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAcquihiring\u201d is becoming a thing of the past, says Climaco-Estardo. Instead of buying out interesting startups, manufacturing businesses need to find reliable partners to work with and embed themselves deeper into the innovation ecosystem. This was a cross-cutting theme of Sonepar\u2019s meetings with VC boutique Naiss, UL Ventures as well as a startup scouting workshop at SVIC. When a corporation acquires a young company, there\u2019s a good chance it will kill off the innovation. Using startups as service providers is a smarter strategy, as it makes it easier to get to the innovative technology without spending too much money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/uZvNmf7WOWk\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Innovation outpost<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a matter of three days, the Sonepar executives were able to get a grasp of what is shaping their industry and find inspiration to transform their business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe found some great startups to work with, that inspired us, challenged us and our thinking\u201d, said Jo Verbeek, President and Chairman at Sonepar, Asia-Pacific Region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a typical example of what we do at Silicon Valley Innovation Center. For most of our clients we are a first \u201cinnovation outpost\u201d. Businesses from around the globe use our services to broaden their innovation horizons and find valuable partners to work with. Here in Silicon Valley we have access to thousands of innovative startups. Let us be your guide in the word of modern companies operating in manufacturing and supply chain management across such technologies as artificial intelligence, robotics and IoT.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Three Ideas On How To Modernize A Legacy Manufacturing Business","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":769,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-04-17 13:58:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-04-17 20:58:00","post_content":"\n

Three days, 16 famous Silicon Valley companies and a dozen innovation experts \u2013 that\u2019s how Toyota Material Handling (TMH) spent its corporate retreat in 2017. A European subdivision of Toyota Industries and a producer of equipment for logistics, TMH has for many years sent its executives from all over the world to an annual gathering to discuss strategy and the future of the brand.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The three-day executive immersion program we designed for the company was months in the planning so if the executives felt a little overwhelmed at times that meant they were learning, which was exactly the point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not that there was anything atypical about such lengthy preparations. As with all our programs we engaged Toyota in a thorough consultation process in order to zoom in on the major \u201cpain points\u201d of its business. Then we built a schedule to provide introductions to the kind of high-technology solutions Silicon Valley is famous for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This particular trip was for Toyota Material Handling (TMH), a division of the company entirely separate from - though not unrelated to - the Japanese manufacturer\u2019s more well-known carmaking business. Where the latter builds the Priuses, Corollas and Camrys which have become staples of world motoring, the former is concerned with the manufacture and supply of the forklifts and pallet trucks which help get the parts for those vehicles to the production line.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For us at Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) that meant putting together a program with an emphasis on finding novel solutions to the typical problems faced by enterprises in the manufacturing sector, namely, cost and time inefficiencies in areas like warehousing and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Answers, we knew, would come from technologies like internet of things and blockchain. But apart from visiting companies breaking new ground in these areas we also made sure to mix in sessions on corporate innovation at Google, Amazon and Microsoft. After all, getting access to new technology is the relatively easy part. Actually knowing how to get an organization to embrace that technology and get the most out of it is where the real work begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so, with the schedule finalized and the hotel rooms booked, the Toyota Material Handling team touched down in Silicon Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Internet of Things<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The development which today presents the most threats and opportunities to a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling is Internet of Things, or IoT.  We dedicated a large part of the Japanese enterprise\u2019s time in Silicon Valley to meetings with companies currently using the technology in their operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest and most advanced users of IoT anywhere in the world today is contract manufacturer Jabil. Touring its production facilities, the Toyota team saw something they could emulate: sensors and data collectors on everything from pallets to machines and a huge control room to go with them where all the collected information is processed. The practical application of all this technology use was made clear through the huge gains in efficiency it has generated for Jabil throughout the manufacturing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Verizon, meanwhile, the emphasis was placed on a parallel aspect of the IoT revolution with a focus on connectivity and 5G mobile broadband. The communications company opened Toyota\u2019s eyes to the huge realm of possibilities 5G will open for IoT and the changes this could bring in everything from supply chain to smart cities. What\u2019s more, the Toyota execs learned how Verizon stays abreast of the latest technology developments by actively buying up and partnering with a range of startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That knowledge on the startup scene in the IoT space was expanded further with a visit to Wearable World, an IoT accelerator. The CEO laid out the current state of the industry, with an angel investor also giving a presentation detailing for Toyota Material Handling how the company might make the most of IoT\u2019s potential through investment in startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those learnings came to the fore on day three of the program during a startup showcase, when Toyota met several early stage companies. Roambee, which offers real-time location and condition monitoring for shipments, further deepened the forklift manufacturer\u2019s understanding of IoT\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corporate Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};

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Latest

\n

Here, we briefly discuss the top ten startups in robotics for manufacturing, identifying key ways they are impacting and reshaping the manufacturing industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Soft Robotics<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Founded in 2015, Soft Robotics is solving end-of-arm tooling in industrial robots through smart material soft-touch grippers. As most robots lack the fine, dexterous touch and grip humans have, humans complete tasks involving delicate or irregularly-shaped items. Soft Robotics uses advanced materials in its soft-touch gripper that enable it to grip anything from fresh fruit to candy bars, with the same dexterity and finesse as a human. Soft Robotics, headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, has to date raised $25 million in venture capital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arevo Labs<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Arevo Labs is combining advanced composite materials, intelligent lifecycle management software, and true free-motion 3D printing to create ultra-strong polymer parts that cannot be made using conventional manufacturing techniques. The robotics for manufacturing startup is exploring a new take on industrial part manufacturing with an intention to disrupt the traditional design-for-manufacturing (DFM) process, replacing it with a manufacturing-for-design (MFD) approach. Founded in 2013, Arevo Labs\u2019 total funding to date is $19.5 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Markforged<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Watertown, Massachusetts startup, founded in 2013, is using a proprietary 3D printing technique that utilizes advanced materials such as nylon, reinforced continuous fiber, chopped carbon fiber, and metal to create end-use composite material parts. The robotics for manufacturing startup is applying this unique approach to upend traditional 3D printing and numerous traditional manufacturing techniques, in the process delivering substantial cost, efficiency, and time savings. Markforged, currently in late-stage venture funding, has raised $136.8 million to date and has grown 12,687 percent from 2015 to 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ready Robotics<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ready Robotics is making it easy for manufacturers to deploy robots through an all-in-one robot programming terminal. The robotics for manufacturing startup\u2019s flagship product, the Forge Station, allows any manufacturer to program robots to complete a wide array of tasks without writing a single line of code. Ready Robotics is also pioneering robots-as-a-service, a service that can configure and deploy robots to customer facilities in thirty days or less. Ready Robotics, founded in 2016, is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio and has raised $18.8 million to date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

UiPath<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

UiPath is the Adobe for industrial process design. Building robotic process automation software, the company, founded in 2005, is using a platform approach to process design and execution. The company\u2019s core platform, UiPath Studio, offers visual automation modeling while its complementary services, UiPath Orchestrator and UiPath Robot, provide last-mile process execution. Some of the industries the robotics automation company serves include manufacturing, finance, and banking, healthcare, telecom, among others. UiPath, currently in late-stage venture funding, has raised $448 million to date. The robotics for manufacturing company, based in New York, has offices in London, Paris, Bucharest, Tokyo, Singapore, Bengaluru, and Melbourne.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seegrid<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Seegrid is helping manufacturers run faster and more efficient production lines through autonomous infrastructure-free material-handling vehicles combined with a cloud fleet management system. With customers like Boeing, DHL, Whirlpool, and Zulily, Seegrid is reimagining autonomous vehicles for the factory floor. The manufacturing robotics startup, founded in 2003, has so far raised $59.5 million from Innovation Works, Giant Eagle, and other private equity investors. The robotics for manufacturing company has its headquarters in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grabit<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Grabit is using a revolutionary electroadhesion innovation to revolutionize grasping tasks in robotics, industrial automation, and material handling. Using the same energy that causes hair to stick to a statically charged balloon, the startup is reinventing how goods are handled on linear and gravity-fed conveyor belts. By introducing better goods handling, Grabit delivers load efficiency, higher operation density, and increased speed. Grabit, founded in 2013, is based in Sunnyvale, California and has raised $21 million to date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Veo Robotics<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Veo Robotics is building intelligent collaborative robots or cobots, using advanced computer vision, 3D sensing, and artificial intelligence. The robotics for manufacturing startup, founded in 2016 and based in Waltham, Massachusetts, is bringing perception and intelligence to high-performance industrial robots. Through this innovative approach, Veo Robotics is bridging the gap between machine-only and human-only manufacturing processes. Veo Robotics has raised $28 million to date from Baidu Ventures, GV, Lux Capital, and Next47.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brain Corp.<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Brain Corp. is solving the challenge caused by fragmented robotics systems by creating a unified industry-agnostic robotics operating system. The company, founded in 2009 and supported by $125 million in funding from SoftBank, Qualcomm, and other investors, supports autonomous machine builders through its platform so they can build and deploy faster. Focusing on AI, Brain Corp. is powering intelligent machines, including industrial manufacturing robots, from the development phase through to the deployment and management phases. Brain Corp is headquartered in San Diego, California.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fetch Robotics<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Fetch Robotics is combining collaborative and intelligent Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR) with a cloud-based platform to offer on-demand automation. Leapfrogging the many challenges and bottlenecks involved in introducing automation to factory and warehouse floors, Fetch Robotics can deploy AMR solutions for material handling and data collection purposes within hours. Founded in 2014 and based in San Jose, California, the robotics for manufacturing and logistics startup has to date raised $48 million in venture capital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Machine-Human Collaboration<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the area of robotics for manufacturing becomes increasingly sophisticated, collaboration opportunities between robots and humans will abound. Where current tasks require segregated approaches with attendant inefficiencies, an increase in machine-human collaboration will unlock new levels of productivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the startups in this list and others continue to pioneer the future of manufacturing, the lesson to those in the manufacturing sector is clear \u2013 learn and follow fast and be ready to embrace the robotic future of manufacturing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


\n\n\n\n

Silicon Valley Manufacturing Industry Immersion Program<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Silicon Valley Innovation Center Manufacturing Industry immersion program<\/a> is designed as a highly-customized executive program tailored to the needs of your group of 10 people or more. The week-long manufacturing immersion program offers high-impact, learning experiences that explore in depth the emerging trends and the impact of disruptive technologies in the manufacturing industry.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Top Startups in Robotics for Manufacturing","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"top-startups-in-robotics-for-manufacturing","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-03-02 08:03:01","post_modified_gmt":"2020-03-02 16:03:01","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/top-startups-in-robotics-for-manufacturing\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":746,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-05-04 19:54:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-05-05 02:54:00","post_content":"\n

Transforming a large manufacturing business is impossible without deploying an array of automation and logistics innovations, such as robotics and artificial intelligence. It is also unimaginable without startup scouting, a practice of partnering with young and fast-moving companies to make innovation happen faster. All these things were on a checklist for a group of Sonepar executives who visited Silicon Valley Innovation Center in September 2017.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sonepar is a French manufacturer of electrical parts and products with a history that spans 45 years across 44 countries. If you have an old refrigerator or a vacuum cleaner at home, there\u2019s a good chance that it\u2019s using parts produced by Sonepar. Despite its glorious history, the company is currently struggling with fierce competition from Chinese manufacturers. Sonepar executives from Europe, America and Asia came to Silicon Valley to find solutions to this and their other ongoing challenges, namely growing  production costs combined with digital disruption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Companies we visited during a 3-day innovation program included Squadrone System, IngDan, Chariot, HP, SAP, UL Ventures, Jabil and others. At SVIC, our goal was to introduce the Sonepar delegates to the best ideas that could help them modernize their supply-chain and logistics business and equip them with the right tools to compete with e-commerce behemoths like Amazon. Here are some of the key takeaways from the trip as told by SVIC\u2019s director of business development Russel Climaco-Estardo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In order to stay afloat in the manufacturing business in our fast-paced digital era, companies need to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Digitize the supply-chain with smart drones<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Smart AI-powered drones help companies like Amazon automate warehousing. Sonepar executives admitted that their warehouses rely heavily on manual labor and use of paper. To show how drones can improve inventory control, we took our clients to Squadrone System. Eva Pagneux, the company\u2019s then VP of Strategy & Marketing  demonstrated how Sonepar can cut inventory time to minutes and increase data capture quality with a completely autonomous drone that navigates in alleys, guided by its companion app. She explained how a drone can fly in the evening and scan all the pallets and bars in its warehouse and log the data to a central inventory system. A fully digital, completely automated warehouse is the only way to build a scalable manufacturing business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/lWuLVTgWDTU\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Lower production costs with 3D-Printing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Using 3D-Printing to offset production and delivery costs instead of making products in bulk was another idea that came up during the trip. We paired the team with Hewlett-Packard Labs, an exploratory and advanced research group for HP Inc. HP Labs presented 3D-Printing technology capable of saving millions of dollars each year for a business like Sonepar. Instead of using traditional injection molding technology, Sonepar could use old blueprints to 3D print parts for outdated cars, machines and appliances that are not produced anymore. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3D-printing, or additive manufacturing, is a truly revolutionary technology, which is fast and relatively cheap. It gives engineers more time to be creative and inventive, in comparison with traditional manufacturing methods. 3D printing is a must-have for every manufacturing business on the path of digital transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Partner with innovative startups<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAcquihiring\u201d is becoming a thing of the past, says Climaco-Estardo. Instead of buying out interesting startups, manufacturing businesses need to find reliable partners to work with and embed themselves deeper into the innovation ecosystem. This was a cross-cutting theme of Sonepar\u2019s meetings with VC boutique Naiss, UL Ventures as well as a startup scouting workshop at SVIC. When a corporation acquires a young company, there\u2019s a good chance it will kill off the innovation. Using startups as service providers is a smarter strategy, as it makes it easier to get to the innovative technology without spending too much money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/uZvNmf7WOWk\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Innovation outpost<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a matter of three days, the Sonepar executives were able to get a grasp of what is shaping their industry and find inspiration to transform their business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe found some great startups to work with, that inspired us, challenged us and our thinking\u201d, said Jo Verbeek, President and Chairman at Sonepar, Asia-Pacific Region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a typical example of what we do at Silicon Valley Innovation Center. For most of our clients we are a first \u201cinnovation outpost\u201d. Businesses from around the globe use our services to broaden their innovation horizons and find valuable partners to work with. Here in Silicon Valley we have access to thousands of innovative startups. Let us be your guide in the word of modern companies operating in manufacturing and supply chain management across such technologies as artificial intelligence, robotics and IoT.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Three Ideas On How To Modernize A Legacy Manufacturing Business","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":769,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-04-17 13:58:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-04-17 20:58:00","post_content":"\n

Three days, 16 famous Silicon Valley companies and a dozen innovation experts \u2013 that\u2019s how Toyota Material Handling (TMH) spent its corporate retreat in 2017. A European subdivision of Toyota Industries and a producer of equipment for logistics, TMH has for many years sent its executives from all over the world to an annual gathering to discuss strategy and the future of the brand.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The three-day executive immersion program we designed for the company was months in the planning so if the executives felt a little overwhelmed at times that meant they were learning, which was exactly the point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not that there was anything atypical about such lengthy preparations. As with all our programs we engaged Toyota in a thorough consultation process in order to zoom in on the major \u201cpain points\u201d of its business. Then we built a schedule to provide introductions to the kind of high-technology solutions Silicon Valley is famous for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This particular trip was for Toyota Material Handling (TMH), a division of the company entirely separate from - though not unrelated to - the Japanese manufacturer\u2019s more well-known carmaking business. Where the latter builds the Priuses, Corollas and Camrys which have become staples of world motoring, the former is concerned with the manufacture and supply of the forklifts and pallet trucks which help get the parts for those vehicles to the production line.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For us at Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) that meant putting together a program with an emphasis on finding novel solutions to the typical problems faced by enterprises in the manufacturing sector, namely, cost and time inefficiencies in areas like warehousing and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Answers, we knew, would come from technologies like internet of things and blockchain. But apart from visiting companies breaking new ground in these areas we also made sure to mix in sessions on corporate innovation at Google, Amazon and Microsoft. After all, getting access to new technology is the relatively easy part. Actually knowing how to get an organization to embrace that technology and get the most out of it is where the real work begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so, with the schedule finalized and the hotel rooms booked, the Toyota Material Handling team touched down in Silicon Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Internet of Things<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The development which today presents the most threats and opportunities to a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling is Internet of Things, or IoT.  We dedicated a large part of the Japanese enterprise\u2019s time in Silicon Valley to meetings with companies currently using the technology in their operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest and most advanced users of IoT anywhere in the world today is contract manufacturer Jabil. Touring its production facilities, the Toyota team saw something they could emulate: sensors and data collectors on everything from pallets to machines and a huge control room to go with them where all the collected information is processed. The practical application of all this technology use was made clear through the huge gains in efficiency it has generated for Jabil throughout the manufacturing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Verizon, meanwhile, the emphasis was placed on a parallel aspect of the IoT revolution with a focus on connectivity and 5G mobile broadband. The communications company opened Toyota\u2019s eyes to the huge realm of possibilities 5G will open for IoT and the changes this could bring in everything from supply chain to smart cities. What\u2019s more, the Toyota execs learned how Verizon stays abreast of the latest technology developments by actively buying up and partnering with a range of startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That knowledge on the startup scene in the IoT space was expanded further with a visit to Wearable World, an IoT accelerator. The CEO laid out the current state of the industry, with an angel investor also giving a presentation detailing for Toyota Material Handling how the company might make the most of IoT\u2019s potential through investment in startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those learnings came to the fore on day three of the program during a startup showcase, when Toyota met several early stage companies. Roambee, which offers real-time location and condition monitoring for shipments, further deepened the forklift manufacturer\u2019s understanding of IoT\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corporate Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};

Search

Latest

\n

While most innovations in robotics for manufacturing are incremental, such as those by Soft Robotics and Fetch Robotics, some innovations are truly groundbreaking \u2013 such as those by Markforged and Grabit. The underlying narrative, however, is that the age of robots has dawned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here, we briefly discuss the top ten startups in robotics for manufacturing, identifying key ways they are impacting and reshaping the manufacturing industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Soft Robotics<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Founded in 2015, Soft Robotics is solving end-of-arm tooling in industrial robots through smart material soft-touch grippers. As most robots lack the fine, dexterous touch and grip humans have, humans complete tasks involving delicate or irregularly-shaped items. Soft Robotics uses advanced materials in its soft-touch gripper that enable it to grip anything from fresh fruit to candy bars, with the same dexterity and finesse as a human. Soft Robotics, headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, has to date raised $25 million in venture capital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arevo Labs<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Arevo Labs is combining advanced composite materials, intelligent lifecycle management software, and true free-motion 3D printing to create ultra-strong polymer parts that cannot be made using conventional manufacturing techniques. The robotics for manufacturing startup is exploring a new take on industrial part manufacturing with an intention to disrupt the traditional design-for-manufacturing (DFM) process, replacing it with a manufacturing-for-design (MFD) approach. Founded in 2013, Arevo Labs\u2019 total funding to date is $19.5 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Markforged<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Watertown, Massachusetts startup, founded in 2013, is using a proprietary 3D printing technique that utilizes advanced materials such as nylon, reinforced continuous fiber, chopped carbon fiber, and metal to create end-use composite material parts. The robotics for manufacturing startup is applying this unique approach to upend traditional 3D printing and numerous traditional manufacturing techniques, in the process delivering substantial cost, efficiency, and time savings. Markforged, currently in late-stage venture funding, has raised $136.8 million to date and has grown 12,687 percent from 2015 to 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ready Robotics<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ready Robotics is making it easy for manufacturers to deploy robots through an all-in-one robot programming terminal. The robotics for manufacturing startup\u2019s flagship product, the Forge Station, allows any manufacturer to program robots to complete a wide array of tasks without writing a single line of code. Ready Robotics is also pioneering robots-as-a-service, a service that can configure and deploy robots to customer facilities in thirty days or less. Ready Robotics, founded in 2016, is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio and has raised $18.8 million to date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

UiPath<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

UiPath is the Adobe for industrial process design. Building robotic process automation software, the company, founded in 2005, is using a platform approach to process design and execution. The company\u2019s core platform, UiPath Studio, offers visual automation modeling while its complementary services, UiPath Orchestrator and UiPath Robot, provide last-mile process execution. Some of the industries the robotics automation company serves include manufacturing, finance, and banking, healthcare, telecom, among others. UiPath, currently in late-stage venture funding, has raised $448 million to date. The robotics for manufacturing company, based in New York, has offices in London, Paris, Bucharest, Tokyo, Singapore, Bengaluru, and Melbourne.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seegrid<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Seegrid is helping manufacturers run faster and more efficient production lines through autonomous infrastructure-free material-handling vehicles combined with a cloud fleet management system. With customers like Boeing, DHL, Whirlpool, and Zulily, Seegrid is reimagining autonomous vehicles for the factory floor. The manufacturing robotics startup, founded in 2003, has so far raised $59.5 million from Innovation Works, Giant Eagle, and other private equity investors. The robotics for manufacturing company has its headquarters in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grabit<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Grabit is using a revolutionary electroadhesion innovation to revolutionize grasping tasks in robotics, industrial automation, and material handling. Using the same energy that causes hair to stick to a statically charged balloon, the startup is reinventing how goods are handled on linear and gravity-fed conveyor belts. By introducing better goods handling, Grabit delivers load efficiency, higher operation density, and increased speed. Grabit, founded in 2013, is based in Sunnyvale, California and has raised $21 million to date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Veo Robotics<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Veo Robotics is building intelligent collaborative robots or cobots, using advanced computer vision, 3D sensing, and artificial intelligence. The robotics for manufacturing startup, founded in 2016 and based in Waltham, Massachusetts, is bringing perception and intelligence to high-performance industrial robots. Through this innovative approach, Veo Robotics is bridging the gap between machine-only and human-only manufacturing processes. Veo Robotics has raised $28 million to date from Baidu Ventures, GV, Lux Capital, and Next47.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brain Corp.<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Brain Corp. is solving the challenge caused by fragmented robotics systems by creating a unified industry-agnostic robotics operating system. The company, founded in 2009 and supported by $125 million in funding from SoftBank, Qualcomm, and other investors, supports autonomous machine builders through its platform so they can build and deploy faster. Focusing on AI, Brain Corp. is powering intelligent machines, including industrial manufacturing robots, from the development phase through to the deployment and management phases. Brain Corp is headquartered in San Diego, California.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fetch Robotics<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Fetch Robotics is combining collaborative and intelligent Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR) with a cloud-based platform to offer on-demand automation. Leapfrogging the many challenges and bottlenecks involved in introducing automation to factory and warehouse floors, Fetch Robotics can deploy AMR solutions for material handling and data collection purposes within hours. Founded in 2014 and based in San Jose, California, the robotics for manufacturing and logistics startup has to date raised $48 million in venture capital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Machine-Human Collaboration<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the area of robotics for manufacturing becomes increasingly sophisticated, collaboration opportunities between robots and humans will abound. Where current tasks require segregated approaches with attendant inefficiencies, an increase in machine-human collaboration will unlock new levels of productivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the startups in this list and others continue to pioneer the future of manufacturing, the lesson to those in the manufacturing sector is clear \u2013 learn and follow fast and be ready to embrace the robotic future of manufacturing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


\n\n\n\n

Silicon Valley Manufacturing Industry Immersion Program<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Silicon Valley Innovation Center Manufacturing Industry immersion program<\/a> is designed as a highly-customized executive program tailored to the needs of your group of 10 people or more. The week-long manufacturing immersion program offers high-impact, learning experiences that explore in depth the emerging trends and the impact of disruptive technologies in the manufacturing industry.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Top Startups in Robotics for Manufacturing","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"top-startups-in-robotics-for-manufacturing","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-03-02 08:03:01","post_modified_gmt":"2020-03-02 16:03:01","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/top-startups-in-robotics-for-manufacturing\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":746,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-05-04 19:54:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-05-05 02:54:00","post_content":"\n

Transforming a large manufacturing business is impossible without deploying an array of automation and logistics innovations, such as robotics and artificial intelligence. It is also unimaginable without startup scouting, a practice of partnering with young and fast-moving companies to make innovation happen faster. All these things were on a checklist for a group of Sonepar executives who visited Silicon Valley Innovation Center in September 2017.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sonepar is a French manufacturer of electrical parts and products with a history that spans 45 years across 44 countries. If you have an old refrigerator or a vacuum cleaner at home, there\u2019s a good chance that it\u2019s using parts produced by Sonepar. Despite its glorious history, the company is currently struggling with fierce competition from Chinese manufacturers. Sonepar executives from Europe, America and Asia came to Silicon Valley to find solutions to this and their other ongoing challenges, namely growing  production costs combined with digital disruption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Companies we visited during a 3-day innovation program included Squadrone System, IngDan, Chariot, HP, SAP, UL Ventures, Jabil and others. At SVIC, our goal was to introduce the Sonepar delegates to the best ideas that could help them modernize their supply-chain and logistics business and equip them with the right tools to compete with e-commerce behemoths like Amazon. Here are some of the key takeaways from the trip as told by SVIC\u2019s director of business development Russel Climaco-Estardo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In order to stay afloat in the manufacturing business in our fast-paced digital era, companies need to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Digitize the supply-chain with smart drones<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Smart AI-powered drones help companies like Amazon automate warehousing. Sonepar executives admitted that their warehouses rely heavily on manual labor and use of paper. To show how drones can improve inventory control, we took our clients to Squadrone System. Eva Pagneux, the company\u2019s then VP of Strategy & Marketing  demonstrated how Sonepar can cut inventory time to minutes and increase data capture quality with a completely autonomous drone that navigates in alleys, guided by its companion app. She explained how a drone can fly in the evening and scan all the pallets and bars in its warehouse and log the data to a central inventory system. A fully digital, completely automated warehouse is the only way to build a scalable manufacturing business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/lWuLVTgWDTU\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Lower production costs with 3D-Printing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Using 3D-Printing to offset production and delivery costs instead of making products in bulk was another idea that came up during the trip. We paired the team with Hewlett-Packard Labs, an exploratory and advanced research group for HP Inc. HP Labs presented 3D-Printing technology capable of saving millions of dollars each year for a business like Sonepar. Instead of using traditional injection molding technology, Sonepar could use old blueprints to 3D print parts for outdated cars, machines and appliances that are not produced anymore. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3D-printing, or additive manufacturing, is a truly revolutionary technology, which is fast and relatively cheap. It gives engineers more time to be creative and inventive, in comparison with traditional manufacturing methods. 3D printing is a must-have for every manufacturing business on the path of digital transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Partner with innovative startups<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAcquihiring\u201d is becoming a thing of the past, says Climaco-Estardo. Instead of buying out interesting startups, manufacturing businesses need to find reliable partners to work with and embed themselves deeper into the innovation ecosystem. This was a cross-cutting theme of Sonepar\u2019s meetings with VC boutique Naiss, UL Ventures as well as a startup scouting workshop at SVIC. When a corporation acquires a young company, there\u2019s a good chance it will kill off the innovation. Using startups as service providers is a smarter strategy, as it makes it easier to get to the innovative technology without spending too much money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/uZvNmf7WOWk\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Innovation outpost<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a matter of three days, the Sonepar executives were able to get a grasp of what is shaping their industry and find inspiration to transform their business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe found some great startups to work with, that inspired us, challenged us and our thinking\u201d, said Jo Verbeek, President and Chairman at Sonepar, Asia-Pacific Region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a typical example of what we do at Silicon Valley Innovation Center. For most of our clients we are a first \u201cinnovation outpost\u201d. Businesses from around the globe use our services to broaden their innovation horizons and find valuable partners to work with. Here in Silicon Valley we have access to thousands of innovative startups. Let us be your guide in the word of modern companies operating in manufacturing and supply chain management across such technologies as artificial intelligence, robotics and IoT.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Three Ideas On How To Modernize A Legacy Manufacturing Business","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":769,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-04-17 13:58:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-04-17 20:58:00","post_content":"\n

Three days, 16 famous Silicon Valley companies and a dozen innovation experts \u2013 that\u2019s how Toyota Material Handling (TMH) spent its corporate retreat in 2017. A European subdivision of Toyota Industries and a producer of equipment for logistics, TMH has for many years sent its executives from all over the world to an annual gathering to discuss strategy and the future of the brand.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The three-day executive immersion program we designed for the company was months in the planning so if the executives felt a little overwhelmed at times that meant they were learning, which was exactly the point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not that there was anything atypical about such lengthy preparations. As with all our programs we engaged Toyota in a thorough consultation process in order to zoom in on the major \u201cpain points\u201d of its business. Then we built a schedule to provide introductions to the kind of high-technology solutions Silicon Valley is famous for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This particular trip was for Toyota Material Handling (TMH), a division of the company entirely separate from - though not unrelated to - the Japanese manufacturer\u2019s more well-known carmaking business. Where the latter builds the Priuses, Corollas and Camrys which have become staples of world motoring, the former is concerned with the manufacture and supply of the forklifts and pallet trucks which help get the parts for those vehicles to the production line.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For us at Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) that meant putting together a program with an emphasis on finding novel solutions to the typical problems faced by enterprises in the manufacturing sector, namely, cost and time inefficiencies in areas like warehousing and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Answers, we knew, would come from technologies like internet of things and blockchain. But apart from visiting companies breaking new ground in these areas we also made sure to mix in sessions on corporate innovation at Google, Amazon and Microsoft. After all, getting access to new technology is the relatively easy part. Actually knowing how to get an organization to embrace that technology and get the most out of it is where the real work begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so, with the schedule finalized and the hotel rooms booked, the Toyota Material Handling team touched down in Silicon Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Internet of Things<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The development which today presents the most threats and opportunities to a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling is Internet of Things, or IoT.  We dedicated a large part of the Japanese enterprise\u2019s time in Silicon Valley to meetings with companies currently using the technology in their operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest and most advanced users of IoT anywhere in the world today is contract manufacturer Jabil. Touring its production facilities, the Toyota team saw something they could emulate: sensors and data collectors on everything from pallets to machines and a huge control room to go with them where all the collected information is processed. The practical application of all this technology use was made clear through the huge gains in efficiency it has generated for Jabil throughout the manufacturing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Verizon, meanwhile, the emphasis was placed on a parallel aspect of the IoT revolution with a focus on connectivity and 5G mobile broadband. The communications company opened Toyota\u2019s eyes to the huge realm of possibilities 5G will open for IoT and the changes this could bring in everything from supply chain to smart cities. What\u2019s more, the Toyota execs learned how Verizon stays abreast of the latest technology developments by actively buying up and partnering with a range of startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That knowledge on the startup scene in the IoT space was expanded further with a visit to Wearable World, an IoT accelerator. The CEO laid out the current state of the industry, with an angel investor also giving a presentation detailing for Toyota Material Handling how the company might make the most of IoT\u2019s potential through investment in startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those learnings came to the fore on day three of the program during a startup showcase, when Toyota met several early stage companies. Roambee, which offers real-time location and condition monitoring for shipments, further deepened the forklift manufacturer\u2019s understanding of IoT\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corporate Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};

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Latest

\n

The robots are no longer coming; they are here. Robots and robotics are an area of digital technologies that may not enjoy a lot of media hype but are quietly transforming how industries work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While most innovations in robotics for manufacturing are incremental, such as those by Soft Robotics and Fetch Robotics, some innovations are truly groundbreaking \u2013 such as those by Markforged and Grabit. The underlying narrative, however, is that the age of robots has dawned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here, we briefly discuss the top ten startups in robotics for manufacturing, identifying key ways they are impacting and reshaping the manufacturing industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Soft Robotics<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Founded in 2015, Soft Robotics is solving end-of-arm tooling in industrial robots through smart material soft-touch grippers. As most robots lack the fine, dexterous touch and grip humans have, humans complete tasks involving delicate or irregularly-shaped items. Soft Robotics uses advanced materials in its soft-touch gripper that enable it to grip anything from fresh fruit to candy bars, with the same dexterity and finesse as a human. Soft Robotics, headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, has to date raised $25 million in venture capital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arevo Labs<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Arevo Labs is combining advanced composite materials, intelligent lifecycle management software, and true free-motion 3D printing to create ultra-strong polymer parts that cannot be made using conventional manufacturing techniques. The robotics for manufacturing startup is exploring a new take on industrial part manufacturing with an intention to disrupt the traditional design-for-manufacturing (DFM) process, replacing it with a manufacturing-for-design (MFD) approach. Founded in 2013, Arevo Labs\u2019 total funding to date is $19.5 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Markforged<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Watertown, Massachusetts startup, founded in 2013, is using a proprietary 3D printing technique that utilizes advanced materials such as nylon, reinforced continuous fiber, chopped carbon fiber, and metal to create end-use composite material parts. The robotics for manufacturing startup is applying this unique approach to upend traditional 3D printing and numerous traditional manufacturing techniques, in the process delivering substantial cost, efficiency, and time savings. Markforged, currently in late-stage venture funding, has raised $136.8 million to date and has grown 12,687 percent from 2015 to 2018.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ready Robotics<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ready Robotics is making it easy for manufacturers to deploy robots through an all-in-one robot programming terminal. The robotics for manufacturing startup\u2019s flagship product, the Forge Station, allows any manufacturer to program robots to complete a wide array of tasks without writing a single line of code. Ready Robotics is also pioneering robots-as-a-service, a service that can configure and deploy robots to customer facilities in thirty days or less. Ready Robotics, founded in 2016, is headquartered in Columbus, Ohio and has raised $18.8 million to date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

UiPath<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

UiPath is the Adobe for industrial process design. Building robotic process automation software, the company, founded in 2005, is using a platform approach to process design and execution. The company\u2019s core platform, UiPath Studio, offers visual automation modeling while its complementary services, UiPath Orchestrator and UiPath Robot, provide last-mile process execution. Some of the industries the robotics automation company serves include manufacturing, finance, and banking, healthcare, telecom, among others. UiPath, currently in late-stage venture funding, has raised $448 million to date. The robotics for manufacturing company, based in New York, has offices in London, Paris, Bucharest, Tokyo, Singapore, Bengaluru, and Melbourne.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seegrid<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Seegrid is helping manufacturers run faster and more efficient production lines through autonomous infrastructure-free material-handling vehicles combined with a cloud fleet management system. With customers like Boeing, DHL, Whirlpool, and Zulily, Seegrid is reimagining autonomous vehicles for the factory floor. The manufacturing robotics startup, founded in 2003, has so far raised $59.5 million from Innovation Works, Giant Eagle, and other private equity investors. The robotics for manufacturing company has its headquarters in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Grabit<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Grabit is using a revolutionary electroadhesion innovation to revolutionize grasping tasks in robotics, industrial automation, and material handling. Using the same energy that causes hair to stick to a statically charged balloon, the startup is reinventing how goods are handled on linear and gravity-fed conveyor belts. By introducing better goods handling, Grabit delivers load efficiency, higher operation density, and increased speed. Grabit, founded in 2013, is based in Sunnyvale, California and has raised $21 million to date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Veo Robotics<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Veo Robotics is building intelligent collaborative robots or cobots, using advanced computer vision, 3D sensing, and artificial intelligence. The robotics for manufacturing startup, founded in 2016 and based in Waltham, Massachusetts, is bringing perception and intelligence to high-performance industrial robots. Through this innovative approach, Veo Robotics is bridging the gap between machine-only and human-only manufacturing processes. Veo Robotics has raised $28 million to date from Baidu Ventures, GV, Lux Capital, and Next47.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brain Corp.<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Brain Corp. is solving the challenge caused by fragmented robotics systems by creating a unified industry-agnostic robotics operating system. The company, founded in 2009 and supported by $125 million in funding from SoftBank, Qualcomm, and other investors, supports autonomous machine builders through its platform so they can build and deploy faster. Focusing on AI, Brain Corp. is powering intelligent machines, including industrial manufacturing robots, from the development phase through to the deployment and management phases. Brain Corp is headquartered in San Diego, California.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fetch Robotics<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Fetch Robotics is combining collaborative and intelligent Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR) with a cloud-based platform to offer on-demand automation. Leapfrogging the many challenges and bottlenecks involved in introducing automation to factory and warehouse floors, Fetch Robotics can deploy AMR solutions for material handling and data collection purposes within hours. Founded in 2014 and based in San Jose, California, the robotics for manufacturing and logistics startup has to date raised $48 million in venture capital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Machine-Human Collaboration<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the area of robotics for manufacturing becomes increasingly sophisticated, collaboration opportunities between robots and humans will abound. Where current tasks require segregated approaches with attendant inefficiencies, an increase in machine-human collaboration will unlock new levels of productivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the startups in this list and others continue to pioneer the future of manufacturing, the lesson to those in the manufacturing sector is clear \u2013 learn and follow fast and be ready to embrace the robotic future of manufacturing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n


\n\n\n\n

Silicon Valley Manufacturing Industry Immersion Program<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Silicon Valley Innovation Center Manufacturing Industry immersion program<\/a> is designed as a highly-customized executive program tailored to the needs of your group of 10 people or more. The week-long manufacturing immersion program offers high-impact, learning experiences that explore in depth the emerging trends and the impact of disruptive technologies in the manufacturing industry.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Top Startups in Robotics for Manufacturing","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"top-startups-in-robotics-for-manufacturing","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-03-02 08:03:01","post_modified_gmt":"2020-03-02 16:03:01","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/top-startups-in-robotics-for-manufacturing\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":746,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-05-04 19:54:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-05-05 02:54:00","post_content":"\n

Transforming a large manufacturing business is impossible without deploying an array of automation and logistics innovations, such as robotics and artificial intelligence. It is also unimaginable without startup scouting, a practice of partnering with young and fast-moving companies to make innovation happen faster. All these things were on a checklist for a group of Sonepar executives who visited Silicon Valley Innovation Center in September 2017.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sonepar is a French manufacturer of electrical parts and products with a history that spans 45 years across 44 countries. If you have an old refrigerator or a vacuum cleaner at home, there\u2019s a good chance that it\u2019s using parts produced by Sonepar. Despite its glorious history, the company is currently struggling with fierce competition from Chinese manufacturers. Sonepar executives from Europe, America and Asia came to Silicon Valley to find solutions to this and their other ongoing challenges, namely growing  production costs combined with digital disruption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Companies we visited during a 3-day innovation program included Squadrone System, IngDan, Chariot, HP, SAP, UL Ventures, Jabil and others. At SVIC, our goal was to introduce the Sonepar delegates to the best ideas that could help them modernize their supply-chain and logistics business and equip them with the right tools to compete with e-commerce behemoths like Amazon. Here are some of the key takeaways from the trip as told by SVIC\u2019s director of business development Russel Climaco-Estardo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In order to stay afloat in the manufacturing business in our fast-paced digital era, companies need to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Digitize the supply-chain with smart drones<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Smart AI-powered drones help companies like Amazon automate warehousing. Sonepar executives admitted that their warehouses rely heavily on manual labor and use of paper. To show how drones can improve inventory control, we took our clients to Squadrone System. Eva Pagneux, the company\u2019s then VP of Strategy & Marketing  demonstrated how Sonepar can cut inventory time to minutes and increase data capture quality with a completely autonomous drone that navigates in alleys, guided by its companion app. She explained how a drone can fly in the evening and scan all the pallets and bars in its warehouse and log the data to a central inventory system. A fully digital, completely automated warehouse is the only way to build a scalable manufacturing business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/lWuLVTgWDTU\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Lower production costs with 3D-Printing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Using 3D-Printing to offset production and delivery costs instead of making products in bulk was another idea that came up during the trip. We paired the team with Hewlett-Packard Labs, an exploratory and advanced research group for HP Inc. HP Labs presented 3D-Printing technology capable of saving millions of dollars each year for a business like Sonepar. Instead of using traditional injection molding technology, Sonepar could use old blueprints to 3D print parts for outdated cars, machines and appliances that are not produced anymore. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3D-printing, or additive manufacturing, is a truly revolutionary technology, which is fast and relatively cheap. It gives engineers more time to be creative and inventive, in comparison with traditional manufacturing methods. 3D printing is a must-have for every manufacturing business on the path of digital transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Partner with innovative startups<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAcquihiring\u201d is becoming a thing of the past, says Climaco-Estardo. Instead of buying out interesting startups, manufacturing businesses need to find reliable partners to work with and embed themselves deeper into the innovation ecosystem. This was a cross-cutting theme of Sonepar\u2019s meetings with VC boutique Naiss, UL Ventures as well as a startup scouting workshop at SVIC. When a corporation acquires a young company, there\u2019s a good chance it will kill off the innovation. Using startups as service providers is a smarter strategy, as it makes it easier to get to the innovative technology without spending too much money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/uZvNmf7WOWk\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Innovation outpost<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In a matter of three days, the Sonepar executives were able to get a grasp of what is shaping their industry and find inspiration to transform their business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe found some great startups to work with, that inspired us, challenged us and our thinking\u201d, said Jo Verbeek, President and Chairman at Sonepar, Asia-Pacific Region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a typical example of what we do at Silicon Valley Innovation Center. For most of our clients we are a first \u201cinnovation outpost\u201d. Businesses from around the globe use our services to broaden their innovation horizons and find valuable partners to work with. Here in Silicon Valley we have access to thousands of innovative startups. Let us be your guide in the word of modern companies operating in manufacturing and supply chain management across such technologies as artificial intelligence, robotics and IoT.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Three Ideas On How To Modernize A Legacy Manufacturing Business","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/three-ideas-on-how-to-modernize-a-legacy-manufacturing-business\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":769,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2018-04-17 13:58:00","post_date_gmt":"2018-04-17 20:58:00","post_content":"\n

Three days, 16 famous Silicon Valley companies and a dozen innovation experts \u2013 that\u2019s how Toyota Material Handling (TMH) spent its corporate retreat in 2017. A European subdivision of Toyota Industries and a producer of equipment for logistics, TMH has for many years sent its executives from all over the world to an annual gathering to discuss strategy and the future of the brand.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The three-day executive immersion program we designed for the company was months in the planning so if the executives felt a little overwhelmed at times that meant they were learning, which was exactly the point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not that there was anything atypical about such lengthy preparations. As with all our programs we engaged Toyota in a thorough consultation process in order to zoom in on the major \u201cpain points\u201d of its business. Then we built a schedule to provide introductions to the kind of high-technology solutions Silicon Valley is famous for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This particular trip was for Toyota Material Handling (TMH), a division of the company entirely separate from - though not unrelated to - the Japanese manufacturer\u2019s more well-known carmaking business. Where the latter builds the Priuses, Corollas and Camrys which have become staples of world motoring, the former is concerned with the manufacture and supply of the forklifts and pallet trucks which help get the parts for those vehicles to the production line.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For us at Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) that meant putting together a program with an emphasis on finding novel solutions to the typical problems faced by enterprises in the manufacturing sector, namely, cost and time inefficiencies in areas like warehousing and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Answers, we knew, would come from technologies like internet of things and blockchain. But apart from visiting companies breaking new ground in these areas we also made sure to mix in sessions on corporate innovation at Google, Amazon and Microsoft. After all, getting access to new technology is the relatively easy part. Actually knowing how to get an organization to embrace that technology and get the most out of it is where the real work begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so, with the schedule finalized and the hotel rooms booked, the Toyota Material Handling team touched down in Silicon Valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Internet of Things<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The development which today presents the most threats and opportunities to a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling is Internet of Things, or IoT.  We dedicated a large part of the Japanese enterprise\u2019s time in Silicon Valley to meetings with companies currently using the technology in their operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the biggest and most advanced users of IoT anywhere in the world today is contract manufacturer Jabil. Touring its production facilities, the Toyota team saw something they could emulate: sensors and data collectors on everything from pallets to machines and a huge control room to go with them where all the collected information is processed. The practical application of all this technology use was made clear through the huge gains in efficiency it has generated for Jabil throughout the manufacturing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Verizon, meanwhile, the emphasis was placed on a parallel aspect of the IoT revolution with a focus on connectivity and 5G mobile broadband. The communications company opened Toyota\u2019s eyes to the huge realm of possibilities 5G will open for IoT and the changes this could bring in everything from supply chain to smart cities. What\u2019s more, the Toyota execs learned how Verizon stays abreast of the latest technology developments by actively buying up and partnering with a range of startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That knowledge on the startup scene in the IoT space was expanded further with a visit to Wearable World, an IoT accelerator. The CEO laid out the current state of the industry, with an angel investor also giving a presentation detailing for Toyota Material Handling how the company might make the most of IoT\u2019s potential through investment in startups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those learnings came to the fore on day three of the program during a startup showcase, when Toyota met several early stage companies. Roambee, which offers real-time location and condition monitoring for shipments, further deepened the forklift manufacturer\u2019s understanding of IoT\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Corporate Innovation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After IoT, corporate innovation was the next biggest area of exploration for Toyota Material Handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Presentations at Google, Microsoft and Amazon taught Toyota that with the right strategy, even a big organization such as itself can innovate. The three tech giants all touched upon a similar theme: when it comes to not just staying current but even getting ahead of the curve, it is imperative to make a large number of small bets. In fact, as Toyota found out, Amazon, directly or indirectly, has a stake in some 80,000 early-stage companies. For the Toyota executives is was a real revelation; never had they expected \u201ccorporate innovation\u201d to require such an active and far-reaching approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The secret to fearlessly testing new ideas in short sprints is the enormous amount of data Google accumulates. They measure everything and are able to make predictions based on vast amounts of user behavior data. \u201cEvery company in Silicon Valley has this one thing in common: they all have data scientists or software engineers that are making decisions. Silicon Valley is a city run by PhDs and scientists\u201d, elaborates SVIC Innovation Evangelist Christian Lorentzen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further lessons were learned on day three with a trip to non-profit research group Institute for the Future. The presentation here made a strong impact, as the director of business development challenged the Toyota team to think about how their positions as executives in the twenty-first century need to evolve in order to stay relevant in a changing business environment. He emphasized the need to be less hierarchical and more in touch with the consumer experience. This reinforced a message which Toyota had heard earlier at Amazon, where they found out that founder Jeff Bezos spends at least one day a month working in the company\u2019s call center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota\u2019s takeaways from Google, Amazon and Institute for the Future:<\/strong> Use data and customer insights to test new ideas. The ability to learn with a customer and use data analytics teams in an agile business cycle is what distinguishes companies that will continue to compete in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Sharing Economy and Blockchain<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With IoT and corporate innovation occupying the majority of the space on Toyota\u2019s agenda, we just had time to squeeze in a few more sectors. Naturally enough, car usage in the sharing economy was an area of interest for the Japanese manufacturer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To that end we visited Turo, operator of a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace. The company's founder opened up to Toyota on what his reasons were for launching the company, in the process providing much-needed insight into the motivation of entrepreneurs and the difficulties they can face when regulatory frameworks don\u2019t keep pace with technology. As the founder recalled, the color of innovation is often \u201cgrey\u201d because new markets are being created about which little is known and even less is clear from existing legal structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Toyota were also introduced to the world of blockchain and specifically its use cases in combination with IoT to improve supply chain efficiency. This helped the executive team crystallize their thinking on what blockchain truly is and could be, apart from just a buzzword they were hearing more and more often.  Max Fang, a lecturer from the research group Blockchain at Berkley, shared insights from the blockchain world, including that there are currently around 100 startups operating in the blockchain-IoT space focused on coming up with innovative solutions to the kinds of problems faced by a manufacturer like Toyota Material Handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many Innovations to Come<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At the end of their three days, the feedback we heard from the Toyota team told us they felt their trip to Silicon Valley had been worthwhile. As the company had stressed to us in the months leading up to their arrival, one of the reasons they wanted to visit the tech hub was to get ideas on how they could rewire their own internal strategies. On that score their immersion program provided plenty of inspiration, not least from the big companies like Google, Microsoft and Amazon, all of which proved that innovation is possible even when operating as a global corporation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the other end of the scale Toyota saw how tiny companies, sometimes as small as just a team of developers, can make a big impact and really disrupt the status quo. Connecting these dots together, the executives undersood how their own approach to innovation as a big company would require a more active approach to partnering and investing with startups.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Toyota in Silicon Valley: Lessons in Supply Chain and Corporate Innovation","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-in-silicon-valley-lessons-in-supply-chain-and-corporate-innovation\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":880,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2017-11-27 20:36:00","post_date_gmt":"2017-11-28 04:36:00","post_content":"\n

On Tuesday, November 14th through Friday, November 16th, Silicon Valley Innovation Center (SVIC) hosted the executives from Toyota Material Handling. Silicon Valley leaders, top executives, and innovators shared their vision with the participants on the most disruptive trends in automation and supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See what Matthias Fischer, President and CEO of Toyota Material Handling Europe, said about his experience on the 3 day Silicon Valley immersion program:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","post_title":"Toyota Handling Materials, Europe On Their Experience With SVIC","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2019-12-27 20:45:15","post_modified_gmt":"2019-12-28 04:45:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/siliconvalley.center\/blog\/toyota-handling-materials-europe-on-their-experience-with-svic\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"epic_block_5"};

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Explore C-suite Innovation Lab<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
Explore C-suite Innovation Lab<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\n
\n\n\n\n
\n
Explore C-suite Innovation Lab<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\n

Only 25 seats are available<\/strong> for this cohort.
Early registration includes a $1,000 discount for those who move fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n

\n
Explore C-suite Innovation Lab<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\n

Whether you're rethinking your international expansion plans, retooling your innovation pipeline, or modernizing the culture and systems inside your organization \u2014 this experience is designed to help you act with clarity and confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Only 25 seats are available<\/strong> for this cohort.
Early registration includes a $1,000 discount for those who move fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n

\n
Explore C-suite Innovation Lab<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\n

This program addresses the full complexity of innovating in uncertain times \u2014 from global talent shifts and policy risk to venture building, startup collaboration, and transforming legacy infrastructure. You\u2019ll engage directly with leaders from organizations like Google, Microsoft, Stanford, Salesforce, McKinsey<\/strong>, and more, while working alongside a small cohort of peers equally committed to navigating change strategically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether you're rethinking your international expansion plans, retooling your innovation pipeline, or modernizing the culture and systems inside your organization \u2014 this experience is designed to help you act with clarity and confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Only 25 seats are available<\/strong> for this cohort.
Early registration includes a $1,000 discount for those who move fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n

\n
Explore C-suite Innovation Lab<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\n

That\u2019s why we created the C-suite Innovation Lab: AI, Digital Transformation, and Venture Building<\/strong><\/a> \u2014 a four-day executive immersion program in Silicon Valley designed to help senior leaders lead through political and market uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This program addresses the full complexity of innovating in uncertain times \u2014 from global talent shifts and policy risk to venture building, startup collaboration, and transforming legacy infrastructure. You\u2019ll engage directly with leaders from organizations like Google, Microsoft, Stanford, Salesforce, McKinsey<\/strong>, and more, while working alongside a small cohort of peers equally committed to navigating change strategically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether you're rethinking your international expansion plans, retooling your innovation pipeline, or modernizing the culture and systems inside your organization \u2014 this experience is designed to help you act with clarity and confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Only 25 seats are available<\/strong> for this cohort.
Early registration includes a $1,000 discount for those who move fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n

\n
Explore C-suite Innovation Lab<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\n

The current political and economic climate has made one thing clear: innovation leaders can no longer afford to rely on old playbooks. Strategic agility, bold thinking, and a global mindset are no longer optional \u2014 they\u2019re essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s why we created the C-suite Innovation Lab: AI, Digital Transformation, and Venture Building<\/strong><\/a> \u2014 a four-day executive immersion program in Silicon Valley designed to help senior leaders lead through political and market uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This program addresses the full complexity of innovating in uncertain times \u2014 from global talent shifts and policy risk to venture building, startup collaboration, and transforming legacy infrastructure. You\u2019ll engage directly with leaders from organizations like Google, Microsoft, Stanford, Salesforce, McKinsey<\/strong>, and more, while working alongside a small cohort of peers equally committed to navigating change strategically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether you're rethinking your international expansion plans, retooling your innovation pipeline, or modernizing the culture and systems inside your organization \u2014 this experience is designed to help you act with clarity and confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Only 25 seats are available<\/strong> for this cohort.
Early registration includes a $1,000 discount for those who move fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n

\n
Explore C-suite Innovation Lab<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\n

<\/a>Take Action: Prepare Your Organization for the New Innovation Landscape<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The current political and economic climate has made one thing clear: innovation leaders can no longer afford to rely on old playbooks. Strategic agility, bold thinking, and a global mindset are no longer optional \u2014 they\u2019re essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s why we created the C-suite Innovation Lab: AI, Digital Transformation, and Venture Building<\/strong><\/a> \u2014 a four-day executive immersion program in Silicon Valley designed to help senior leaders lead through political and market uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This program addresses the full complexity of innovating in uncertain times \u2014 from global talent shifts and policy risk to venture building, startup collaboration, and transforming legacy infrastructure. You\u2019ll engage directly with leaders from organizations like Google, Microsoft, Stanford, Salesforce, McKinsey<\/strong>, and more, while working alongside a small cohort of peers equally committed to navigating change strategically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether you're rethinking your international expansion plans, retooling your innovation pipeline, or modernizing the culture and systems inside your organization \u2014 this experience is designed to help you act with clarity and confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Only 25 seats are available<\/strong> for this cohort.
Early registration includes a $1,000 discount for those who move fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n

\n
Explore C-suite Innovation Lab<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\n

Organizations that approach this changing landscape with strategic foresight, operational flexibility, and collaborative spirit will not merely survive the crosswinds but may discover unexpected tailwinds that accelerate their journey. The fundamental drivers of technological progress, human ingenuity, market opportunity, and competitive pressure, remain powerful forces regardless of the political environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>Take Action: Prepare Your Organization for the New Innovation Landscape<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The current political and economic climate has made one thing clear: innovation leaders can no longer afford to rely on old playbooks. Strategic agility, bold thinking, and a global mindset are no longer optional \u2014 they\u2019re essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s why we created the C-suite Innovation Lab: AI, Digital Transformation, and Venture Building<\/strong><\/a> \u2014 a four-day executive immersion program in Silicon Valley designed to help senior leaders lead through political and market uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This program addresses the full complexity of innovating in uncertain times \u2014 from global talent shifts and policy risk to venture building, startup collaboration, and transforming legacy infrastructure. You\u2019ll engage directly with leaders from organizations like Google, Microsoft, Stanford, Salesforce, McKinsey<\/strong>, and more, while working alongside a small cohort of peers equally committed to navigating change strategically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether you're rethinking your international expansion plans, retooling your innovation pipeline, or modernizing the culture and systems inside your organization \u2014 this experience is designed to help you act with clarity and confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Only 25 seats are available<\/strong> for this cohort.
Early registration includes a $1,000 discount for those who move fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n

\n
Explore C-suite Innovation Lab<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\n

The Trump presidency's impact on innovation reflects the complex interplay between politics, economics, and technological development. While certain policies may create immediate obstacles for established innovation approaches, history demonstrates that the innovation ecosystem has remarkable resilience and adaptability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Organizations that approach this changing landscape with strategic foresight, operational flexibility, and collaborative spirit will not merely survive the crosswinds but may discover unexpected tailwinds that accelerate their journey. The fundamental drivers of technological progress, human ingenuity, market opportunity, and competitive pressure, remain powerful forces regardless of the political environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>Take Action: Prepare Your Organization for the New Innovation Landscape<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The current political and economic climate has made one thing clear: innovation leaders can no longer afford to rely on old playbooks. Strategic agility, bold thinking, and a global mindset are no longer optional \u2014 they\u2019re essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s why we created the C-suite Innovation Lab: AI, Digital Transformation, and Venture Building<\/strong><\/a> \u2014 a four-day executive immersion program in Silicon Valley designed to help senior leaders lead through political and market uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This program addresses the full complexity of innovating in uncertain times \u2014 from global talent shifts and policy risk to venture building, startup collaboration, and transforming legacy infrastructure. You\u2019ll engage directly with leaders from organizations like Google, Microsoft, Stanford, Salesforce, McKinsey<\/strong>, and more, while working alongside a small cohort of peers equally committed to navigating change strategically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether you're rethinking your international expansion plans, retooling your innovation pipeline, or modernizing the culture and systems inside your organization \u2014 this experience is designed to help you act with clarity and confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Only 25 seats are available<\/strong> for this cohort.
Early registration includes a $1,000 discount for those who move fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n

\n
Explore C-suite Innovation Lab<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\n

<\/a>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Trump presidency's impact on innovation reflects the complex interplay between politics, economics, and technological development. While certain policies may create immediate obstacles for established innovation approaches, history demonstrates that the innovation ecosystem has remarkable resilience and adaptability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Organizations that approach this changing landscape with strategic foresight, operational flexibility, and collaborative spirit will not merely survive the crosswinds but may discover unexpected tailwinds that accelerate their journey. The fundamental drivers of technological progress, human ingenuity, market opportunity, and competitive pressure, remain powerful forces regardless of the political environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>Take Action: Prepare Your Organization for the New Innovation Landscape<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The current political and economic climate has made one thing clear: innovation leaders can no longer afford to rely on old playbooks. Strategic agility, bold thinking, and a global mindset are no longer optional \u2014 they\u2019re essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s why we created the C-suite Innovation Lab: AI, Digital Transformation, and Venture Building<\/strong><\/a> \u2014 a four-day executive immersion program in Silicon Valley designed to help senior leaders lead through political and market uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This program addresses the full complexity of innovating in uncertain times \u2014 from global talent shifts and policy risk to venture building, startup collaboration, and transforming legacy infrastructure. You\u2019ll engage directly with leaders from organizations like Google, Microsoft, Stanford, Salesforce, McKinsey<\/strong>, and more, while working alongside a small cohort of peers equally committed to navigating change strategically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether you're rethinking your international expansion plans, retooling your innovation pipeline, or modernizing the culture and systems inside your organization \u2014 this experience is designed to help you act with clarity and confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Only 25 seats are available<\/strong> for this cohort.
Early registration includes a $1,000 discount for those who move fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n

\n
Explore C-suite Innovation Lab<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\n
  • Balance short-term adaptation with long-term vision<\/strong>: While responding tactically to immediate policy shifts, maintain focus on fundamental technological trends and market opportunities that transcend political cycles.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    <\/a>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    The Trump presidency's impact on innovation reflects the complex interplay between politics, economics, and technological development. While certain policies may create immediate obstacles for established innovation approaches, history demonstrates that the innovation ecosystem has remarkable resilience and adaptability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Organizations that approach this changing landscape with strategic foresight, operational flexibility, and collaborative spirit will not merely survive the crosswinds but may discover unexpected tailwinds that accelerate their journey. The fundamental drivers of technological progress, human ingenuity, market opportunity, and competitive pressure, remain powerful forces regardless of the political environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    <\/a>Take Action: Prepare Your Organization for the New Innovation Landscape<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    The current political and economic climate has made one thing clear: innovation leaders can no longer afford to rely on old playbooks. Strategic agility, bold thinking, and a global mindset are no longer optional \u2014 they\u2019re essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    That\u2019s why we created the C-suite Innovation Lab: AI, Digital Transformation, and Venture Building<\/strong><\/a> \u2014 a four-day executive immersion program in Silicon Valley designed to help senior leaders lead through political and market uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    This program addresses the full complexity of innovating in uncertain times \u2014 from global talent shifts and policy risk to venture building, startup collaboration, and transforming legacy infrastructure. You\u2019ll engage directly with leaders from organizations like Google, Microsoft, Stanford, Salesforce, McKinsey<\/strong>, and more, while working alongside a small cohort of peers equally committed to navigating change strategically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Whether you're rethinking your international expansion plans, retooling your innovation pipeline, or modernizing the culture and systems inside your organization \u2014 this experience is designed to help you act with clarity and confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Only 25 seats are available<\/strong> for this cohort.
    Early registration includes a $1,000 discount for those who move fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
    \n\n\n\n

    \n
    Explore C-suite Innovation Lab<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
    \n\n\n\n
    \n
  • Engage proactively with policymakers<\/strong>: Rather than merely reacting to policy shifts, seek opportunities to shape the regulatory environment through industry associations, direct engagement, and public-private partnerships focused on innovation advancement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Balance short-term adaptation with long-term vision<\/strong>: While responding tactically to immediate policy shifts, maintain focus on fundamental technological trends and market opportunities that transcend political cycles.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    <\/a>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    The Trump presidency's impact on innovation reflects the complex interplay between politics, economics, and technological development. While certain policies may create immediate obstacles for established innovation approaches, history demonstrates that the innovation ecosystem has remarkable resilience and adaptability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Organizations that approach this changing landscape with strategic foresight, operational flexibility, and collaborative spirit will not merely survive the crosswinds but may discover unexpected tailwinds that accelerate their journey. The fundamental drivers of technological progress, human ingenuity, market opportunity, and competitive pressure, remain powerful forces regardless of the political environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    <\/a>Take Action: Prepare Your Organization for the New Innovation Landscape<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    The current political and economic climate has made one thing clear: innovation leaders can no longer afford to rely on old playbooks. Strategic agility, bold thinking, and a global mindset are no longer optional \u2014 they\u2019re essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    That\u2019s why we created the C-suite Innovation Lab: AI, Digital Transformation, and Venture Building<\/strong><\/a> \u2014 a four-day executive immersion program in Silicon Valley designed to help senior leaders lead through political and market uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    This program addresses the full complexity of innovating in uncertain times \u2014 from global talent shifts and policy risk to venture building, startup collaboration, and transforming legacy infrastructure. You\u2019ll engage directly with leaders from organizations like Google, Microsoft, Stanford, Salesforce, McKinsey<\/strong>, and more, while working alongside a small cohort of peers equally committed to navigating change strategically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Whether you're rethinking your international expansion plans, retooling your innovation pipeline, or modernizing the culture and systems inside your organization \u2014 this experience is designed to help you act with clarity and confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Only 25 seats are available<\/strong> for this cohort.
    Early registration includes a $1,000 discount for those who move fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
    \n\n\n\n

    \n
    Explore C-suite Innovation Lab<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
    \n\n\n\n
    \n
  • Diversify geographic footprint<\/strong>: Reduce vulnerability to policy changes in any single market by distributing critical operations, talent pools, and customer bases across multiple regions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Engage proactively with policymakers<\/strong>: Rather than merely reacting to policy shifts, seek opportunities to shape the regulatory environment through industry associations, direct engagement, and public-private partnerships focused on innovation advancement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Balance short-term adaptation with long-term vision<\/strong>: While responding tactically to immediate policy shifts, maintain focus on fundamental technological trends and market opportunities that transcend political cycles.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    <\/a>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    The Trump presidency's impact on innovation reflects the complex interplay between politics, economics, and technological development. While certain policies may create immediate obstacles for established innovation approaches, history demonstrates that the innovation ecosystem has remarkable resilience and adaptability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Organizations that approach this changing landscape with strategic foresight, operational flexibility, and collaborative spirit will not merely survive the crosswinds but may discover unexpected tailwinds that accelerate their journey. The fundamental drivers of technological progress, human ingenuity, market opportunity, and competitive pressure, remain powerful forces regardless of the political environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    <\/a>Take Action: Prepare Your Organization for the New Innovation Landscape<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    The current political and economic climate has made one thing clear: innovation leaders can no longer afford to rely on old playbooks. Strategic agility, bold thinking, and a global mindset are no longer optional \u2014 they\u2019re essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    That\u2019s why we created the C-suite Innovation Lab: AI, Digital Transformation, and Venture Building<\/strong><\/a> \u2014 a four-day executive immersion program in Silicon Valley designed to help senior leaders lead through political and market uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    This program addresses the full complexity of innovating in uncertain times \u2014 from global talent shifts and policy risk to venture building, startup collaboration, and transforming legacy infrastructure. You\u2019ll engage directly with leaders from organizations like Google, Microsoft, Stanford, Salesforce, McKinsey<\/strong>, and more, while working alongside a small cohort of peers equally committed to navigating change strategically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Whether you're rethinking your international expansion plans, retooling your innovation pipeline, or modernizing the culture and systems inside your organization \u2014 this experience is designed to help you act with clarity and confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Only 25 seats are available<\/strong> for this cohort.
    Early registration includes a $1,000 discount for those who move fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
    \n\n\n\n

    \n
    Explore C-suite Innovation Lab<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
    \n\n\n\n
    \n
  • Develop scenario-based strategic planning<\/strong>: Create flexible frameworks that allow rapid pivoting based on policy shifts. Identify trigger points that would necessitate strategy adjustments and prepare contingency plans for various political outcomes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Diversify geographic footprint<\/strong>: Reduce vulnerability to policy changes in any single market by distributing critical operations, talent pools, and customer bases across multiple regions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Engage proactively with policymakers<\/strong>: Rather than merely reacting to policy shifts, seek opportunities to shape the regulatory environment through industry associations, direct engagement, and public-private partnerships focused on innovation advancement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Balance short-term adaptation with long-term vision<\/strong>: While responding tactically to immediate policy shifts, maintain focus on fundamental technological trends and market opportunities that transcend political cycles.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    <\/a>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    The Trump presidency's impact on innovation reflects the complex interplay between politics, economics, and technological development. While certain policies may create immediate obstacles for established innovation approaches, history demonstrates that the innovation ecosystem has remarkable resilience and adaptability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Organizations that approach this changing landscape with strategic foresight, operational flexibility, and collaborative spirit will not merely survive the crosswinds but may discover unexpected tailwinds that accelerate their journey. The fundamental drivers of technological progress, human ingenuity, market opportunity, and competitive pressure, remain powerful forces regardless of the political environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    <\/a>Take Action: Prepare Your Organization for the New Innovation Landscape<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    The current political and economic climate has made one thing clear: innovation leaders can no longer afford to rely on old playbooks. Strategic agility, bold thinking, and a global mindset are no longer optional \u2014 they\u2019re essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    That\u2019s why we created the C-suite Innovation Lab: AI, Digital Transformation, and Venture Building<\/strong><\/a> \u2014 a four-day executive immersion program in Silicon Valley designed to help senior leaders lead through political and market uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    This program addresses the full complexity of innovating in uncertain times \u2014 from global talent shifts and policy risk to venture building, startup collaboration, and transforming legacy infrastructure. You\u2019ll engage directly with leaders from organizations like Google, Microsoft, Stanford, Salesforce, McKinsey<\/strong>, and more, while working alongside a small cohort of peers equally committed to navigating change strategically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Whether you're rethinking your international expansion plans, retooling your innovation pipeline, or modernizing the culture and systems inside your organization \u2014 this experience is designed to help you act with clarity and confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Only 25 seats are available<\/strong> for this cohort.
    Early registration includes a $1,000 discount for those who move fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
    \n\n\n\n

    \n
    Explore C-suite Innovation Lab<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
    \n\n\n\n
    \n
  • Establish robust policy monitoring capabilities<\/strong>: Maintain dedicated resources tracking legislative and regulatory developments affecting your sector, whether through internal government relations teams or partnerships with specialized consultancies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Develop scenario-based strategic planning<\/strong>: Create flexible frameworks that allow rapid pivoting based on policy shifts. Identify trigger points that would necessitate strategy adjustments and prepare contingency plans for various political outcomes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Diversify geographic footprint<\/strong>: Reduce vulnerability to policy changes in any single market by distributing critical operations, talent pools, and customer bases across multiple regions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Engage proactively with policymakers<\/strong>: Rather than merely reacting to policy shifts, seek opportunities to shape the regulatory environment through industry associations, direct engagement, and public-private partnerships focused on innovation advancement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Balance short-term adaptation with long-term vision<\/strong>: While responding tactically to immediate policy shifts, maintain focus on fundamental technological trends and market opportunities that transcend political cycles.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    <\/a>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    The Trump presidency's impact on innovation reflects the complex interplay between politics, economics, and technological development. While certain policies may create immediate obstacles for established innovation approaches, history demonstrates that the innovation ecosystem has remarkable resilience and adaptability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Organizations that approach this changing landscape with strategic foresight, operational flexibility, and collaborative spirit will not merely survive the crosswinds but may discover unexpected tailwinds that accelerate their journey. The fundamental drivers of technological progress, human ingenuity, market opportunity, and competitive pressure, remain powerful forces regardless of the political environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    <\/a>Take Action: Prepare Your Organization for the New Innovation Landscape<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    The current political and economic climate has made one thing clear: innovation leaders can no longer afford to rely on old playbooks. Strategic agility, bold thinking, and a global mindset are no longer optional \u2014 they\u2019re essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    That\u2019s why we created the C-suite Innovation Lab: AI, Digital Transformation, and Venture Building<\/strong><\/a> \u2014 a four-day executive immersion program in Silicon Valley designed to help senior leaders lead through political and market uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    This program addresses the full complexity of innovating in uncertain times \u2014 from global talent shifts and policy risk to venture building, startup collaboration, and transforming legacy infrastructure. You\u2019ll engage directly with leaders from organizations like Google, Microsoft, Stanford, Salesforce, McKinsey<\/strong>, and more, while working alongside a small cohort of peers equally committed to navigating change strategically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Whether you're rethinking your international expansion plans, retooling your innovation pipeline, or modernizing the culture and systems inside your organization \u2014 this experience is designed to help you act with clarity and confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Only 25 seats are available<\/strong> for this cohort.
    Early registration includes a $1,000 discount for those who move fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
    \n\n\n\n

    \n
    Explore C-suite Innovation Lab<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
    \n\n\n\n
    \n
      \n
    1. Establish robust policy monitoring capabilities<\/strong>: Maintain dedicated resources tracking legislative and regulatory developments affecting your sector, whether through internal government relations teams or partnerships with specialized consultancies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. Develop scenario-based strategic planning<\/strong>: Create flexible frameworks that allow rapid pivoting based on policy shifts. Identify trigger points that would necessitate strategy adjustments and prepare contingency plans for various political outcomes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    3. Diversify geographic footprint<\/strong>: Reduce vulnerability to policy changes in any single market by distributing critical operations, talent pools, and customer bases across multiple regions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    4. Engage proactively with policymakers<\/strong>: Rather than merely reacting to policy shifts, seek opportunities to shape the regulatory environment through industry associations, direct engagement, and public-private partnerships focused on innovation advancement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    5. Balance short-term adaptation with long-term vision<\/strong>: While responding tactically to immediate policy shifts, maintain focus on fundamental technological trends and market opportunities that transcend political cycles.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      <\/a>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      The Trump presidency's impact on innovation reflects the complex interplay between politics, economics, and technological development. While certain policies may create immediate obstacles for established innovation approaches, history demonstrates that the innovation ecosystem has remarkable resilience and adaptability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Organizations that approach this changing landscape with strategic foresight, operational flexibility, and collaborative spirit will not merely survive the crosswinds but may discover unexpected tailwinds that accelerate their journey. The fundamental drivers of technological progress, human ingenuity, market opportunity, and competitive pressure, remain powerful forces regardless of the political environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      <\/a>Take Action: Prepare Your Organization for the New Innovation Landscape<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      The current political and economic climate has made one thing clear: innovation leaders can no longer afford to rely on old playbooks. Strategic agility, bold thinking, and a global mindset are no longer optional \u2014 they\u2019re essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      That\u2019s why we created the C-suite Innovation Lab: AI, Digital Transformation, and Venture Building<\/strong><\/a> \u2014 a four-day executive immersion program in Silicon Valley designed to help senior leaders lead through political and market uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      This program addresses the full complexity of innovating in uncertain times \u2014 from global talent shifts and policy risk to venture building, startup collaboration, and transforming legacy infrastructure. You\u2019ll engage directly with leaders from organizations like Google, Microsoft, Stanford, Salesforce, McKinsey<\/strong>, and more, while working alongside a small cohort of peers equally committed to navigating change strategically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Whether you're rethinking your international expansion plans, retooling your innovation pipeline, or modernizing the culture and systems inside your organization \u2014 this experience is designed to help you act with clarity and confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Only 25 seats are available<\/strong> for this cohort.
      Early registration includes a $1,000 discount for those who move fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
      \n\n\n\n

      \n
      Explore C-suite Innovation Lab<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
      \n\n\n\n
      \n

      Innovation leaders navigating this dynamic environment should consider several strategic approaches:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \n
      1. Establish robust policy monitoring capabilities<\/strong>: Maintain dedicated resources tracking legislative and regulatory developments affecting your sector, whether through internal government relations teams or partnerships with specialized consultancies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      2. Develop scenario-based strategic planning<\/strong>: Create flexible frameworks that allow rapid pivoting based on policy shifts. Identify trigger points that would necessitate strategy adjustments and prepare contingency plans for various political outcomes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      3. Diversify geographic footprint<\/strong>: Reduce vulnerability to policy changes in any single market by distributing critical operations, talent pools, and customer bases across multiple regions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      4. Engage proactively with policymakers<\/strong>: Rather than merely reacting to policy shifts, seek opportunities to shape the regulatory environment through industry associations, direct engagement, and public-private partnerships focused on innovation advancement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      5. Balance short-term adaptation with long-term vision<\/strong>: While responding tactically to immediate policy shifts, maintain focus on fundamental technological trends and market opportunities that transcend political cycles.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

        <\/a>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

        The Trump presidency's impact on innovation reflects the complex interplay between politics, economics, and technological development. While certain policies may create immediate obstacles for established innovation approaches, history demonstrates that the innovation ecosystem has remarkable resilience and adaptability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Organizations that approach this changing landscape with strategic foresight, operational flexibility, and collaborative spirit will not merely survive the crosswinds but may discover unexpected tailwinds that accelerate their journey. The fundamental drivers of technological progress, human ingenuity, market opportunity, and competitive pressure, remain powerful forces regardless of the political environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        <\/a>Take Action: Prepare Your Organization for the New Innovation Landscape<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

        The current political and economic climate has made one thing clear: innovation leaders can no longer afford to rely on old playbooks. Strategic agility, bold thinking, and a global mindset are no longer optional \u2014 they\u2019re essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        That\u2019s why we created the C-suite Innovation Lab: AI, Digital Transformation, and Venture Building<\/strong><\/a> \u2014 a four-day executive immersion program in Silicon Valley designed to help senior leaders lead through political and market uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        This program addresses the full complexity of innovating in uncertain times \u2014 from global talent shifts and policy risk to venture building, startup collaboration, and transforming legacy infrastructure. You\u2019ll engage directly with leaders from organizations like Google, Microsoft, Stanford, Salesforce, McKinsey<\/strong>, and more, while working alongside a small cohort of peers equally committed to navigating change strategically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Whether you're rethinking your international expansion plans, retooling your innovation pipeline, or modernizing the culture and systems inside your organization \u2014 this experience is designed to help you act with clarity and confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        Only 25 seats are available<\/strong> for this cohort.
        Early registration includes a $1,000 discount for those who move fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
        \n\n\n\n

        \n
        Explore C-suite Innovation Lab<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
        \n\n\n\n
        \n
        \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

        Innovation leaders navigating this dynamic environment should consider several strategic approaches:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          \n
        1. Establish robust policy monitoring capabilities<\/strong>: Maintain dedicated resources tracking legislative and regulatory developments affecting your sector, whether through internal government relations teams or partnerships with specialized consultancies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        2. Develop scenario-based strategic planning<\/strong>: Create flexible frameworks that allow rapid pivoting based on policy shifts. Identify trigger points that would necessitate strategy adjustments and prepare contingency plans for various political outcomes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        3. Diversify geographic footprint<\/strong>: Reduce vulnerability to policy changes in any single market by distributing critical operations, talent pools, and customer bases across multiple regions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        4. Engage proactively with policymakers<\/strong>: Rather than merely reacting to policy shifts, seek opportunities to shape the regulatory environment through industry associations, direct engagement, and public-private partnerships focused on innovation advancement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        5. Balance short-term adaptation with long-term vision<\/strong>: While responding tactically to immediate policy shifts, maintain focus on fundamental technological trends and market opportunities that transcend political cycles.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

          <\/a>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

          The Trump presidency's impact on innovation reflects the complex interplay between politics, economics, and technological development. While certain policies may create immediate obstacles for established innovation approaches, history demonstrates that the innovation ecosystem has remarkable resilience and adaptability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Organizations that approach this changing landscape with strategic foresight, operational flexibility, and collaborative spirit will not merely survive the crosswinds but may discover unexpected tailwinds that accelerate their journey. The fundamental drivers of technological progress, human ingenuity, market opportunity, and competitive pressure, remain powerful forces regardless of the political environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          <\/a>Take Action: Prepare Your Organization for the New Innovation Landscape<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

          The current political and economic climate has made one thing clear: innovation leaders can no longer afford to rely on old playbooks. Strategic agility, bold thinking, and a global mindset are no longer optional \u2014 they\u2019re essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          That\u2019s why we created the C-suite Innovation Lab: AI, Digital Transformation, and Venture Building<\/strong><\/a> \u2014 a four-day executive immersion program in Silicon Valley designed to help senior leaders lead through political and market uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          This program addresses the full complexity of innovating in uncertain times \u2014 from global talent shifts and policy risk to venture building, startup collaboration, and transforming legacy infrastructure. You\u2019ll engage directly with leaders from organizations like Google, Microsoft, Stanford, Salesforce, McKinsey<\/strong>, and more, while working alongside a small cohort of peers equally committed to navigating change strategically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Whether you're rethinking your international expansion plans, retooling your innovation pipeline, or modernizing the culture and systems inside your organization \u2014 this experience is designed to help you act with clarity and confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Only 25 seats are available<\/strong> for this cohort.
          Early registration includes a $1,000 discount for those who move fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
          \n\n\n\n

          \n
          Explore C-suite Innovation Lab<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
          \n\n\n\n
          \n

          <\/a>Strategic Recommendations for Leaders<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
          \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

          Innovation leaders navigating this dynamic environment should consider several strategic approaches:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \n
          1. Establish robust policy monitoring capabilities<\/strong>: Maintain dedicated resources tracking legislative and regulatory developments affecting your sector, whether through internal government relations teams or partnerships with specialized consultancies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          2. Develop scenario-based strategic planning<\/strong>: Create flexible frameworks that allow rapid pivoting based on policy shifts. Identify trigger points that would necessitate strategy adjustments and prepare contingency plans for various political outcomes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          3. Diversify geographic footprint<\/strong>: Reduce vulnerability to policy changes in any single market by distributing critical operations, talent pools, and customer bases across multiple regions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          4. Engage proactively with policymakers<\/strong>: Rather than merely reacting to policy shifts, seek opportunities to shape the regulatory environment through industry associations, direct engagement, and public-private partnerships focused on innovation advancement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          5. Balance short-term adaptation with long-term vision<\/strong>: While responding tactically to immediate policy shifts, maintain focus on fundamental technological trends and market opportunities that transcend political cycles.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

            <\/a>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

            The Trump presidency's impact on innovation reflects the complex interplay between politics, economics, and technological development. While certain policies may create immediate obstacles for established innovation approaches, history demonstrates that the innovation ecosystem has remarkable resilience and adaptability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Organizations that approach this changing landscape with strategic foresight, operational flexibility, and collaborative spirit will not merely survive the crosswinds but may discover unexpected tailwinds that accelerate their journey. The fundamental drivers of technological progress, human ingenuity, market opportunity, and competitive pressure, remain powerful forces regardless of the political environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            <\/a>Take Action: Prepare Your Organization for the New Innovation Landscape<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

            The current political and economic climate has made one thing clear: innovation leaders can no longer afford to rely on old playbooks. Strategic agility, bold thinking, and a global mindset are no longer optional \u2014 they\u2019re essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            That\u2019s why we created the C-suite Innovation Lab: AI, Digital Transformation, and Venture Building<\/strong><\/a> \u2014 a four-day executive immersion program in Silicon Valley designed to help senior leaders lead through political and market uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            This program addresses the full complexity of innovating in uncertain times \u2014 from global talent shifts and policy risk to venture building, startup collaboration, and transforming legacy infrastructure. You\u2019ll engage directly with leaders from organizations like Google, Microsoft, Stanford, Salesforce, McKinsey<\/strong>, and more, while working alongside a small cohort of peers equally committed to navigating change strategically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Whether you're rethinking your international expansion plans, retooling your innovation pipeline, or modernizing the culture and systems inside your organization \u2014 this experience is designed to help you act with clarity and confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Only 25 seats are available<\/strong> for this cohort.
            Early registration includes a $1,000 discount for those who move fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
            \n\n\n\n

            \n
            Explore C-suite Innovation Lab<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
            \n\n\n\n
            \n

            Manufacturing & Robotics<\/strong>: The push for domestic manufacturing<\/a> has catalyzed new investment in advanced manufacturing technologies, robotics, and automation. Companies developing solutions that enable cost-effective production in higher-wage environments report surging interest from industrial clients reconsidering their global footprint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            <\/a>Strategic Recommendations for Leaders<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
            \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

            Innovation leaders navigating this dynamic environment should consider several strategic approaches:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              \n
            1. Establish robust policy monitoring capabilities<\/strong>: Maintain dedicated resources tracking legislative and regulatory developments affecting your sector, whether through internal government relations teams or partnerships with specialized consultancies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            2. Develop scenario-based strategic planning<\/strong>: Create flexible frameworks that allow rapid pivoting based on policy shifts. Identify trigger points that would necessitate strategy adjustments and prepare contingency plans for various political outcomes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            3. Diversify geographic footprint<\/strong>: Reduce vulnerability to policy changes in any single market by distributing critical operations, talent pools, and customer bases across multiple regions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            4. Engage proactively with policymakers<\/strong>: Rather than merely reacting to policy shifts, seek opportunities to shape the regulatory environment through industry associations, direct engagement, and public-private partnerships focused on innovation advancement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            5. Balance short-term adaptation with long-term vision<\/strong>: While responding tactically to immediate policy shifts, maintain focus on fundamental technological trends and market opportunities that transcend political cycles.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

              <\/a>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

              The Trump presidency's impact on innovation reflects the complex interplay between politics, economics, and technological development. While certain policies may create immediate obstacles for established innovation approaches, history demonstrates that the innovation ecosystem has remarkable resilience and adaptability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              Organizations that approach this changing landscape with strategic foresight, operational flexibility, and collaborative spirit will not merely survive the crosswinds but may discover unexpected tailwinds that accelerate their journey. The fundamental drivers of technological progress, human ingenuity, market opportunity, and competitive pressure, remain powerful forces regardless of the political environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              <\/a>Take Action: Prepare Your Organization for the New Innovation Landscape<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

              The current political and economic climate has made one thing clear: innovation leaders can no longer afford to rely on old playbooks. Strategic agility, bold thinking, and a global mindset are no longer optional \u2014 they\u2019re essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              That\u2019s why we created the C-suite Innovation Lab: AI, Digital Transformation, and Venture Building<\/strong><\/a> \u2014 a four-day executive immersion program in Silicon Valley designed to help senior leaders lead through political and market uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              This program addresses the full complexity of innovating in uncertain times \u2014 from global talent shifts and policy risk to venture building, startup collaboration, and transforming legacy infrastructure. You\u2019ll engage directly with leaders from organizations like Google, Microsoft, Stanford, Salesforce, McKinsey<\/strong>, and more, while working alongside a small cohort of peers equally committed to navigating change strategically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              Whether you're rethinking your international expansion plans, retooling your innovation pipeline, or modernizing the culture and systems inside your organization \u2014 this experience is designed to help you act with clarity and confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              Only 25 seats are available<\/strong> for this cohort.
              Early registration includes a $1,000 discount for those who move fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
              \n\n\n\n

              \n
              Explore C-suite Innovation Lab<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
              \n\n\n\n
              \n

              Healthcare & Biotech<\/strong>: Changes to FDA approval processes and healthcare regulations signal potential opportunities<\/a> for accelerated commercialization of biomedical innovations. Telehealth, personalized medicine, and novel therapeutic approaches may benefit from streamlined regulatory pathways, though questions remain about insurance coverage and patient access.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              Manufacturing & Robotics<\/strong>: The push for domestic manufacturing<\/a> has catalyzed new investment in advanced manufacturing technologies, robotics, and automation. Companies developing solutions that enable cost-effective production in higher-wage environments report surging interest from industrial clients reconsidering their global footprint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              <\/a>Strategic Recommendations for Leaders<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
              \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

              Innovation leaders navigating this dynamic environment should consider several strategic approaches:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                \n
              1. Establish robust policy monitoring capabilities<\/strong>: Maintain dedicated resources tracking legislative and regulatory developments affecting your sector, whether through internal government relations teams or partnerships with specialized consultancies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
              2. Develop scenario-based strategic planning<\/strong>: Create flexible frameworks that allow rapid pivoting based on policy shifts. Identify trigger points that would necessitate strategy adjustments and prepare contingency plans for various political outcomes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
              3. Diversify geographic footprint<\/strong>: Reduce vulnerability to policy changes in any single market by distributing critical operations, talent pools, and customer bases across multiple regions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
              4. Engage proactively with policymakers<\/strong>: Rather than merely reacting to policy shifts, seek opportunities to shape the regulatory environment through industry associations, direct engagement, and public-private partnerships focused on innovation advancement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
              5. Balance short-term adaptation with long-term vision<\/strong>: While responding tactically to immediate policy shifts, maintain focus on fundamental technological trends and market opportunities that transcend political cycles.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

                <\/a>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                The Trump presidency's impact on innovation reflects the complex interplay between politics, economics, and technological development. While certain policies may create immediate obstacles for established innovation approaches, history demonstrates that the innovation ecosystem has remarkable resilience and adaptability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Organizations that approach this changing landscape with strategic foresight, operational flexibility, and collaborative spirit will not merely survive the crosswinds but may discover unexpected tailwinds that accelerate their journey. The fundamental drivers of technological progress, human ingenuity, market opportunity, and competitive pressure, remain powerful forces regardless of the political environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                <\/a>Take Action: Prepare Your Organization for the New Innovation Landscape<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                The current political and economic climate has made one thing clear: innovation leaders can no longer afford to rely on old playbooks. Strategic agility, bold thinking, and a global mindset are no longer optional \u2014 they\u2019re essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                That\u2019s why we created the C-suite Innovation Lab: AI, Digital Transformation, and Venture Building<\/strong><\/a> \u2014 a four-day executive immersion program in Silicon Valley designed to help senior leaders lead through political and market uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                This program addresses the full complexity of innovating in uncertain times \u2014 from global talent shifts and policy risk to venture building, startup collaboration, and transforming legacy infrastructure. You\u2019ll engage directly with leaders from organizations like Google, Microsoft, Stanford, Salesforce, McKinsey<\/strong>, and more, while working alongside a small cohort of peers equally committed to navigating change strategically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Whether you're rethinking your international expansion plans, retooling your innovation pipeline, or modernizing the culture and systems inside your organization \u2014 this experience is designed to help you act with clarity and confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Only 25 seats are available<\/strong> for this cohort.
                Early registration includes a $1,000 discount for those who move fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
                \n\n\n\n

                \n
                Explore C-suite Innovation Lab<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
                \n\n\n\n
                \n

                Energy & Climate Tech<\/strong>: The administration's emphasis on traditional energy sources has created headwinds for some renewable energy innovations. However, this same policy stance<\/a> has spurred increased private sector and state-level investment in clean technologies, as companies and local governments seek to maintain momentum on climate initiatives independent of federal direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Healthcare & Biotech<\/strong>: Changes to FDA approval processes and healthcare regulations signal potential opportunities<\/a> for accelerated commercialization of biomedical innovations. Telehealth, personalized medicine, and novel therapeutic approaches may benefit from streamlined regulatory pathways, though questions remain about insurance coverage and patient access.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Manufacturing & Robotics<\/strong>: The push for domestic manufacturing<\/a> has catalyzed new investment in advanced manufacturing technologies, robotics, and automation. Companies developing solutions that enable cost-effective production in higher-wage environments report surging interest from industrial clients reconsidering their global footprint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                <\/a>Strategic Recommendations for Leaders<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
                \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

                Innovation leaders navigating this dynamic environment should consider several strategic approaches:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  \n
                1. Establish robust policy monitoring capabilities<\/strong>: Maintain dedicated resources tracking legislative and regulatory developments affecting your sector, whether through internal government relations teams or partnerships with specialized consultancies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                2. Develop scenario-based strategic planning<\/strong>: Create flexible frameworks that allow rapid pivoting based on policy shifts. Identify trigger points that would necessitate strategy adjustments and prepare contingency plans for various political outcomes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                3. Diversify geographic footprint<\/strong>: Reduce vulnerability to policy changes in any single market by distributing critical operations, talent pools, and customer bases across multiple regions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                4. Engage proactively with policymakers<\/strong>: Rather than merely reacting to policy shifts, seek opportunities to shape the regulatory environment through industry associations, direct engagement, and public-private partnerships focused on innovation advancement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                5. Balance short-term adaptation with long-term vision<\/strong>: While responding tactically to immediate policy shifts, maintain focus on fundamental technological trends and market opportunities that transcend political cycles.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

                  <\/a>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                  The Trump presidency's impact on innovation reflects the complex interplay between politics, economics, and technological development. While certain policies may create immediate obstacles for established innovation approaches, history demonstrates that the innovation ecosystem has remarkable resilience and adaptability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Organizations that approach this changing landscape with strategic foresight, operational flexibility, and collaborative spirit will not merely survive the crosswinds but may discover unexpected tailwinds that accelerate their journey. The fundamental drivers of technological progress, human ingenuity, market opportunity, and competitive pressure, remain powerful forces regardless of the political environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  <\/a>Take Action: Prepare Your Organization for the New Innovation Landscape<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                  The current political and economic climate has made one thing clear: innovation leaders can no longer afford to rely on old playbooks. Strategic agility, bold thinking, and a global mindset are no longer optional \u2014 they\u2019re essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  That\u2019s why we created the C-suite Innovation Lab: AI, Digital Transformation, and Venture Building<\/strong><\/a> \u2014 a four-day executive immersion program in Silicon Valley designed to help senior leaders lead through political and market uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  This program addresses the full complexity of innovating in uncertain times \u2014 from global talent shifts and policy risk to venture building, startup collaboration, and transforming legacy infrastructure. You\u2019ll engage directly with leaders from organizations like Google, Microsoft, Stanford, Salesforce, McKinsey<\/strong>, and more, while working alongside a small cohort of peers equally committed to navigating change strategically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Whether you're rethinking your international expansion plans, retooling your innovation pipeline, or modernizing the culture and systems inside your organization \u2014 this experience is designed to help you act with clarity and confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Only 25 seats are available<\/strong> for this cohort.
                  Early registration includes a $1,000 discount for those who move fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
                  \n\n\n\n

                  \n
                  Explore C-suite Innovation Lab<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
                  \n\n\n\n
                  \n

                  Big Tech & AI<\/strong>: Large technology companies face a complex landscape<\/a> of reduced domestic regulatory pressure coupled with heightened scrutiny of their international operations and talent acquisition strategies. The AI sector in particular confronts contradictory forces: potential acceleration of commercial deployment due to lighter regulatory touch, alongside talent constraints that could slow fundamental research progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Energy & Climate Tech<\/strong>: The administration's emphasis on traditional energy sources has created headwinds for some renewable energy innovations. However, this same policy stance<\/a> has spurred increased private sector and state-level investment in clean technologies, as companies and local governments seek to maintain momentum on climate initiatives independent of federal direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Healthcare & Biotech<\/strong>: Changes to FDA approval processes and healthcare regulations signal potential opportunities<\/a> for accelerated commercialization of biomedical innovations. Telehealth, personalized medicine, and novel therapeutic approaches may benefit from streamlined regulatory pathways, though questions remain about insurance coverage and patient access.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Manufacturing & Robotics<\/strong>: The push for domestic manufacturing<\/a> has catalyzed new investment in advanced manufacturing technologies, robotics, and automation. Companies developing solutions that enable cost-effective production in higher-wage environments report surging interest from industrial clients reconsidering their global footprint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  <\/a>Strategic Recommendations for Leaders<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
                  \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

                  Innovation leaders navigating this dynamic environment should consider several strategic approaches:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    \n
                  1. Establish robust policy monitoring capabilities<\/strong>: Maintain dedicated resources tracking legislative and regulatory developments affecting your sector, whether through internal government relations teams or partnerships with specialized consultancies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                  2. Develop scenario-based strategic planning<\/strong>: Create flexible frameworks that allow rapid pivoting based on policy shifts. Identify trigger points that would necessitate strategy adjustments and prepare contingency plans for various political outcomes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                  3. Diversify geographic footprint<\/strong>: Reduce vulnerability to policy changes in any single market by distributing critical operations, talent pools, and customer bases across multiple regions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                  4. Engage proactively with policymakers<\/strong>: Rather than merely reacting to policy shifts, seek opportunities to shape the regulatory environment through industry associations, direct engagement, and public-private partnerships focused on innovation advancement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                  5. Balance short-term adaptation with long-term vision<\/strong>: While responding tactically to immediate policy shifts, maintain focus on fundamental technological trends and market opportunities that transcend political cycles.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

                    <\/a>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                    The Trump presidency's impact on innovation reflects the complex interplay between politics, economics, and technological development. While certain policies may create immediate obstacles for established innovation approaches, history demonstrates that the innovation ecosystem has remarkable resilience and adaptability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Organizations that approach this changing landscape with strategic foresight, operational flexibility, and collaborative spirit will not merely survive the crosswinds but may discover unexpected tailwinds that accelerate their journey. The fundamental drivers of technological progress, human ingenuity, market opportunity, and competitive pressure, remain powerful forces regardless of the political environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    <\/a>Take Action: Prepare Your Organization for the New Innovation Landscape<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                    The current political and economic climate has made one thing clear: innovation leaders can no longer afford to rely on old playbooks. Strategic agility, bold thinking, and a global mindset are no longer optional \u2014 they\u2019re essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    That\u2019s why we created the C-suite Innovation Lab: AI, Digital Transformation, and Venture Building<\/strong><\/a> \u2014 a four-day executive immersion program in Silicon Valley designed to help senior leaders lead through political and market uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    This program addresses the full complexity of innovating in uncertain times \u2014 from global talent shifts and policy risk to venture building, startup collaboration, and transforming legacy infrastructure. You\u2019ll engage directly with leaders from organizations like Google, Microsoft, Stanford, Salesforce, McKinsey<\/strong>, and more, while working alongside a small cohort of peers equally committed to navigating change strategically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Whether you're rethinking your international expansion plans, retooling your innovation pipeline, or modernizing the culture and systems inside your organization \u2014 this experience is designed to help you act with clarity and confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Only 25 seats are available<\/strong> for this cohort.
                    Early registration includes a $1,000 discount for those who move fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
                    \n\n\n\n

                    \n
                    Explore C-suite Innovation Lab<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
                    \n\n\n\n
                    \n

                    The impact of these political shifts varies significantly across different technology sectors:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Big Tech & AI<\/strong>: Large technology companies face a complex landscape<\/a> of reduced domestic regulatory pressure coupled with heightened scrutiny of their international operations and talent acquisition strategies. The AI sector in particular confronts contradictory forces: potential acceleration of commercial deployment due to lighter regulatory touch, alongside talent constraints that could slow fundamental research progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Energy & Climate Tech<\/strong>: The administration's emphasis on traditional energy sources has created headwinds for some renewable energy innovations. However, this same policy stance<\/a> has spurred increased private sector and state-level investment in clean technologies, as companies and local governments seek to maintain momentum on climate initiatives independent of federal direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Healthcare & Biotech<\/strong>: Changes to FDA approval processes and healthcare regulations signal potential opportunities<\/a> for accelerated commercialization of biomedical innovations. Telehealth, personalized medicine, and novel therapeutic approaches may benefit from streamlined regulatory pathways, though questions remain about insurance coverage and patient access.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Manufacturing & Robotics<\/strong>: The push for domestic manufacturing<\/a> has catalyzed new investment in advanced manufacturing technologies, robotics, and automation. Companies developing solutions that enable cost-effective production in higher-wage environments report surging interest from industrial clients reconsidering their global footprint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    <\/a>Strategic Recommendations for Leaders<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
                    \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

                    Innovation leaders navigating this dynamic environment should consider several strategic approaches:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      \n
                    1. Establish robust policy monitoring capabilities<\/strong>: Maintain dedicated resources tracking legislative and regulatory developments affecting your sector, whether through internal government relations teams or partnerships with specialized consultancies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                    2. Develop scenario-based strategic planning<\/strong>: Create flexible frameworks that allow rapid pivoting based on policy shifts. Identify trigger points that would necessitate strategy adjustments and prepare contingency plans for various political outcomes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                    3. Diversify geographic footprint<\/strong>: Reduce vulnerability to policy changes in any single market by distributing critical operations, talent pools, and customer bases across multiple regions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                    4. Engage proactively with policymakers<\/strong>: Rather than merely reacting to policy shifts, seek opportunities to shape the regulatory environment through industry associations, direct engagement, and public-private partnerships focused on innovation advancement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                    5. Balance short-term adaptation with long-term vision<\/strong>: While responding tactically to immediate policy shifts, maintain focus on fundamental technological trends and market opportunities that transcend political cycles.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

                      <\/a>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                      The Trump presidency's impact on innovation reflects the complex interplay between politics, economics, and technological development. While certain policies may create immediate obstacles for established innovation approaches, history demonstrates that the innovation ecosystem has remarkable resilience and adaptability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Organizations that approach this changing landscape with strategic foresight, operational flexibility, and collaborative spirit will not merely survive the crosswinds but may discover unexpected tailwinds that accelerate their journey. The fundamental drivers of technological progress, human ingenuity, market opportunity, and competitive pressure, remain powerful forces regardless of the political environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      <\/a>Take Action: Prepare Your Organization for the New Innovation Landscape<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                      The current political and economic climate has made one thing clear: innovation leaders can no longer afford to rely on old playbooks. Strategic agility, bold thinking, and a global mindset are no longer optional \u2014 they\u2019re essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      That\u2019s why we created the C-suite Innovation Lab: AI, Digital Transformation, and Venture Building<\/strong><\/a> \u2014 a four-day executive immersion program in Silicon Valley designed to help senior leaders lead through political and market uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      This program addresses the full complexity of innovating in uncertain times \u2014 from global talent shifts and policy risk to venture building, startup collaboration, and transforming legacy infrastructure. You\u2019ll engage directly with leaders from organizations like Google, Microsoft, Stanford, Salesforce, McKinsey<\/strong>, and more, while working alongside a small cohort of peers equally committed to navigating change strategically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Whether you're rethinking your international expansion plans, retooling your innovation pipeline, or modernizing the culture and systems inside your organization \u2014 this experience is designed to help you act with clarity and confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Only 25 seats are available<\/strong> for this cohort.
                      Early registration includes a $1,000 discount for those who move fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
                      \n\n\n\n

                      \n
                      Explore C-suite Innovation Lab<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
                      \n\n\n\n
                      \n

                      <\/a>Sector-by-Sector Analysis<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                      The impact of these political shifts varies significantly across different technology sectors:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Big Tech & AI<\/strong>: Large technology companies face a complex landscape<\/a> of reduced domestic regulatory pressure coupled with heightened scrutiny of their international operations and talent acquisition strategies. The AI sector in particular confronts contradictory forces: potential acceleration of commercial deployment due to lighter regulatory touch, alongside talent constraints that could slow fundamental research progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Energy & Climate Tech<\/strong>: The administration's emphasis on traditional energy sources has created headwinds for some renewable energy innovations. However, this same policy stance<\/a> has spurred increased private sector and state-level investment in clean technologies, as companies and local governments seek to maintain momentum on climate initiatives independent of federal direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Healthcare & Biotech<\/strong>: Changes to FDA approval processes and healthcare regulations signal potential opportunities<\/a> for accelerated commercialization of biomedical innovations. Telehealth, personalized medicine, and novel therapeutic approaches may benefit from streamlined regulatory pathways, though questions remain about insurance coverage and patient access.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Manufacturing & Robotics<\/strong>: The push for domestic manufacturing<\/a> has catalyzed new investment in advanced manufacturing technologies, robotics, and automation. Companies developing solutions that enable cost-effective production in higher-wage environments report surging interest from industrial clients reconsidering their global footprint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      <\/a>Strategic Recommendations for Leaders<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
                      \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

                      Innovation leaders navigating this dynamic environment should consider several strategic approaches:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                        \n
                      1. Establish robust policy monitoring capabilities<\/strong>: Maintain dedicated resources tracking legislative and regulatory developments affecting your sector, whether through internal government relations teams or partnerships with specialized consultancies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                      2. Develop scenario-based strategic planning<\/strong>: Create flexible frameworks that allow rapid pivoting based on policy shifts. Identify trigger points that would necessitate strategy adjustments and prepare contingency plans for various political outcomes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                      3. Diversify geographic footprint<\/strong>: Reduce vulnerability to policy changes in any single market by distributing critical operations, talent pools, and customer bases across multiple regions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                      4. Engage proactively with policymakers<\/strong>: Rather than merely reacting to policy shifts, seek opportunities to shape the regulatory environment through industry associations, direct engagement, and public-private partnerships focused on innovation advancement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                      5. Balance short-term adaptation with long-term vision<\/strong>: While responding tactically to immediate policy shifts, maintain focus on fundamental technological trends and market opportunities that transcend political cycles.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

                        <\/a>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                        The Trump presidency's impact on innovation reflects the complex interplay between politics, economics, and technological development. While certain policies may create immediate obstacles for established innovation approaches, history demonstrates that the innovation ecosystem has remarkable resilience and adaptability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                        Organizations that approach this changing landscape with strategic foresight, operational flexibility, and collaborative spirit will not merely survive the crosswinds but may discover unexpected tailwinds that accelerate their journey. The fundamental drivers of technological progress, human ingenuity, market opportunity, and competitive pressure, remain powerful forces regardless of the political environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                        <\/a>Take Action: Prepare Your Organization for the New Innovation Landscape<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                        The current political and economic climate has made one thing clear: innovation leaders can no longer afford to rely on old playbooks. Strategic agility, bold thinking, and a global mindset are no longer optional \u2014 they\u2019re essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                        That\u2019s why we created the C-suite Innovation Lab: AI, Digital Transformation, and Venture Building<\/strong><\/a> \u2014 a four-day executive immersion program in Silicon Valley designed to help senior leaders lead through political and market uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                        This program addresses the full complexity of innovating in uncertain times \u2014 from global talent shifts and policy risk to venture building, startup collaboration, and transforming legacy infrastructure. You\u2019ll engage directly with leaders from organizations like Google, Microsoft, Stanford, Salesforce, McKinsey<\/strong>, and more, while working alongside a small cohort of peers equally committed to navigating change strategically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                        Whether you're rethinking your international expansion plans, retooling your innovation pipeline, or modernizing the culture and systems inside your organization \u2014 this experience is designed to help you act with clarity and confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                        Only 25 seats are available<\/strong> for this cohort.
                        Early registration includes a $1,000 discount for those who move fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
                        \n\n\n\n

                        \n
                        Explore C-suite Innovation Lab<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
                        \n\n\n\n
                        \n

                        Despite these challenges, some organizations identify new opportunities in emerging markets <\/a>previously overlooked by the innovation community. Regions seeking to establish themselves as alternative technology hubs, from Latin America to Southeast Asia to Eastern Europe, present intriguing possibilities for companies looking to diversify their global footprint beyond traditional innovation centers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                        <\/a>Sector-by-Sector Analysis<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                        The impact of these political shifts varies significantly across different technology sectors:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                        Big Tech & AI<\/strong>: Large technology companies face a complex landscape<\/a> of reduced domestic regulatory pressure coupled with heightened scrutiny of their international operations and talent acquisition strategies. The AI sector in particular confronts contradictory forces: potential acceleration of commercial deployment due to lighter regulatory touch, alongside talent constraints that could slow fundamental research progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                        Energy & Climate Tech<\/strong>: The administration's emphasis on traditional energy sources has created headwinds for some renewable energy innovations. However, this same policy stance<\/a> has spurred increased private sector and state-level investment in clean technologies, as companies and local governments seek to maintain momentum on climate initiatives independent of federal direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                        Healthcare & Biotech<\/strong>: Changes to FDA approval processes and healthcare regulations signal potential opportunities<\/a> for accelerated commercialization of biomedical innovations. Telehealth, personalized medicine, and novel therapeutic approaches may benefit from streamlined regulatory pathways, though questions remain about insurance coverage and patient access.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                        Manufacturing & Robotics<\/strong>: The push for domestic manufacturing<\/a> has catalyzed new investment in advanced manufacturing technologies, robotics, and automation. Companies developing solutions that enable cost-effective production in higher-wage environments report surging interest from industrial clients reconsidering their global footprint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                        <\/a>Strategic Recommendations for Leaders<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
                        \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

                        Innovation leaders navigating this dynamic environment should consider several strategic approaches:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                          \n
                        1. Establish robust policy monitoring capabilities<\/strong>: Maintain dedicated resources tracking legislative and regulatory developments affecting your sector, whether through internal government relations teams or partnerships with specialized consultancies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                        2. Develop scenario-based strategic planning<\/strong>: Create flexible frameworks that allow rapid pivoting based on policy shifts. Identify trigger points that would necessitate strategy adjustments and prepare contingency plans for various political outcomes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                        3. Diversify geographic footprint<\/strong>: Reduce vulnerability to policy changes in any single market by distributing critical operations, talent pools, and customer bases across multiple regions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                        4. Engage proactively with policymakers<\/strong>: Rather than merely reacting to policy shifts, seek opportunities to shape the regulatory environment through industry associations, direct engagement, and public-private partnerships focused on innovation advancement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                        5. Balance short-term adaptation with long-term vision<\/strong>: While responding tactically to immediate policy shifts, maintain focus on fundamental technological trends and market opportunities that transcend political cycles.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

                          <\/a>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                          The Trump presidency's impact on innovation reflects the complex interplay between politics, economics, and technological development. While certain policies may create immediate obstacles for established innovation approaches, history demonstrates that the innovation ecosystem has remarkable resilience and adaptability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                          Organizations that approach this changing landscape with strategic foresight, operational flexibility, and collaborative spirit will not merely survive the crosswinds but may discover unexpected tailwinds that accelerate their journey. The fundamental drivers of technological progress, human ingenuity, market opportunity, and competitive pressure, remain powerful forces regardless of the political environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                          <\/a>Take Action: Prepare Your Organization for the New Innovation Landscape<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                          The current political and economic climate has made one thing clear: innovation leaders can no longer afford to rely on old playbooks. Strategic agility, bold thinking, and a global mindset are no longer optional \u2014 they\u2019re essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                          That\u2019s why we created the C-suite Innovation Lab: AI, Digital Transformation, and Venture Building<\/strong><\/a> \u2014 a four-day executive immersion program in Silicon Valley designed to help senior leaders lead through political and market uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                          This program addresses the full complexity of innovating in uncertain times \u2014 from global talent shifts and policy risk to venture building, startup collaboration, and transforming legacy infrastructure. You\u2019ll engage directly with leaders from organizations like Google, Microsoft, Stanford, Salesforce, McKinsey<\/strong>, and more, while working alongside a small cohort of peers equally committed to navigating change strategically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                          Whether you're rethinking your international expansion plans, retooling your innovation pipeline, or modernizing the culture and systems inside your organization \u2014 this experience is designed to help you act with clarity and confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                          Only 25 seats are available<\/strong> for this cohort.
                          Early registration includes a $1,000 discount for those who move fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
                          \n\n\n\n

                          \n
                          Explore C-suite Innovation Lab<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
                          \n\n\n\n
                          \n

                          National security concerns have intensified scrutiny of technology transfers and intellectual property exchanges, particularly with China but increasingly with other nations as well. This heightened caution creates additional friction for cross-border innovation initiatives and international academic collaboration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                          Despite these challenges, some organizations identify new opportunities in emerging markets <\/a>previously overlooked by the innovation community. Regions seeking to establish themselves as alternative technology hubs, from Latin America to Southeast Asia to Eastern Europe, present intriguing possibilities for companies looking to diversify their global footprint beyond traditional innovation centers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                          <\/a>Sector-by-Sector Analysis<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                          The impact of these political shifts varies significantly across different technology sectors:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                          Big Tech & AI<\/strong>: Large technology companies face a complex landscape<\/a> of reduced domestic regulatory pressure coupled with heightened scrutiny of their international operations and talent acquisition strategies. The AI sector in particular confronts contradictory forces: potential acceleration of commercial deployment due to lighter regulatory touch, alongside talent constraints that could slow fundamental research progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                          Energy & Climate Tech<\/strong>: The administration's emphasis on traditional energy sources has created headwinds for some renewable energy innovations. However, this same policy stance<\/a> has spurred increased private sector and state-level investment in clean technologies, as companies and local governments seek to maintain momentum on climate initiatives independent of federal direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                          Healthcare & Biotech<\/strong>: Changes to FDA approval processes and healthcare regulations signal potential opportunities<\/a> for accelerated commercialization of biomedical innovations. Telehealth, personalized medicine, and novel therapeutic approaches may benefit from streamlined regulatory pathways, though questions remain about insurance coverage and patient access.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                          Manufacturing & Robotics<\/strong>: The push for domestic manufacturing<\/a> has catalyzed new investment in advanced manufacturing technologies, robotics, and automation. Companies developing solutions that enable cost-effective production in higher-wage environments report surging interest from industrial clients reconsidering their global footprint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                          <\/a>Strategic Recommendations for Leaders<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
                          \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

                          Innovation leaders navigating this dynamic environment should consider several strategic approaches:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                            \n
                          1. Establish robust policy monitoring capabilities<\/strong>: Maintain dedicated resources tracking legislative and regulatory developments affecting your sector, whether through internal government relations teams or partnerships with specialized consultancies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                          2. Develop scenario-based strategic planning<\/strong>: Create flexible frameworks that allow rapid pivoting based on policy shifts. Identify trigger points that would necessitate strategy adjustments and prepare contingency plans for various political outcomes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                          3. Diversify geographic footprint<\/strong>: Reduce vulnerability to policy changes in any single market by distributing critical operations, talent pools, and customer bases across multiple regions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                          4. Engage proactively with policymakers<\/strong>: Rather than merely reacting to policy shifts, seek opportunities to shape the regulatory environment through industry associations, direct engagement, and public-private partnerships focused on innovation advancement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                          5. Balance short-term adaptation with long-term vision<\/strong>: While responding tactically to immediate policy shifts, maintain focus on fundamental technological trends and market opportunities that transcend political cycles.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

                            <\/a>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                            The Trump presidency's impact on innovation reflects the complex interplay between politics, economics, and technological development. While certain policies may create immediate obstacles for established innovation approaches, history demonstrates that the innovation ecosystem has remarkable resilience and adaptability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                            Organizations that approach this changing landscape with strategic foresight, operational flexibility, and collaborative spirit will not merely survive the crosswinds but may discover unexpected tailwinds that accelerate their journey. The fundamental drivers of technological progress, human ingenuity, market opportunity, and competitive pressure, remain powerful forces regardless of the political environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                            <\/a>Take Action: Prepare Your Organization for the New Innovation Landscape<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                            The current political and economic climate has made one thing clear: innovation leaders can no longer afford to rely on old playbooks. Strategic agility, bold thinking, and a global mindset are no longer optional \u2014 they\u2019re essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                            That\u2019s why we created the C-suite Innovation Lab: AI, Digital Transformation, and Venture Building<\/strong><\/a> \u2014 a four-day executive immersion program in Silicon Valley designed to help senior leaders lead through political and market uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                            This program addresses the full complexity of innovating in uncertain times \u2014 from global talent shifts and policy risk to venture building, startup collaboration, and transforming legacy infrastructure. You\u2019ll engage directly with leaders from organizations like Google, Microsoft, Stanford, Salesforce, McKinsey<\/strong>, and more, while working alongside a small cohort of peers equally committed to navigating change strategically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                            Whether you're rethinking your international expansion plans, retooling your innovation pipeline, or modernizing the culture and systems inside your organization \u2014 this experience is designed to help you act with clarity and confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                            Only 25 seats are available<\/strong> for this cohort.
                            Early registration includes a $1,000 discount for those who move fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
                            \n\n\n\n

                            \n
                            Explore C-suite Innovation Lab<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
                            \n\n\n\n
                            \n

                            These shifts<\/a> have particular significance for technologies requiring extensive international coordination, such as artificial intelligence governance, climate tech development, and global health innovations. Standards-setting bodies and international research consortia report increased difficulty in maintaining cohesive agendas as geopolitical tensions influence technical discussions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                            National security concerns have intensified scrutiny of technology transfers and intellectual property exchanges, particularly with China but increasingly with other nations as well. This heightened caution creates additional friction for cross-border innovation initiatives and international academic collaboration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                            Despite these challenges, some organizations identify new opportunities in emerging markets <\/a>previously overlooked by the innovation community. Regions seeking to establish themselves as alternative technology hubs, from Latin America to Southeast Asia to Eastern Europe, present intriguing possibilities for companies looking to diversify their global footprint beyond traditional innovation centers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                            <\/a>Sector-by-Sector Analysis<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                            The impact of these political shifts varies significantly across different technology sectors:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                            Big Tech & AI<\/strong>: Large technology companies face a complex landscape<\/a> of reduced domestic regulatory pressure coupled with heightened scrutiny of their international operations and talent acquisition strategies. The AI sector in particular confronts contradictory forces: potential acceleration of commercial deployment due to lighter regulatory touch, alongside talent constraints that could slow fundamental research progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                            Energy & Climate Tech<\/strong>: The administration's emphasis on traditional energy sources has created headwinds for some renewable energy innovations. However, this same policy stance<\/a> has spurred increased private sector and state-level investment in clean technologies, as companies and local governments seek to maintain momentum on climate initiatives independent of federal direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                            Healthcare & Biotech<\/strong>: Changes to FDA approval processes and healthcare regulations signal potential opportunities<\/a> for accelerated commercialization of biomedical innovations. Telehealth, personalized medicine, and novel therapeutic approaches may benefit from streamlined regulatory pathways, though questions remain about insurance coverage and patient access.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                            Manufacturing & Robotics<\/strong>: The push for domestic manufacturing<\/a> has catalyzed new investment in advanced manufacturing technologies, robotics, and automation. Companies developing solutions that enable cost-effective production in higher-wage environments report surging interest from industrial clients reconsidering their global footprint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                            <\/a>Strategic Recommendations for Leaders<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
                            \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

                            Innovation leaders navigating this dynamic environment should consider several strategic approaches:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                              \n
                            1. Establish robust policy monitoring capabilities<\/strong>: Maintain dedicated resources tracking legislative and regulatory developments affecting your sector, whether through internal government relations teams or partnerships with specialized consultancies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                            2. Develop scenario-based strategic planning<\/strong>: Create flexible frameworks that allow rapid pivoting based on policy shifts. Identify trigger points that would necessitate strategy adjustments and prepare contingency plans for various political outcomes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                            3. Diversify geographic footprint<\/strong>: Reduce vulnerability to policy changes in any single market by distributing critical operations, talent pools, and customer bases across multiple regions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                            4. Engage proactively with policymakers<\/strong>: Rather than merely reacting to policy shifts, seek opportunities to shape the regulatory environment through industry associations, direct engagement, and public-private partnerships focused on innovation advancement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                            5. Balance short-term adaptation with long-term vision<\/strong>: While responding tactically to immediate policy shifts, maintain focus on fundamental technological trends and market opportunities that transcend political cycles.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

                              <\/a>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                              The Trump presidency's impact on innovation reflects the complex interplay between politics, economics, and technological development. While certain policies may create immediate obstacles for established innovation approaches, history demonstrates that the innovation ecosystem has remarkable resilience and adaptability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                              Organizations that approach this changing landscape with strategic foresight, operational flexibility, and collaborative spirit will not merely survive the crosswinds but may discover unexpected tailwinds that accelerate their journey. The fundamental drivers of technological progress, human ingenuity, market opportunity, and competitive pressure, remain powerful forces regardless of the political environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                              <\/a>Take Action: Prepare Your Organization for the New Innovation Landscape<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                              The current political and economic climate has made one thing clear: innovation leaders can no longer afford to rely on old playbooks. Strategic agility, bold thinking, and a global mindset are no longer optional \u2014 they\u2019re essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                              That\u2019s why we created the C-suite Innovation Lab: AI, Digital Transformation, and Venture Building<\/strong><\/a> \u2014 a four-day executive immersion program in Silicon Valley designed to help senior leaders lead through political and market uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                              This program addresses the full complexity of innovating in uncertain times \u2014 from global talent shifts and policy risk to venture building, startup collaboration, and transforming legacy infrastructure. You\u2019ll engage directly with leaders from organizations like Google, Microsoft, Stanford, Salesforce, McKinsey<\/strong>, and more, while working alongside a small cohort of peers equally committed to navigating change strategically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                              Whether you're rethinking your international expansion plans, retooling your innovation pipeline, or modernizing the culture and systems inside your organization \u2014 this experience is designed to help you act with clarity and confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                              Only 25 seats are available<\/strong> for this cohort.
                              Early registration includes a $1,000 discount for those who move fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
                              \n\n\n\n

                              \n
                              Explore C-suite Innovation Lab<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
                              \n\n\n\n
                              \n

                              The administration's foreign policy approach is triggering significant realignment in global innovation networks. Traditional alliances with European and East Asian partners show signs of strain, while new relationships with specific nations aligned with the administration's priorities create unexpected collaboration opportunities.

                              <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                              These shifts<\/a> have particular significance for technologies requiring extensive international coordination, such as artificial intelligence governance, climate tech development, and global health innovations. Standards-setting bodies and international research consortia report increased difficulty in maintaining cohesive agendas as geopolitical tensions influence technical discussions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                              National security concerns have intensified scrutiny of technology transfers and intellectual property exchanges, particularly with China but increasingly with other nations as well. This heightened caution creates additional friction for cross-border innovation initiatives and international academic collaboration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                              Despite these challenges, some organizations identify new opportunities in emerging markets <\/a>previously overlooked by the innovation community. Regions seeking to establish themselves as alternative technology hubs, from Latin America to Southeast Asia to Eastern Europe, present intriguing possibilities for companies looking to diversify their global footprint beyond traditional innovation centers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                              <\/a>Sector-by-Sector Analysis<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                              The impact of these political shifts varies significantly across different technology sectors:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                              Big Tech & AI<\/strong>: Large technology companies face a complex landscape<\/a> of reduced domestic regulatory pressure coupled with heightened scrutiny of their international operations and talent acquisition strategies. The AI sector in particular confronts contradictory forces: potential acceleration of commercial deployment due to lighter regulatory touch, alongside talent constraints that could slow fundamental research progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                              Energy & Climate Tech<\/strong>: The administration's emphasis on traditional energy sources has created headwinds for some renewable energy innovations. However, this same policy stance<\/a> has spurred increased private sector and state-level investment in clean technologies, as companies and local governments seek to maintain momentum on climate initiatives independent of federal direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                              Healthcare & Biotech<\/strong>: Changes to FDA approval processes and healthcare regulations signal potential opportunities<\/a> for accelerated commercialization of biomedical innovations. Telehealth, personalized medicine, and novel therapeutic approaches may benefit from streamlined regulatory pathways, though questions remain about insurance coverage and patient access.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                              Manufacturing & Robotics<\/strong>: The push for domestic manufacturing<\/a> has catalyzed new investment in advanced manufacturing technologies, robotics, and automation. Companies developing solutions that enable cost-effective production in higher-wage environments report surging interest from industrial clients reconsidering their global footprint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                              <\/a>Strategic Recommendations for Leaders<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
                              \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

                              Innovation leaders navigating this dynamic environment should consider several strategic approaches:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                \n
                              1. Establish robust policy monitoring capabilities<\/strong>: Maintain dedicated resources tracking legislative and regulatory developments affecting your sector, whether through internal government relations teams or partnerships with specialized consultancies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                              2. Develop scenario-based strategic planning<\/strong>: Create flexible frameworks that allow rapid pivoting based on policy shifts. Identify trigger points that would necessitate strategy adjustments and prepare contingency plans for various political outcomes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                              3. Diversify geographic footprint<\/strong>: Reduce vulnerability to policy changes in any single market by distributing critical operations, talent pools, and customer bases across multiple regions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                              4. Engage proactively with policymakers<\/strong>: Rather than merely reacting to policy shifts, seek opportunities to shape the regulatory environment through industry associations, direct engagement, and public-private partnerships focused on innovation advancement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                              5. Balance short-term adaptation with long-term vision<\/strong>: While responding tactically to immediate policy shifts, maintain focus on fundamental technological trends and market opportunities that transcend political cycles.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

                                <\/a>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                The Trump presidency's impact on innovation reflects the complex interplay between politics, economics, and technological development. While certain policies may create immediate obstacles for established innovation approaches, history demonstrates that the innovation ecosystem has remarkable resilience and adaptability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                Organizations that approach this changing landscape with strategic foresight, operational flexibility, and collaborative spirit will not merely survive the crosswinds but may discover unexpected tailwinds that accelerate their journey. The fundamental drivers of technological progress, human ingenuity, market opportunity, and competitive pressure, remain powerful forces regardless of the political environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                <\/a>Take Action: Prepare Your Organization for the New Innovation Landscape<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                The current political and economic climate has made one thing clear: innovation leaders can no longer afford to rely on old playbooks. Strategic agility, bold thinking, and a global mindset are no longer optional \u2014 they\u2019re essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                That\u2019s why we created the C-suite Innovation Lab: AI, Digital Transformation, and Venture Building<\/strong><\/a> \u2014 a four-day executive immersion program in Silicon Valley designed to help senior leaders lead through political and market uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                This program addresses the full complexity of innovating in uncertain times \u2014 from global talent shifts and policy risk to venture building, startup collaboration, and transforming legacy infrastructure. You\u2019ll engage directly with leaders from organizations like Google, Microsoft, Stanford, Salesforce, McKinsey<\/strong>, and more, while working alongside a small cohort of peers equally committed to navigating change strategically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                Whether you're rethinking your international expansion plans, retooling your innovation pipeline, or modernizing the culture and systems inside your organization \u2014 this experience is designed to help you act with clarity and confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                Only 25 seats are available<\/strong> for this cohort.
                                Early registration includes a $1,000 discount for those who move fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
                                \n\n\n\n

                                \n
                                Explore C-suite Innovation Lab<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
                                \n\n\n\n
                                \n

                                <\/a>Geopolitical Realignment and Tech Partnerships<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                The administration's foreign policy approach is triggering significant realignment in global innovation networks. Traditional alliances with European and East Asian partners show signs of strain, while new relationships with specific nations aligned with the administration's priorities create unexpected collaboration opportunities.

                                <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                These shifts<\/a> have particular significance for technologies requiring extensive international coordination, such as artificial intelligence governance, climate tech development, and global health innovations. Standards-setting bodies and international research consortia report increased difficulty in maintaining cohesive agendas as geopolitical tensions influence technical discussions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                National security concerns have intensified scrutiny of technology transfers and intellectual property exchanges, particularly with China but increasingly with other nations as well. This heightened caution creates additional friction for cross-border innovation initiatives and international academic collaboration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                Despite these challenges, some organizations identify new opportunities in emerging markets <\/a>previously overlooked by the innovation community. Regions seeking to establish themselves as alternative technology hubs, from Latin America to Southeast Asia to Eastern Europe, present intriguing possibilities for companies looking to diversify their global footprint beyond traditional innovation centers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                <\/a>Sector-by-Sector Analysis<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                The impact of these political shifts varies significantly across different technology sectors:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                Big Tech & AI<\/strong>: Large technology companies face a complex landscape<\/a> of reduced domestic regulatory pressure coupled with heightened scrutiny of their international operations and talent acquisition strategies. The AI sector in particular confronts contradictory forces: potential acceleration of commercial deployment due to lighter regulatory touch, alongside talent constraints that could slow fundamental research progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                Energy & Climate Tech<\/strong>: The administration's emphasis on traditional energy sources has created headwinds for some renewable energy innovations. However, this same policy stance<\/a> has spurred increased private sector and state-level investment in clean technologies, as companies and local governments seek to maintain momentum on climate initiatives independent of federal direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                Healthcare & Biotech<\/strong>: Changes to FDA approval processes and healthcare regulations signal potential opportunities<\/a> for accelerated commercialization of biomedical innovations. Telehealth, personalized medicine, and novel therapeutic approaches may benefit from streamlined regulatory pathways, though questions remain about insurance coverage and patient access.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                Manufacturing & Robotics<\/strong>: The push for domestic manufacturing<\/a> has catalyzed new investment in advanced manufacturing technologies, robotics, and automation. Companies developing solutions that enable cost-effective production in higher-wage environments report surging interest from industrial clients reconsidering their global footprint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                <\/a>Strategic Recommendations for Leaders<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
                                \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

                                Innovation leaders navigating this dynamic environment should consider several strategic approaches:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                  \n
                                1. Establish robust policy monitoring capabilities<\/strong>: Maintain dedicated resources tracking legislative and regulatory developments affecting your sector, whether through internal government relations teams or partnerships with specialized consultancies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                2. Develop scenario-based strategic planning<\/strong>: Create flexible frameworks that allow rapid pivoting based on policy shifts. Identify trigger points that would necessitate strategy adjustments and prepare contingency plans for various political outcomes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                3. Diversify geographic footprint<\/strong>: Reduce vulnerability to policy changes in any single market by distributing critical operations, talent pools, and customer bases across multiple regions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                4. Engage proactively with policymakers<\/strong>: Rather than merely reacting to policy shifts, seek opportunities to shape the regulatory environment through industry associations, direct engagement, and public-private partnerships focused on innovation advancement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                5. Balance short-term adaptation with long-term vision<\/strong>: While responding tactically to immediate policy shifts, maintain focus on fundamental technological trends and market opportunities that transcend political cycles.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

                                  <\/a>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                  The Trump presidency's impact on innovation reflects the complex interplay between politics, economics, and technological development. While certain policies may create immediate obstacles for established innovation approaches, history demonstrates that the innovation ecosystem has remarkable resilience and adaptability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                  Organizations that approach this changing landscape with strategic foresight, operational flexibility, and collaborative spirit will not merely survive the crosswinds but may discover unexpected tailwinds that accelerate their journey. The fundamental drivers of technological progress, human ingenuity, market opportunity, and competitive pressure, remain powerful forces regardless of the political environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                  <\/a>Take Action: Prepare Your Organization for the New Innovation Landscape<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                  The current political and economic climate has made one thing clear: innovation leaders can no longer afford to rely on old playbooks. Strategic agility, bold thinking, and a global mindset are no longer optional \u2014 they\u2019re essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                  That\u2019s why we created the C-suite Innovation Lab: AI, Digital Transformation, and Venture Building<\/strong><\/a> \u2014 a four-day executive immersion program in Silicon Valley designed to help senior leaders lead through political and market uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                  This program addresses the full complexity of innovating in uncertain times \u2014 from global talent shifts and policy risk to venture building, startup collaboration, and transforming legacy infrastructure. You\u2019ll engage directly with leaders from organizations like Google, Microsoft, Stanford, Salesforce, McKinsey<\/strong>, and more, while working alongside a small cohort of peers equally committed to navigating change strategically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                  Whether you're rethinking your international expansion plans, retooling your innovation pipeline, or modernizing the culture and systems inside your organization \u2014 this experience is designed to help you act with clarity and confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                  Only 25 seats are available<\/strong> for this cohort.
                                  Early registration includes a $1,000 discount for those who move fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
                                  \n\n\n\n

                                  \n
                                  Explore C-suite Innovation Lab<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
                                  \n\n\n\n
                                  \n

                                  Forward-thinking organizations are developing robust contingency plans, diversifying their supply chains across multiple regions, and structuring international partnerships to withstand potential regulatory challenges. Some are exploring alternative markets for initial product launches, considering countries with more predictable trade relationships as testing grounds before tackling the U.S. market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                  <\/a>Geopolitical Realignment and Tech Partnerships<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                  The administration's foreign policy approach is triggering significant realignment in global innovation networks. Traditional alliances with European and East Asian partners show signs of strain, while new relationships with specific nations aligned with the administration's priorities create unexpected collaboration opportunities.

                                  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                  These shifts<\/a> have particular significance for technologies requiring extensive international coordination, such as artificial intelligence governance, climate tech development, and global health innovations. Standards-setting bodies and international research consortia report increased difficulty in maintaining cohesive agendas as geopolitical tensions influence technical discussions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                  National security concerns have intensified scrutiny of technology transfers and intellectual property exchanges, particularly with China but increasingly with other nations as well. This heightened caution creates additional friction for cross-border innovation initiatives and international academic collaboration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                  Despite these challenges, some organizations identify new opportunities in emerging markets <\/a>previously overlooked by the innovation community. Regions seeking to establish themselves as alternative technology hubs, from Latin America to Southeast Asia to Eastern Europe, present intriguing possibilities for companies looking to diversify their global footprint beyond traditional innovation centers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                  <\/a>Sector-by-Sector Analysis<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                  The impact of these political shifts varies significantly across different technology sectors:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                  Big Tech & AI<\/strong>: Large technology companies face a complex landscape<\/a> of reduced domestic regulatory pressure coupled with heightened scrutiny of their international operations and talent acquisition strategies. The AI sector in particular confronts contradictory forces: potential acceleration of commercial deployment due to lighter regulatory touch, alongside talent constraints that could slow fundamental research progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                  Energy & Climate Tech<\/strong>: The administration's emphasis on traditional energy sources has created headwinds for some renewable energy innovations. However, this same policy stance<\/a> has spurred increased private sector and state-level investment in clean technologies, as companies and local governments seek to maintain momentum on climate initiatives independent of federal direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                  Healthcare & Biotech<\/strong>: Changes to FDA approval processes and healthcare regulations signal potential opportunities<\/a> for accelerated commercialization of biomedical innovations. Telehealth, personalized medicine, and novel therapeutic approaches may benefit from streamlined regulatory pathways, though questions remain about insurance coverage and patient access.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                  Manufacturing & Robotics<\/strong>: The push for domestic manufacturing<\/a> has catalyzed new investment in advanced manufacturing technologies, robotics, and automation. Companies developing solutions that enable cost-effective production in higher-wage environments report surging interest from industrial clients reconsidering their global footprint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                  <\/a>Strategic Recommendations for Leaders<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
                                  \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

                                  Innovation leaders navigating this dynamic environment should consider several strategic approaches:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                    \n
                                  1. Establish robust policy monitoring capabilities<\/strong>: Maintain dedicated resources tracking legislative and regulatory developments affecting your sector, whether through internal government relations teams or partnerships with specialized consultancies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                  2. Develop scenario-based strategic planning<\/strong>: Create flexible frameworks that allow rapid pivoting based on policy shifts. Identify trigger points that would necessitate strategy adjustments and prepare contingency plans for various political outcomes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                  3. Diversify geographic footprint<\/strong>: Reduce vulnerability to policy changes in any single market by distributing critical operations, talent pools, and customer bases across multiple regions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                  4. Engage proactively with policymakers<\/strong>: Rather than merely reacting to policy shifts, seek opportunities to shape the regulatory environment through industry associations, direct engagement, and public-private partnerships focused on innovation advancement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                  5. Balance short-term adaptation with long-term vision<\/strong>: While responding tactically to immediate policy shifts, maintain focus on fundamental technological trends and market opportunities that transcend political cycles.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

                                    <\/a>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                    The Trump presidency's impact on innovation reflects the complex interplay between politics, economics, and technological development. While certain policies may create immediate obstacles for established innovation approaches, history demonstrates that the innovation ecosystem has remarkable resilience and adaptability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                    Organizations that approach this changing landscape with strategic foresight, operational flexibility, and collaborative spirit will not merely survive the crosswinds but may discover unexpected tailwinds that accelerate their journey. The fundamental drivers of technological progress, human ingenuity, market opportunity, and competitive pressure, remain powerful forces regardless of the political environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                    <\/a>Take Action: Prepare Your Organization for the New Innovation Landscape<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                    The current political and economic climate has made one thing clear: innovation leaders can no longer afford to rely on old playbooks. Strategic agility, bold thinking, and a global mindset are no longer optional \u2014 they\u2019re essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                    That\u2019s why we created the C-suite Innovation Lab: AI, Digital Transformation, and Venture Building<\/strong><\/a> \u2014 a four-day executive immersion program in Silicon Valley designed to help senior leaders lead through political and market uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                    This program addresses the full complexity of innovating in uncertain times \u2014 from global talent shifts and policy risk to venture building, startup collaboration, and transforming legacy infrastructure. You\u2019ll engage directly with leaders from organizations like Google, Microsoft, Stanford, Salesforce, McKinsey<\/strong>, and more, while working alongside a small cohort of peers equally committed to navigating change strategically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                    Whether you're rethinking your international expansion plans, retooling your innovation pipeline, or modernizing the culture and systems inside your organization \u2014 this experience is designed to help you act with clarity and confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                    Only 25 seats are available<\/strong> for this cohort.
                                    Early registration includes a $1,000 discount for those who move fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
                                    \n\n\n\n

                                    \n
                                    Explore C-suite Innovation Lab<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
                                    \n\n\n\n
                                    \n

                                    Cross-border innovation partnerships face new hurdles as well. Collaborative R&D initiatives between U.S. and foreign entities encounter increased scrutiny, particularly when they involve technologies with potential national security applications. Venture capital flows across borders show signs of constriction, with international investors expressing heightened caution about U.S.-based startups due to uncertainty about their ability to access global markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                    Forward-thinking organizations are developing robust contingency plans, diversifying their supply chains across multiple regions, and structuring international partnerships to withstand potential regulatory challenges. Some are exploring alternative markets for initial product launches, considering countries with more predictable trade relationships as testing grounds before tackling the U.S. market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                    <\/a>Geopolitical Realignment and Tech Partnerships<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                    The administration's foreign policy approach is triggering significant realignment in global innovation networks. Traditional alliances with European and East Asian partners show signs of strain, while new relationships with specific nations aligned with the administration's priorities create unexpected collaboration opportunities.

                                    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                    These shifts<\/a> have particular significance for technologies requiring extensive international coordination, such as artificial intelligence governance, climate tech development, and global health innovations. Standards-setting bodies and international research consortia report increased difficulty in maintaining cohesive agendas as geopolitical tensions influence technical discussions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                    National security concerns have intensified scrutiny of technology transfers and intellectual property exchanges, particularly with China but increasingly with other nations as well. This heightened caution creates additional friction for cross-border innovation initiatives and international academic collaboration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                    Despite these challenges, some organizations identify new opportunities in emerging markets <\/a>previously overlooked by the innovation community. Regions seeking to establish themselves as alternative technology hubs, from Latin America to Southeast Asia to Eastern Europe, present intriguing possibilities for companies looking to diversify their global footprint beyond traditional innovation centers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                    <\/a>Sector-by-Sector Analysis<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                    The impact of these political shifts varies significantly across different technology sectors:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                    Big Tech & AI<\/strong>: Large technology companies face a complex landscape<\/a> of reduced domestic regulatory pressure coupled with heightened scrutiny of their international operations and talent acquisition strategies. The AI sector in particular confronts contradictory forces: potential acceleration of commercial deployment due to lighter regulatory touch, alongside talent constraints that could slow fundamental research progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                    Energy & Climate Tech<\/strong>: The administration's emphasis on traditional energy sources has created headwinds for some renewable energy innovations. However, this same policy stance<\/a> has spurred increased private sector and state-level investment in clean technologies, as companies and local governments seek to maintain momentum on climate initiatives independent of federal direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                    Healthcare & Biotech<\/strong>: Changes to FDA approval processes and healthcare regulations signal potential opportunities<\/a> for accelerated commercialization of biomedical innovations. Telehealth, personalized medicine, and novel therapeutic approaches may benefit from streamlined regulatory pathways, though questions remain about insurance coverage and patient access.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                    Manufacturing & Robotics<\/strong>: The push for domestic manufacturing<\/a> has catalyzed new investment in advanced manufacturing technologies, robotics, and automation. Companies developing solutions that enable cost-effective production in higher-wage environments report surging interest from industrial clients reconsidering their global footprint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                    <\/a>Strategic Recommendations for Leaders<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
                                    \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

                                    Innovation leaders navigating this dynamic environment should consider several strategic approaches:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                      \n
                                    1. Establish robust policy monitoring capabilities<\/strong>: Maintain dedicated resources tracking legislative and regulatory developments affecting your sector, whether through internal government relations teams or partnerships with specialized consultancies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                    2. Develop scenario-based strategic planning<\/strong>: Create flexible frameworks that allow rapid pivoting based on policy shifts. Identify trigger points that would necessitate strategy adjustments and prepare contingency plans for various political outcomes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                    3. Diversify geographic footprint<\/strong>: Reduce vulnerability to policy changes in any single market by distributing critical operations, talent pools, and customer bases across multiple regions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                    4. Engage proactively with policymakers<\/strong>: Rather than merely reacting to policy shifts, seek opportunities to shape the regulatory environment through industry associations, direct engagement, and public-private partnerships focused on innovation advancement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                    5. Balance short-term adaptation with long-term vision<\/strong>: While responding tactically to immediate policy shifts, maintain focus on fundamental technological trends and market opportunities that transcend political cycles.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

                                      <\/a>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                      The Trump presidency's impact on innovation reflects the complex interplay between politics, economics, and technological development. While certain policies may create immediate obstacles for established innovation approaches, history demonstrates that the innovation ecosystem has remarkable resilience and adaptability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                      Organizations that approach this changing landscape with strategic foresight, operational flexibility, and collaborative spirit will not merely survive the crosswinds but may discover unexpected tailwinds that accelerate their journey. The fundamental drivers of technological progress, human ingenuity, market opportunity, and competitive pressure, remain powerful forces regardless of the political environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                      <\/a>Take Action: Prepare Your Organization for the New Innovation Landscape<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                      The current political and economic climate has made one thing clear: innovation leaders can no longer afford to rely on old playbooks. Strategic agility, bold thinking, and a global mindset are no longer optional \u2014 they\u2019re essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                      That\u2019s why we created the C-suite Innovation Lab: AI, Digital Transformation, and Venture Building<\/strong><\/a> \u2014 a four-day executive immersion program in Silicon Valley designed to help senior leaders lead through political and market uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                      This program addresses the full complexity of innovating in uncertain times \u2014 from global talent shifts and policy risk to venture building, startup collaboration, and transforming legacy infrastructure. You\u2019ll engage directly with leaders from organizations like Google, Microsoft, Stanford, Salesforce, McKinsey<\/strong>, and more, while working alongside a small cohort of peers equally committed to navigating change strategically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                      Whether you're rethinking your international expansion plans, retooling your innovation pipeline, or modernizing the culture and systems inside your organization \u2014 this experience is designed to help you act with clarity and confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                      Only 25 seats are available<\/strong> for this cohort.
                                      Early registration includes a $1,000 discount for those who move fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
                                      \n\n\n\n

                                      \n
                                      Explore C-suite Innovation Lab<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
                                      \n\n\n\n
                                      \n

                                      For hardware innovators, the push toward reshoring production creates both opportunities and challenges. While domestic manufacturing incentives may reduce costs for U.S.-based production, the disruption to established supply chains in Asia requires significant adjustment. Companies with highly integrated global operations report particular difficulty in rapidly reconfiguring their production networks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                      Cross-border innovation partnerships face new hurdles as well. Collaborative R&D initiatives between U.S. and foreign entities encounter increased scrutiny, particularly when they involve technologies with potential national security applications. Venture capital flows across borders show signs of constriction, with international investors expressing heightened caution about U.S.-based startups due to uncertainty about their ability to access global markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                      Forward-thinking organizations are developing robust contingency plans, diversifying their supply chains across multiple regions, and structuring international partnerships to withstand potential regulatory challenges. Some are exploring alternative markets for initial product launches, considering countries with more predictable trade relationships as testing grounds before tackling the U.S. market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                      <\/a>Geopolitical Realignment and Tech Partnerships<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                      The administration's foreign policy approach is triggering significant realignment in global innovation networks. Traditional alliances with European and East Asian partners show signs of strain, while new relationships with specific nations aligned with the administration's priorities create unexpected collaboration opportunities.

                                      <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                      These shifts<\/a> have particular significance for technologies requiring extensive international coordination, such as artificial intelligence governance, climate tech development, and global health innovations. Standards-setting bodies and international research consortia report increased difficulty in maintaining cohesive agendas as geopolitical tensions influence technical discussions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                      National security concerns have intensified scrutiny of technology transfers and intellectual property exchanges, particularly with China but increasingly with other nations as well. This heightened caution creates additional friction for cross-border innovation initiatives and international academic collaboration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                      Despite these challenges, some organizations identify new opportunities in emerging markets <\/a>previously overlooked by the innovation community. Regions seeking to establish themselves as alternative technology hubs, from Latin America to Southeast Asia to Eastern Europe, present intriguing possibilities for companies looking to diversify their global footprint beyond traditional innovation centers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                      <\/a>Sector-by-Sector Analysis<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                      The impact of these political shifts varies significantly across different technology sectors:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                      Big Tech & AI<\/strong>: Large technology companies face a complex landscape<\/a> of reduced domestic regulatory pressure coupled with heightened scrutiny of their international operations and talent acquisition strategies. The AI sector in particular confronts contradictory forces: potential acceleration of commercial deployment due to lighter regulatory touch, alongside talent constraints that could slow fundamental research progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                      Energy & Climate Tech<\/strong>: The administration's emphasis on traditional energy sources has created headwinds for some renewable energy innovations. However, this same policy stance<\/a> has spurred increased private sector and state-level investment in clean technologies, as companies and local governments seek to maintain momentum on climate initiatives independent of federal direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                      Healthcare & Biotech<\/strong>: Changes to FDA approval processes and healthcare regulations signal potential opportunities<\/a> for accelerated commercialization of biomedical innovations. Telehealth, personalized medicine, and novel therapeutic approaches may benefit from streamlined regulatory pathways, though questions remain about insurance coverage and patient access.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                      Manufacturing & Robotics<\/strong>: The push for domestic manufacturing<\/a> has catalyzed new investment in advanced manufacturing technologies, robotics, and automation. Companies developing solutions that enable cost-effective production in higher-wage environments report surging interest from industrial clients reconsidering their global footprint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                      <\/a>Strategic Recommendations for Leaders<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
                                      \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

                                      Innovation leaders navigating this dynamic environment should consider several strategic approaches:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                        \n
                                      1. Establish robust policy monitoring capabilities<\/strong>: Maintain dedicated resources tracking legislative and regulatory developments affecting your sector, whether through internal government relations teams or partnerships with specialized consultancies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                      2. Develop scenario-based strategic planning<\/strong>: Create flexible frameworks that allow rapid pivoting based on policy shifts. Identify trigger points that would necessitate strategy adjustments and prepare contingency plans for various political outcomes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                      3. Diversify geographic footprint<\/strong>: Reduce vulnerability to policy changes in any single market by distributing critical operations, talent pools, and customer bases across multiple regions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                      4. Engage proactively with policymakers<\/strong>: Rather than merely reacting to policy shifts, seek opportunities to shape the regulatory environment through industry associations, direct engagement, and public-private partnerships focused on innovation advancement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                      5. Balance short-term adaptation with long-term vision<\/strong>: While responding tactically to immediate policy shifts, maintain focus on fundamental technological trends and market opportunities that transcend political cycles.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

                                        <\/a>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                        The Trump presidency's impact on innovation reflects the complex interplay between politics, economics, and technological development. While certain policies may create immediate obstacles for established innovation approaches, history demonstrates that the innovation ecosystem has remarkable resilience and adaptability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                        Organizations that approach this changing landscape with strategic foresight, operational flexibility, and collaborative spirit will not merely survive the crosswinds but may discover unexpected tailwinds that accelerate their journey. The fundamental drivers of technological progress, human ingenuity, market opportunity, and competitive pressure, remain powerful forces regardless of the political environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                        <\/a>Take Action: Prepare Your Organization for the New Innovation Landscape<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                        The current political and economic climate has made one thing clear: innovation leaders can no longer afford to rely on old playbooks. Strategic agility, bold thinking, and a global mindset are no longer optional \u2014 they\u2019re essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                        That\u2019s why we created the C-suite Innovation Lab: AI, Digital Transformation, and Venture Building<\/strong><\/a> \u2014 a four-day executive immersion program in Silicon Valley designed to help senior leaders lead through political and market uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                        This program addresses the full complexity of innovating in uncertain times \u2014 from global talent shifts and policy risk to venture building, startup collaboration, and transforming legacy infrastructure. You\u2019ll engage directly with leaders from organizations like Google, Microsoft, Stanford, Salesforce, McKinsey<\/strong>, and more, while working alongside a small cohort of peers equally committed to navigating change strategically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                        Whether you're rethinking your international expansion plans, retooling your innovation pipeline, or modernizing the culture and systems inside your organization \u2014 this experience is designed to help you act with clarity and confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                        Only 25 seats are available<\/strong> for this cohort.
                                        Early registration includes a $1,000 discount for those who move fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
                                        \n\n\n\n

                                        \n
                                        Explore C-suite Innovation Lab<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
                                        \n\n\n\n
                                        \n

                                        The revival of \"America First\" policies is reshaping global innovation networks in fundamental ways. As we predicted in our <\/a>Macro-Economic Trends Report 2025-2030<\/a>, tariffs, trade barriers, and incentives for domestic production are already forcing companies to reconsider their supply chains, manufacturing strategies, and international expansion plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                        For hardware innovators, the push toward reshoring production creates both opportunities and challenges. While domestic manufacturing incentives may reduce costs for U.S.-based production, the disruption to established supply chains in Asia requires significant adjustment. Companies with highly integrated global operations report particular difficulty in rapidly reconfiguring their production networks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                        Cross-border innovation partnerships face new hurdles as well. Collaborative R&D initiatives between U.S. and foreign entities encounter increased scrutiny, particularly when they involve technologies with potential national security applications. Venture capital flows across borders show signs of constriction, with international investors expressing heightened caution about U.S.-based startups due to uncertainty about their ability to access global markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                        Forward-thinking organizations are developing robust contingency plans, diversifying their supply chains across multiple regions, and structuring international partnerships to withstand potential regulatory challenges. Some are exploring alternative markets for initial product launches, considering countries with more predictable trade relationships as testing grounds before tackling the U.S. market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                        <\/a>Geopolitical Realignment and Tech Partnerships<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                        The administration's foreign policy approach is triggering significant realignment in global innovation networks. Traditional alliances with European and East Asian partners show signs of strain, while new relationships with specific nations aligned with the administration's priorities create unexpected collaboration opportunities.

                                        <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                        These shifts<\/a> have particular significance for technologies requiring extensive international coordination, such as artificial intelligence governance, climate tech development, and global health innovations. Standards-setting bodies and international research consortia report increased difficulty in maintaining cohesive agendas as geopolitical tensions influence technical discussions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                        National security concerns have intensified scrutiny of technology transfers and intellectual property exchanges, particularly with China but increasingly with other nations as well. This heightened caution creates additional friction for cross-border innovation initiatives and international academic collaboration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                        Despite these challenges, some organizations identify new opportunities in emerging markets <\/a>previously overlooked by the innovation community. Regions seeking to establish themselves as alternative technology hubs, from Latin America to Southeast Asia to Eastern Europe, present intriguing possibilities for companies looking to diversify their global footprint beyond traditional innovation centers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                        <\/a>Sector-by-Sector Analysis<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                        The impact of these political shifts varies significantly across different technology sectors:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                        Big Tech & AI<\/strong>: Large technology companies face a complex landscape<\/a> of reduced domestic regulatory pressure coupled with heightened scrutiny of their international operations and talent acquisition strategies. The AI sector in particular confronts contradictory forces: potential acceleration of commercial deployment due to lighter regulatory touch, alongside talent constraints that could slow fundamental research progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                        Energy & Climate Tech<\/strong>: The administration's emphasis on traditional energy sources has created headwinds for some renewable energy innovations. However, this same policy stance<\/a> has spurred increased private sector and state-level investment in clean technologies, as companies and local governments seek to maintain momentum on climate initiatives independent of federal direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                        Healthcare & Biotech<\/strong>: Changes to FDA approval processes and healthcare regulations signal potential opportunities<\/a> for accelerated commercialization of biomedical innovations. Telehealth, personalized medicine, and novel therapeutic approaches may benefit from streamlined regulatory pathways, though questions remain about insurance coverage and patient access.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                        Manufacturing & Robotics<\/strong>: The push for domestic manufacturing<\/a> has catalyzed new investment in advanced manufacturing technologies, robotics, and automation. Companies developing solutions that enable cost-effective production in higher-wage environments report surging interest from industrial clients reconsidering their global footprint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                        <\/a>Strategic Recommendations for Leaders<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
                                        \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

                                        Innovation leaders navigating this dynamic environment should consider several strategic approaches:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                          \n
                                        1. Establish robust policy monitoring capabilities<\/strong>: Maintain dedicated resources tracking legislative and regulatory developments affecting your sector, whether through internal government relations teams or partnerships with specialized consultancies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                        2. Develop scenario-based strategic planning<\/strong>: Create flexible frameworks that allow rapid pivoting based on policy shifts. Identify trigger points that would necessitate strategy adjustments and prepare contingency plans for various political outcomes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                        3. Diversify geographic footprint<\/strong>: Reduce vulnerability to policy changes in any single market by distributing critical operations, talent pools, and customer bases across multiple regions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                        4. Engage proactively with policymakers<\/strong>: Rather than merely reacting to policy shifts, seek opportunities to shape the regulatory environment through industry associations, direct engagement, and public-private partnerships focused on innovation advancement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                        5. Balance short-term adaptation with long-term vision<\/strong>: While responding tactically to immediate policy shifts, maintain focus on fundamental technological trends and market opportunities that transcend political cycles.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

                                          <\/a>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                          The Trump presidency's impact on innovation reflects the complex interplay between politics, economics, and technological development. While certain policies may create immediate obstacles for established innovation approaches, history demonstrates that the innovation ecosystem has remarkable resilience and adaptability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                          Organizations that approach this changing landscape with strategic foresight, operational flexibility, and collaborative spirit will not merely survive the crosswinds but may discover unexpected tailwinds that accelerate their journey. The fundamental drivers of technological progress, human ingenuity, market opportunity, and competitive pressure, remain powerful forces regardless of the political environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                          <\/a>Take Action: Prepare Your Organization for the New Innovation Landscape<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                          The current political and economic climate has made one thing clear: innovation leaders can no longer afford to rely on old playbooks. Strategic agility, bold thinking, and a global mindset are no longer optional \u2014 they\u2019re essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                          That\u2019s why we created the C-suite Innovation Lab: AI, Digital Transformation, and Venture Building<\/strong><\/a> \u2014 a four-day executive immersion program in Silicon Valley designed to help senior leaders lead through political and market uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                          This program addresses the full complexity of innovating in uncertain times \u2014 from global talent shifts and policy risk to venture building, startup collaboration, and transforming legacy infrastructure. You\u2019ll engage directly with leaders from organizations like Google, Microsoft, Stanford, Salesforce, McKinsey<\/strong>, and more, while working alongside a small cohort of peers equally committed to navigating change strategically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                          Whether you're rethinking your international expansion plans, retooling your innovation pipeline, or modernizing the culture and systems inside your organization \u2014 this experience is designed to help you act with clarity and confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                          Only 25 seats are available<\/strong> for this cohort.
                                          Early registration includes a $1,000 discount for those who move fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
                                          \n\n\n\n

                                          \n
                                          Explore C-suite Innovation Lab<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
                                          \n\n\n\n
                                          \n

                                          <\/a>Economic Nationalism and Trade Policies<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                          The revival of \"America First\" policies is reshaping global innovation networks in fundamental ways. As we predicted in our <\/a>Macro-Economic Trends Report 2025-2030<\/a>, tariffs, trade barriers, and incentives for domestic production are already forcing companies to reconsider their supply chains, manufacturing strategies, and international expansion plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                          For hardware innovators, the push toward reshoring production creates both opportunities and challenges. While domestic manufacturing incentives may reduce costs for U.S.-based production, the disruption to established supply chains in Asia requires significant adjustment. Companies with highly integrated global operations report particular difficulty in rapidly reconfiguring their production networks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                          Cross-border innovation partnerships face new hurdles as well. Collaborative R&D initiatives between U.S. and foreign entities encounter increased scrutiny, particularly when they involve technologies with potential national security applications. Venture capital flows across borders show signs of constriction, with international investors expressing heightened caution about U.S.-based startups due to uncertainty about their ability to access global markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                          Forward-thinking organizations are developing robust contingency plans, diversifying their supply chains across multiple regions, and structuring international partnerships to withstand potential regulatory challenges. Some are exploring alternative markets for initial product launches, considering countries with more predictable trade relationships as testing grounds before tackling the U.S. market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                          <\/a>Geopolitical Realignment and Tech Partnerships<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                          The administration's foreign policy approach is triggering significant realignment in global innovation networks. Traditional alliances with European and East Asian partners show signs of strain, while new relationships with specific nations aligned with the administration's priorities create unexpected collaboration opportunities.

                                          <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                          These shifts<\/a> have particular significance for technologies requiring extensive international coordination, such as artificial intelligence governance, climate tech development, and global health innovations. Standards-setting bodies and international research consortia report increased difficulty in maintaining cohesive agendas as geopolitical tensions influence technical discussions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                          National security concerns have intensified scrutiny of technology transfers and intellectual property exchanges, particularly with China but increasingly with other nations as well. This heightened caution creates additional friction for cross-border innovation initiatives and international academic collaboration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                          Despite these challenges, some organizations identify new opportunities in emerging markets <\/a>previously overlooked by the innovation community. Regions seeking to establish themselves as alternative technology hubs, from Latin America to Southeast Asia to Eastern Europe, present intriguing possibilities for companies looking to diversify their global footprint beyond traditional innovation centers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                          <\/a>Sector-by-Sector Analysis<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                          The impact of these political shifts varies significantly across different technology sectors:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                          Big Tech & AI<\/strong>: Large technology companies face a complex landscape<\/a> of reduced domestic regulatory pressure coupled with heightened scrutiny of their international operations and talent acquisition strategies. The AI sector in particular confronts contradictory forces: potential acceleration of commercial deployment due to lighter regulatory touch, alongside talent constraints that could slow fundamental research progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                          Energy & Climate Tech<\/strong>: The administration's emphasis on traditional energy sources has created headwinds for some renewable energy innovations. However, this same policy stance<\/a> has spurred increased private sector and state-level investment in clean technologies, as companies and local governments seek to maintain momentum on climate initiatives independent of federal direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                          Healthcare & Biotech<\/strong>: Changes to FDA approval processes and healthcare regulations signal potential opportunities<\/a> for accelerated commercialization of biomedical innovations. Telehealth, personalized medicine, and novel therapeutic approaches may benefit from streamlined regulatory pathways, though questions remain about insurance coverage and patient access.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                          Manufacturing & Robotics<\/strong>: The push for domestic manufacturing<\/a> has catalyzed new investment in advanced manufacturing technologies, robotics, and automation. Companies developing solutions that enable cost-effective production in higher-wage environments report surging interest from industrial clients reconsidering their global footprint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                          <\/a>Strategic Recommendations for Leaders<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
                                          \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

                                          Innovation leaders navigating this dynamic environment should consider several strategic approaches:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                            \n
                                          1. Establish robust policy monitoring capabilities<\/strong>: Maintain dedicated resources tracking legislative and regulatory developments affecting your sector, whether through internal government relations teams or partnerships with specialized consultancies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                          2. Develop scenario-based strategic planning<\/strong>: Create flexible frameworks that allow rapid pivoting based on policy shifts. Identify trigger points that would necessitate strategy adjustments and prepare contingency plans for various political outcomes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                          3. Diversify geographic footprint<\/strong>: Reduce vulnerability to policy changes in any single market by distributing critical operations, talent pools, and customer bases across multiple regions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                          4. Engage proactively with policymakers<\/strong>: Rather than merely reacting to policy shifts, seek opportunities to shape the regulatory environment through industry associations, direct engagement, and public-private partnerships focused on innovation advancement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                          5. Balance short-term adaptation with long-term vision<\/strong>: While responding tactically to immediate policy shifts, maintain focus on fundamental technological trends and market opportunities that transcend political cycles.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

                                            <\/a>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                            The Trump presidency's impact on innovation reflects the complex interplay between politics, economics, and technological development. While certain policies may create immediate obstacles for established innovation approaches, history demonstrates that the innovation ecosystem has remarkable resilience and adaptability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                            Organizations that approach this changing landscape with strategic foresight, operational flexibility, and collaborative spirit will not merely survive the crosswinds but may discover unexpected tailwinds that accelerate their journey. The fundamental drivers of technological progress, human ingenuity, market opportunity, and competitive pressure, remain powerful forces regardless of the political environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                            <\/a>Take Action: Prepare Your Organization for the New Innovation Landscape<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                            The current political and economic climate has made one thing clear: innovation leaders can no longer afford to rely on old playbooks. Strategic agility, bold thinking, and a global mindset are no longer optional \u2014 they\u2019re essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                            That\u2019s why we created the C-suite Innovation Lab: AI, Digital Transformation, and Venture Building<\/strong><\/a> \u2014 a four-day executive immersion program in Silicon Valley designed to help senior leaders lead through political and market uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                            This program addresses the full complexity of innovating in uncertain times \u2014 from global talent shifts and policy risk to venture building, startup collaboration, and transforming legacy infrastructure. You\u2019ll engage directly with leaders from organizations like Google, Microsoft, Stanford, Salesforce, McKinsey<\/strong>, and more, while working alongside a small cohort of peers equally committed to navigating change strategically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                            Whether you're rethinking your international expansion plans, retooling your innovation pipeline, or modernizing the culture and systems inside your organization \u2014 this experience is designed to help you act with clarity and confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                            Only 25 seats are available<\/strong> for this cohort.
                                            Early registration includes a $1,000 discount for those who move fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
                                            \n\n\n\n

                                            \n
                                            Explore C-suite Innovation Lab<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
                                            \n\n\n\n
                                            \n

                                            Sectors positioned to benefit most from the deregulatory environment include fintech (particularly cryptocurrency and blockchain applications), biotech (with potential for accelerated approval pathways), and advanced manufacturing (with fewer environmental compliance requirements). However, these same sectors may face heightened public scrutiny and potential consumer trust issues if perceived as cutting corners on important protections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                            <\/a>Economic Nationalism and Trade Policies<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                            The revival of \"America First\" policies is reshaping global innovation networks in fundamental ways. As we predicted in our <\/a>Macro-Economic Trends Report 2025-2030<\/a>, tariffs, trade barriers, and incentives for domestic production are already forcing companies to reconsider their supply chains, manufacturing strategies, and international expansion plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                            For hardware innovators, the push toward reshoring production creates both opportunities and challenges. While domestic manufacturing incentives may reduce costs for U.S.-based production, the disruption to established supply chains in Asia requires significant adjustment. Companies with highly integrated global operations report particular difficulty in rapidly reconfiguring their production networks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                            Cross-border innovation partnerships face new hurdles as well. Collaborative R&D initiatives between U.S. and foreign entities encounter increased scrutiny, particularly when they involve technologies with potential national security applications. Venture capital flows across borders show signs of constriction, with international investors expressing heightened caution about U.S.-based startups due to uncertainty about their ability to access global markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                            Forward-thinking organizations are developing robust contingency plans, diversifying their supply chains across multiple regions, and structuring international partnerships to withstand potential regulatory challenges. Some are exploring alternative markets for initial product launches, considering countries with more predictable trade relationships as testing grounds before tackling the U.S. market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                            <\/a>Geopolitical Realignment and Tech Partnerships<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                            The administration's foreign policy approach is triggering significant realignment in global innovation networks. Traditional alliances with European and East Asian partners show signs of strain, while new relationships with specific nations aligned with the administration's priorities create unexpected collaboration opportunities.

                                            <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                            These shifts<\/a> have particular significance for technologies requiring extensive international coordination, such as artificial intelligence governance, climate tech development, and global health innovations. Standards-setting bodies and international research consortia report increased difficulty in maintaining cohesive agendas as geopolitical tensions influence technical discussions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                            National security concerns have intensified scrutiny of technology transfers and intellectual property exchanges, particularly with China but increasingly with other nations as well. This heightened caution creates additional friction for cross-border innovation initiatives and international academic collaboration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                            Despite these challenges, some organizations identify new opportunities in emerging markets <\/a>previously overlooked by the innovation community. Regions seeking to establish themselves as alternative technology hubs, from Latin America to Southeast Asia to Eastern Europe, present intriguing possibilities for companies looking to diversify their global footprint beyond traditional innovation centers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                            <\/a>Sector-by-Sector Analysis<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                            The impact of these political shifts varies significantly across different technology sectors:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                            Big Tech & AI<\/strong>: Large technology companies face a complex landscape<\/a> of reduced domestic regulatory pressure coupled with heightened scrutiny of their international operations and talent acquisition strategies. The AI sector in particular confronts contradictory forces: potential acceleration of commercial deployment due to lighter regulatory touch, alongside talent constraints that could slow fundamental research progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                            Energy & Climate Tech<\/strong>: The administration's emphasis on traditional energy sources has created headwinds for some renewable energy innovations. However, this same policy stance<\/a> has spurred increased private sector and state-level investment in clean technologies, as companies and local governments seek to maintain momentum on climate initiatives independent of federal direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                            Healthcare & Biotech<\/strong>: Changes to FDA approval processes and healthcare regulations signal potential opportunities<\/a> for accelerated commercialization of biomedical innovations. Telehealth, personalized medicine, and novel therapeutic approaches may benefit from streamlined regulatory pathways, though questions remain about insurance coverage and patient access.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                            Manufacturing & Robotics<\/strong>: The push for domestic manufacturing<\/a> has catalyzed new investment in advanced manufacturing technologies, robotics, and automation. Companies developing solutions that enable cost-effective production in higher-wage environments report surging interest from industrial clients reconsidering their global footprint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                            <\/a>Strategic Recommendations for Leaders<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
                                            \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

                                            Innovation leaders navigating this dynamic environment should consider several strategic approaches:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                              \n
                                            1. Establish robust policy monitoring capabilities<\/strong>: Maintain dedicated resources tracking legislative and regulatory developments affecting your sector, whether through internal government relations teams or partnerships with specialized consultancies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                            2. Develop scenario-based strategic planning<\/strong>: Create flexible frameworks that allow rapid pivoting based on policy shifts. Identify trigger points that would necessitate strategy adjustments and prepare contingency plans for various political outcomes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                            3. Diversify geographic footprint<\/strong>: Reduce vulnerability to policy changes in any single market by distributing critical operations, talent pools, and customer bases across multiple regions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                            4. Engage proactively with policymakers<\/strong>: Rather than merely reacting to policy shifts, seek opportunities to shape the regulatory environment through industry associations, direct engagement, and public-private partnerships focused on innovation advancement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                            5. Balance short-term adaptation with long-term vision<\/strong>: While responding tactically to immediate policy shifts, maintain focus on fundamental technological trends and market opportunities that transcend political cycles.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

                                              <\/a>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                              The Trump presidency's impact on innovation reflects the complex interplay between politics, economics, and technological development. While certain policies may create immediate obstacles for established innovation approaches, history demonstrates that the innovation ecosystem has remarkable resilience and adaptability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                              Organizations that approach this changing landscape with strategic foresight, operational flexibility, and collaborative spirit will not merely survive the crosswinds but may discover unexpected tailwinds that accelerate their journey. The fundamental drivers of technological progress, human ingenuity, market opportunity, and competitive pressure, remain powerful forces regardless of the political environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                              <\/a>Take Action: Prepare Your Organization for the New Innovation Landscape<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                              The current political and economic climate has made one thing clear: innovation leaders can no longer afford to rely on old playbooks. Strategic agility, bold thinking, and a global mindset are no longer optional \u2014 they\u2019re essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                              That\u2019s why we created the C-suite Innovation Lab: AI, Digital Transformation, and Venture Building<\/strong><\/a> \u2014 a four-day executive immersion program in Silicon Valley designed to help senior leaders lead through political and market uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                              This program addresses the full complexity of innovating in uncertain times \u2014 from global talent shifts and policy risk to venture building, startup collaboration, and transforming legacy infrastructure. You\u2019ll engage directly with leaders from organizations like Google, Microsoft, Stanford, Salesforce, McKinsey<\/strong>, and more, while working alongside a small cohort of peers equally committed to navigating change strategically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                              Whether you're rethinking your international expansion plans, retooling your innovation pipeline, or modernizing the culture and systems inside your organization \u2014 this experience is designed to help you act with clarity and confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                              Only 25 seats are available<\/strong> for this cohort.
                                              Early registration includes a $1,000 discount for those who move fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
                                              \n\n\n\n

                                              \n
                                              Explore C-suite Innovation Lab<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
                                              \n\n\n\n
                                              \n
                                              \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

                                              Sectors positioned to benefit most from the deregulatory environment include fintech (particularly cryptocurrency and blockchain applications), biotech (with potential for accelerated approval pathways), and advanced manufacturing (with fewer environmental compliance requirements). However, these same sectors may face heightened public scrutiny and potential consumer trust issues if perceived as cutting corners on important protections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                              <\/a>Economic Nationalism and Trade Policies<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                              The revival of \"America First\" policies is reshaping global innovation networks in fundamental ways. As we predicted in our <\/a>Macro-Economic Trends Report 2025-2030<\/a>, tariffs, trade barriers, and incentives for domestic production are already forcing companies to reconsider their supply chains, manufacturing strategies, and international expansion plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                              For hardware innovators, the push toward reshoring production creates both opportunities and challenges. While domestic manufacturing incentives may reduce costs for U.S.-based production, the disruption to established supply chains in Asia requires significant adjustment. Companies with highly integrated global operations report particular difficulty in rapidly reconfiguring their production networks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                              Cross-border innovation partnerships face new hurdles as well. Collaborative R&D initiatives between U.S. and foreign entities encounter increased scrutiny, particularly when they involve technologies with potential national security applications. Venture capital flows across borders show signs of constriction, with international investors expressing heightened caution about U.S.-based startups due to uncertainty about their ability to access global markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                              Forward-thinking organizations are developing robust contingency plans, diversifying their supply chains across multiple regions, and structuring international partnerships to withstand potential regulatory challenges. Some are exploring alternative markets for initial product launches, considering countries with more predictable trade relationships as testing grounds before tackling the U.S. market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                              <\/a>Geopolitical Realignment and Tech Partnerships<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                              The administration's foreign policy approach is triggering significant realignment in global innovation networks. Traditional alliances with European and East Asian partners show signs of strain, while new relationships with specific nations aligned with the administration's priorities create unexpected collaboration opportunities.

                                              <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                              These shifts<\/a> have particular significance for technologies requiring extensive international coordination, such as artificial intelligence governance, climate tech development, and global health innovations. Standards-setting bodies and international research consortia report increased difficulty in maintaining cohesive agendas as geopolitical tensions influence technical discussions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                              National security concerns have intensified scrutiny of technology transfers and intellectual property exchanges, particularly with China but increasingly with other nations as well. This heightened caution creates additional friction for cross-border innovation initiatives and international academic collaboration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                              Despite these challenges, some organizations identify new opportunities in emerging markets <\/a>previously overlooked by the innovation community. Regions seeking to establish themselves as alternative technology hubs, from Latin America to Southeast Asia to Eastern Europe, present intriguing possibilities for companies looking to diversify their global footprint beyond traditional innovation centers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                              <\/a>Sector-by-Sector Analysis<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                              The impact of these political shifts varies significantly across different technology sectors:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                              Big Tech & AI<\/strong>: Large technology companies face a complex landscape<\/a> of reduced domestic regulatory pressure coupled with heightened scrutiny of their international operations and talent acquisition strategies. The AI sector in particular confronts contradictory forces: potential acceleration of commercial deployment due to lighter regulatory touch, alongside talent constraints that could slow fundamental research progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                              Energy & Climate Tech<\/strong>: The administration's emphasis on traditional energy sources has created headwinds for some renewable energy innovations. However, this same policy stance<\/a> has spurred increased private sector and state-level investment in clean technologies, as companies and local governments seek to maintain momentum on climate initiatives independent of federal direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                              Healthcare & Biotech<\/strong>: Changes to FDA approval processes and healthcare regulations signal potential opportunities<\/a> for accelerated commercialization of biomedical innovations. Telehealth, personalized medicine, and novel therapeutic approaches may benefit from streamlined regulatory pathways, though questions remain about insurance coverage and patient access.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                              Manufacturing & Robotics<\/strong>: The push for domestic manufacturing<\/a> has catalyzed new investment in advanced manufacturing technologies, robotics, and automation. Companies developing solutions that enable cost-effective production in higher-wage environments report surging interest from industrial clients reconsidering their global footprint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                              <\/a>Strategic Recommendations for Leaders<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
                                              \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

                                              Innovation leaders navigating this dynamic environment should consider several strategic approaches:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                \n
                                              1. Establish robust policy monitoring capabilities<\/strong>: Maintain dedicated resources tracking legislative and regulatory developments affecting your sector, whether through internal government relations teams or partnerships with specialized consultancies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                              2. Develop scenario-based strategic planning<\/strong>: Create flexible frameworks that allow rapid pivoting based on policy shifts. Identify trigger points that would necessitate strategy adjustments and prepare contingency plans for various political outcomes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                              3. Diversify geographic footprint<\/strong>: Reduce vulnerability to policy changes in any single market by distributing critical operations, talent pools, and customer bases across multiple regions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                              4. Engage proactively with policymakers<\/strong>: Rather than merely reacting to policy shifts, seek opportunities to shape the regulatory environment through industry associations, direct engagement, and public-private partnerships focused on innovation advancement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                              5. Balance short-term adaptation with long-term vision<\/strong>: While responding tactically to immediate policy shifts, maintain focus on fundamental technological trends and market opportunities that transcend political cycles.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

                                                <\/a>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                The Trump presidency's impact on innovation reflects the complex interplay between politics, economics, and technological development. While certain policies may create immediate obstacles for established innovation approaches, history demonstrates that the innovation ecosystem has remarkable resilience and adaptability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                Organizations that approach this changing landscape with strategic foresight, operational flexibility, and collaborative spirit will not merely survive the crosswinds but may discover unexpected tailwinds that accelerate their journey. The fundamental drivers of technological progress, human ingenuity, market opportunity, and competitive pressure, remain powerful forces regardless of the political environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                <\/a>Take Action: Prepare Your Organization for the New Innovation Landscape<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                The current political and economic climate has made one thing clear: innovation leaders can no longer afford to rely on old playbooks. Strategic agility, bold thinking, and a global mindset are no longer optional \u2014 they\u2019re essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                That\u2019s why we created the C-suite Innovation Lab: AI, Digital Transformation, and Venture Building<\/strong><\/a> \u2014 a four-day executive immersion program in Silicon Valley designed to help senior leaders lead through political and market uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                This program addresses the full complexity of innovating in uncertain times \u2014 from global talent shifts and policy risk to venture building, startup collaboration, and transforming legacy infrastructure. You\u2019ll engage directly with leaders from organizations like Google, Microsoft, Stanford, Salesforce, McKinsey<\/strong>, and more, while working alongside a small cohort of peers equally committed to navigating change strategically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                Whether you're rethinking your international expansion plans, retooling your innovation pipeline, or modernizing the culture and systems inside your organization \u2014 this experience is designed to help you act with clarity and confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                Only 25 seats are available<\/strong> for this cohort.
                                                Early registration includes a $1,000 discount for those who move fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
                                                \n\n\n\n

                                                \n
                                                Explore C-suite Innovation Lab<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
                                                \n\n\n\n
                                                \n

                                                However, this deregulatory push<\/a> raises concerns about consumer protection, data privacy, and environmental safeguards. Companies developing cutting-edge technologies must consider whether short-term regulatory relief might lead to longer-term market backlash if products launch without adequate safety protocols or privacy considerations. The European Union's continuing emphasis on strict regulatory frameworks also means that companies with global ambitions must still design for the most stringent requirements, potentially negating domestic deregulatory benefits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

                                                Sectors positioned to benefit most from the deregulatory environment include fintech (particularly cryptocurrency and blockchain applications), biotech (with potential for accelerated approval pathways), and advanced manufacturing (with fewer environmental compliance requirements). However, these same sectors may face heightened public scrutiny and potential consumer trust issues if perceived as cutting corners on important protections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                <\/a>Economic Nationalism and Trade Policies<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                The revival of \"America First\" policies is reshaping global innovation networks in fundamental ways. As we predicted in our <\/a>Macro-Economic Trends Report 2025-2030<\/a>, tariffs, trade barriers, and incentives for domestic production are already forcing companies to reconsider their supply chains, manufacturing strategies, and international expansion plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                For hardware innovators, the push toward reshoring production creates both opportunities and challenges. While domestic manufacturing incentives may reduce costs for U.S.-based production, the disruption to established supply chains in Asia requires significant adjustment. Companies with highly integrated global operations report particular difficulty in rapidly reconfiguring their production networks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                Cross-border innovation partnerships face new hurdles as well. Collaborative R&D initiatives between U.S. and foreign entities encounter increased scrutiny, particularly when they involve technologies with potential national security applications. Venture capital flows across borders show signs of constriction, with international investors expressing heightened caution about U.S.-based startups due to uncertainty about their ability to access global markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                Forward-thinking organizations are developing robust contingency plans, diversifying their supply chains across multiple regions, and structuring international partnerships to withstand potential regulatory challenges. Some are exploring alternative markets for initial product launches, considering countries with more predictable trade relationships as testing grounds before tackling the U.S. market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                <\/a>Geopolitical Realignment and Tech Partnerships<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                The administration's foreign policy approach is triggering significant realignment in global innovation networks. Traditional alliances with European and East Asian partners show signs of strain, while new relationships with specific nations aligned with the administration's priorities create unexpected collaboration opportunities.

                                                <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                These shifts<\/a> have particular significance for technologies requiring extensive international coordination, such as artificial intelligence governance, climate tech development, and global health innovations. Standards-setting bodies and international research consortia report increased difficulty in maintaining cohesive agendas as geopolitical tensions influence technical discussions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                National security concerns have intensified scrutiny of technology transfers and intellectual property exchanges, particularly with China but increasingly with other nations as well. This heightened caution creates additional friction for cross-border innovation initiatives and international academic collaboration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                Despite these challenges, some organizations identify new opportunities in emerging markets <\/a>previously overlooked by the innovation community. Regions seeking to establish themselves as alternative technology hubs, from Latin America to Southeast Asia to Eastern Europe, present intriguing possibilities for companies looking to diversify their global footprint beyond traditional innovation centers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                <\/a>Sector-by-Sector Analysis<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                The impact of these political shifts varies significantly across different technology sectors:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                Big Tech & AI<\/strong>: Large technology companies face a complex landscape<\/a> of reduced domestic regulatory pressure coupled with heightened scrutiny of their international operations and talent acquisition strategies. The AI sector in particular confronts contradictory forces: potential acceleration of commercial deployment due to lighter regulatory touch, alongside talent constraints that could slow fundamental research progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                Energy & Climate Tech<\/strong>: The administration's emphasis on traditional energy sources has created headwinds for some renewable energy innovations. However, this same policy stance<\/a> has spurred increased private sector and state-level investment in clean technologies, as companies and local governments seek to maintain momentum on climate initiatives independent of federal direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                Healthcare & Biotech<\/strong>: Changes to FDA approval processes and healthcare regulations signal potential opportunities<\/a> for accelerated commercialization of biomedical innovations. Telehealth, personalized medicine, and novel therapeutic approaches may benefit from streamlined regulatory pathways, though questions remain about insurance coverage and patient access.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                Manufacturing & Robotics<\/strong>: The push for domestic manufacturing<\/a> has catalyzed new investment in advanced manufacturing technologies, robotics, and automation. Companies developing solutions that enable cost-effective production in higher-wage environments report surging interest from industrial clients reconsidering their global footprint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                <\/a>Strategic Recommendations for Leaders<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
                                                \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

                                                Innovation leaders navigating this dynamic environment should consider several strategic approaches:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                  \n
                                                1. Establish robust policy monitoring capabilities<\/strong>: Maintain dedicated resources tracking legislative and regulatory developments affecting your sector, whether through internal government relations teams or partnerships with specialized consultancies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                2. Develop scenario-based strategic planning<\/strong>: Create flexible frameworks that allow rapid pivoting based on policy shifts. Identify trigger points that would necessitate strategy adjustments and prepare contingency plans for various political outcomes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                3. Diversify geographic footprint<\/strong>: Reduce vulnerability to policy changes in any single market by distributing critical operations, talent pools, and customer bases across multiple regions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                4. Engage proactively with policymakers<\/strong>: Rather than merely reacting to policy shifts, seek opportunities to shape the regulatory environment through industry associations, direct engagement, and public-private partnerships focused on innovation advancement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                5. Balance short-term adaptation with long-term vision<\/strong>: While responding tactically to immediate policy shifts, maintain focus on fundamental technological trends and market opportunities that transcend political cycles.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

                                                  <\/a>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                  The Trump presidency's impact on innovation reflects the complex interplay between politics, economics, and technological development. While certain policies may create immediate obstacles for established innovation approaches, history demonstrates that the innovation ecosystem has remarkable resilience and adaptability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                  Organizations that approach this changing landscape with strategic foresight, operational flexibility, and collaborative spirit will not merely survive the crosswinds but may discover unexpected tailwinds that accelerate their journey. The fundamental drivers of technological progress, human ingenuity, market opportunity, and competitive pressure, remain powerful forces regardless of the political environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                  <\/a>Take Action: Prepare Your Organization for the New Innovation Landscape<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                  The current political and economic climate has made one thing clear: innovation leaders can no longer afford to rely on old playbooks. Strategic agility, bold thinking, and a global mindset are no longer optional \u2014 they\u2019re essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                  That\u2019s why we created the C-suite Innovation Lab: AI, Digital Transformation, and Venture Building<\/strong><\/a> \u2014 a four-day executive immersion program in Silicon Valley designed to help senior leaders lead through political and market uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                  This program addresses the full complexity of innovating in uncertain times \u2014 from global talent shifts and policy risk to venture building, startup collaboration, and transforming legacy infrastructure. You\u2019ll engage directly with leaders from organizations like Google, Microsoft, Stanford, Salesforce, McKinsey<\/strong>, and more, while working alongside a small cohort of peers equally committed to navigating change strategically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                  Whether you're rethinking your international expansion plans, retooling your innovation pipeline, or modernizing the culture and systems inside your organization \u2014 this experience is designed to help you act with clarity and confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                  Only 25 seats are available<\/strong> for this cohort.
                                                  Early registration includes a $1,000 discount for those who move fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
                                                  \n\n\n\n

                                                  \n
                                                  Explore C-suite Innovation Lab<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
                                                  \n\n\n\n
                                                  \n

                                                  The administration's deregulatory agenda presents complexity for innovators. Reduced bureaucratic hurdles could accelerate time-to-market for new technologies and lower compliance costs, particularly benefiting resource-constrained startups. Industries previously hampered by extensive regulatory requirements, such as autonomous vehicles, drone technologies, and certain healthcare innovations, may find paths to commercialization suddenly cleared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                  However, this deregulatory push<\/a> raises concerns about consumer protection, data privacy, and environmental safeguards. Companies developing cutting-edge technologies must consider whether short-term regulatory relief might lead to longer-term market backlash if products launch without adequate safety protocols or privacy considerations. The European Union's continuing emphasis on strict regulatory frameworks also means that companies with global ambitions must still design for the most stringent requirements, potentially negating domestic deregulatory benefits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                  \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

                                                  Sectors positioned to benefit most from the deregulatory environment include fintech (particularly cryptocurrency and blockchain applications), biotech (with potential for accelerated approval pathways), and advanced manufacturing (with fewer environmental compliance requirements). However, these same sectors may face heightened public scrutiny and potential consumer trust issues if perceived as cutting corners on important protections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                  <\/a>Economic Nationalism and Trade Policies<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                  The revival of \"America First\" policies is reshaping global innovation networks in fundamental ways. As we predicted in our <\/a>Macro-Economic Trends Report 2025-2030<\/a>, tariffs, trade barriers, and incentives for domestic production are already forcing companies to reconsider their supply chains, manufacturing strategies, and international expansion plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                  For hardware innovators, the push toward reshoring production creates both opportunities and challenges. While domestic manufacturing incentives may reduce costs for U.S.-based production, the disruption to established supply chains in Asia requires significant adjustment. Companies with highly integrated global operations report particular difficulty in rapidly reconfiguring their production networks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                  Cross-border innovation partnerships face new hurdles as well. Collaborative R&D initiatives between U.S. and foreign entities encounter increased scrutiny, particularly when they involve technologies with potential national security applications. Venture capital flows across borders show signs of constriction, with international investors expressing heightened caution about U.S.-based startups due to uncertainty about their ability to access global markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                  Forward-thinking organizations are developing robust contingency plans, diversifying their supply chains across multiple regions, and structuring international partnerships to withstand potential regulatory challenges. Some are exploring alternative markets for initial product launches, considering countries with more predictable trade relationships as testing grounds before tackling the U.S. market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                  <\/a>Geopolitical Realignment and Tech Partnerships<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                  The administration's foreign policy approach is triggering significant realignment in global innovation networks. Traditional alliances with European and East Asian partners show signs of strain, while new relationships with specific nations aligned with the administration's priorities create unexpected collaboration opportunities.

                                                  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                  These shifts<\/a> have particular significance for technologies requiring extensive international coordination, such as artificial intelligence governance, climate tech development, and global health innovations. Standards-setting bodies and international research consortia report increased difficulty in maintaining cohesive agendas as geopolitical tensions influence technical discussions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                  National security concerns have intensified scrutiny of technology transfers and intellectual property exchanges, particularly with China but increasingly with other nations as well. This heightened caution creates additional friction for cross-border innovation initiatives and international academic collaboration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                  Despite these challenges, some organizations identify new opportunities in emerging markets <\/a>previously overlooked by the innovation community. Regions seeking to establish themselves as alternative technology hubs, from Latin America to Southeast Asia to Eastern Europe, present intriguing possibilities for companies looking to diversify their global footprint beyond traditional innovation centers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                  <\/a>Sector-by-Sector Analysis<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                  The impact of these political shifts varies significantly across different technology sectors:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                  Big Tech & AI<\/strong>: Large technology companies face a complex landscape<\/a> of reduced domestic regulatory pressure coupled with heightened scrutiny of their international operations and talent acquisition strategies. The AI sector in particular confronts contradictory forces: potential acceleration of commercial deployment due to lighter regulatory touch, alongside talent constraints that could slow fundamental research progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                  Energy & Climate Tech<\/strong>: The administration's emphasis on traditional energy sources has created headwinds for some renewable energy innovations. However, this same policy stance<\/a> has spurred increased private sector and state-level investment in clean technologies, as companies and local governments seek to maintain momentum on climate initiatives independent of federal direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                  Healthcare & Biotech<\/strong>: Changes to FDA approval processes and healthcare regulations signal potential opportunities<\/a> for accelerated commercialization of biomedical innovations. Telehealth, personalized medicine, and novel therapeutic approaches may benefit from streamlined regulatory pathways, though questions remain about insurance coverage and patient access.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                  Manufacturing & Robotics<\/strong>: The push for domestic manufacturing<\/a> has catalyzed new investment in advanced manufacturing technologies, robotics, and automation. Companies developing solutions that enable cost-effective production in higher-wage environments report surging interest from industrial clients reconsidering their global footprint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                  <\/a>Strategic Recommendations for Leaders<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
                                                  \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

                                                  Innovation leaders navigating this dynamic environment should consider several strategic approaches:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                    \n
                                                  1. Establish robust policy monitoring capabilities<\/strong>: Maintain dedicated resources tracking legislative and regulatory developments affecting your sector, whether through internal government relations teams or partnerships with specialized consultancies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                  2. Develop scenario-based strategic planning<\/strong>: Create flexible frameworks that allow rapid pivoting based on policy shifts. Identify trigger points that would necessitate strategy adjustments and prepare contingency plans for various political outcomes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                  3. Diversify geographic footprint<\/strong>: Reduce vulnerability to policy changes in any single market by distributing critical operations, talent pools, and customer bases across multiple regions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                  4. Engage proactively with policymakers<\/strong>: Rather than merely reacting to policy shifts, seek opportunities to shape the regulatory environment through industry associations, direct engagement, and public-private partnerships focused on innovation advancement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                  5. Balance short-term adaptation with long-term vision<\/strong>: While responding tactically to immediate policy shifts, maintain focus on fundamental technological trends and market opportunities that transcend political cycles.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

                                                    <\/a>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                    The Trump presidency's impact on innovation reflects the complex interplay between politics, economics, and technological development. While certain policies may create immediate obstacles for established innovation approaches, history demonstrates that the innovation ecosystem has remarkable resilience and adaptability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                    Organizations that approach this changing landscape with strategic foresight, operational flexibility, and collaborative spirit will not merely survive the crosswinds but may discover unexpected tailwinds that accelerate their journey. The fundamental drivers of technological progress, human ingenuity, market opportunity, and competitive pressure, remain powerful forces regardless of the political environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                    <\/a>Take Action: Prepare Your Organization for the New Innovation Landscape<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                    The current political and economic climate has made one thing clear: innovation leaders can no longer afford to rely on old playbooks. Strategic agility, bold thinking, and a global mindset are no longer optional \u2014 they\u2019re essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                    That\u2019s why we created the C-suite Innovation Lab: AI, Digital Transformation, and Venture Building<\/strong><\/a> \u2014 a four-day executive immersion program in Silicon Valley designed to help senior leaders lead through political and market uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                    This program addresses the full complexity of innovating in uncertain times \u2014 from global talent shifts and policy risk to venture building, startup collaboration, and transforming legacy infrastructure. You\u2019ll engage directly with leaders from organizations like Google, Microsoft, Stanford, Salesforce, McKinsey<\/strong>, and more, while working alongside a small cohort of peers equally committed to navigating change strategically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                    Whether you're rethinking your international expansion plans, retooling your innovation pipeline, or modernizing the culture and systems inside your organization \u2014 this experience is designed to help you act with clarity and confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                    Only 25 seats are available<\/strong> for this cohort.
                                                    Early registration includes a $1,000 discount for those who move fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
                                                    \n\n\n\n

                                                    \n
                                                    Explore C-suite Innovation Lab<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
                                                    \n\n\n\n
                                                    \n

                                                    <\/a>Deregulation: A Boon or a Double-Edged Sword?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                    The administration's deregulatory agenda presents complexity for innovators. Reduced bureaucratic hurdles could accelerate time-to-market for new technologies and lower compliance costs, particularly benefiting resource-constrained startups. Industries previously hampered by extensive regulatory requirements, such as autonomous vehicles, drone technologies, and certain healthcare innovations, may find paths to commercialization suddenly cleared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                    However, this deregulatory push<\/a> raises concerns about consumer protection, data privacy, and environmental safeguards. Companies developing cutting-edge technologies must consider whether short-term regulatory relief might lead to longer-term market backlash if products launch without adequate safety protocols or privacy considerations. The European Union's continuing emphasis on strict regulatory frameworks also means that companies with global ambitions must still design for the most stringent requirements, potentially negating domestic deregulatory benefits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                    \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

                                                    Sectors positioned to benefit most from the deregulatory environment include fintech (particularly cryptocurrency and blockchain applications), biotech (with potential for accelerated approval pathways), and advanced manufacturing (with fewer environmental compliance requirements). However, these same sectors may face heightened public scrutiny and potential consumer trust issues if perceived as cutting corners on important protections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                    <\/a>Economic Nationalism and Trade Policies<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                    The revival of \"America First\" policies is reshaping global innovation networks in fundamental ways. As we predicted in our <\/a>Macro-Economic Trends Report 2025-2030<\/a>, tariffs, trade barriers, and incentives for domestic production are already forcing companies to reconsider their supply chains, manufacturing strategies, and international expansion plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                    For hardware innovators, the push toward reshoring production creates both opportunities and challenges. While domestic manufacturing incentives may reduce costs for U.S.-based production, the disruption to established supply chains in Asia requires significant adjustment. Companies with highly integrated global operations report particular difficulty in rapidly reconfiguring their production networks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                    Cross-border innovation partnerships face new hurdles as well. Collaborative R&D initiatives between U.S. and foreign entities encounter increased scrutiny, particularly when they involve technologies with potential national security applications. Venture capital flows across borders show signs of constriction, with international investors expressing heightened caution about U.S.-based startups due to uncertainty about their ability to access global markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                    Forward-thinking organizations are developing robust contingency plans, diversifying their supply chains across multiple regions, and structuring international partnerships to withstand potential regulatory challenges. Some are exploring alternative markets for initial product launches, considering countries with more predictable trade relationships as testing grounds before tackling the U.S. market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                    <\/a>Geopolitical Realignment and Tech Partnerships<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                    The administration's foreign policy approach is triggering significant realignment in global innovation networks. Traditional alliances with European and East Asian partners show signs of strain, while new relationships with specific nations aligned with the administration's priorities create unexpected collaboration opportunities.

                                                    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                    These shifts<\/a> have particular significance for technologies requiring extensive international coordination, such as artificial intelligence governance, climate tech development, and global health innovations. Standards-setting bodies and international research consortia report increased difficulty in maintaining cohesive agendas as geopolitical tensions influence technical discussions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                    National security concerns have intensified scrutiny of technology transfers and intellectual property exchanges, particularly with China but increasingly with other nations as well. This heightened caution creates additional friction for cross-border innovation initiatives and international academic collaboration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                    Despite these challenges, some organizations identify new opportunities in emerging markets <\/a>previously overlooked by the innovation community. Regions seeking to establish themselves as alternative technology hubs, from Latin America to Southeast Asia to Eastern Europe, present intriguing possibilities for companies looking to diversify their global footprint beyond traditional innovation centers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                    <\/a>Sector-by-Sector Analysis<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                    The impact of these political shifts varies significantly across different technology sectors:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                    Big Tech & AI<\/strong>: Large technology companies face a complex landscape<\/a> of reduced domestic regulatory pressure coupled with heightened scrutiny of their international operations and talent acquisition strategies. The AI sector in particular confronts contradictory forces: potential acceleration of commercial deployment due to lighter regulatory touch, alongside talent constraints that could slow fundamental research progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                    Energy & Climate Tech<\/strong>: The administration's emphasis on traditional energy sources has created headwinds for some renewable energy innovations. However, this same policy stance<\/a> has spurred increased private sector and state-level investment in clean technologies, as companies and local governments seek to maintain momentum on climate initiatives independent of federal direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                    Healthcare & Biotech<\/strong>: Changes to FDA approval processes and healthcare regulations signal potential opportunities<\/a> for accelerated commercialization of biomedical innovations. Telehealth, personalized medicine, and novel therapeutic approaches may benefit from streamlined regulatory pathways, though questions remain about insurance coverage and patient access.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                    Manufacturing & Robotics<\/strong>: The push for domestic manufacturing<\/a> has catalyzed new investment in advanced manufacturing technologies, robotics, and automation. Companies developing solutions that enable cost-effective production in higher-wage environments report surging interest from industrial clients reconsidering their global footprint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                    <\/a>Strategic Recommendations for Leaders<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
                                                    \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

                                                    Innovation leaders navigating this dynamic environment should consider several strategic approaches:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                      \n
                                                    1. Establish robust policy monitoring capabilities<\/strong>: Maintain dedicated resources tracking legislative and regulatory developments affecting your sector, whether through internal government relations teams or partnerships with specialized consultancies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                    2. Develop scenario-based strategic planning<\/strong>: Create flexible frameworks that allow rapid pivoting based on policy shifts. Identify trigger points that would necessitate strategy adjustments and prepare contingency plans for various political outcomes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                    3. Diversify geographic footprint<\/strong>: Reduce vulnerability to policy changes in any single market by distributing critical operations, talent pools, and customer bases across multiple regions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                    4. Engage proactively with policymakers<\/strong>: Rather than merely reacting to policy shifts, seek opportunities to shape the regulatory environment through industry associations, direct engagement, and public-private partnerships focused on innovation advancement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                    5. Balance short-term adaptation with long-term vision<\/strong>: While responding tactically to immediate policy shifts, maintain focus on fundamental technological trends and market opportunities that transcend political cycles.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

                                                      <\/a>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                      The Trump presidency's impact on innovation reflects the complex interplay between politics, economics, and technological development. While certain policies may create immediate obstacles for established innovation approaches, history demonstrates that the innovation ecosystem has remarkable resilience and adaptability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                      Organizations that approach this changing landscape with strategic foresight, operational flexibility, and collaborative spirit will not merely survive the crosswinds but may discover unexpected tailwinds that accelerate their journey. The fundamental drivers of technological progress, human ingenuity, market opportunity, and competitive pressure, remain powerful forces regardless of the political environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                      <\/a>Take Action: Prepare Your Organization for the New Innovation Landscape<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                      The current political and economic climate has made one thing clear: innovation leaders can no longer afford to rely on old playbooks. Strategic agility, bold thinking, and a global mindset are no longer optional \u2014 they\u2019re essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                      That\u2019s why we created the C-suite Innovation Lab: AI, Digital Transformation, and Venture Building<\/strong><\/a> \u2014 a four-day executive immersion program in Silicon Valley designed to help senior leaders lead through political and market uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                      This program addresses the full complexity of innovating in uncertain times \u2014 from global talent shifts and policy risk to venture building, startup collaboration, and transforming legacy infrastructure. You\u2019ll engage directly with leaders from organizations like Google, Microsoft, Stanford, Salesforce, McKinsey<\/strong>, and more, while working alongside a small cohort of peers equally committed to navigating change strategically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                      Whether you're rethinking your international expansion plans, retooling your innovation pipeline, or modernizing the culture and systems inside your organization \u2014 this experience is designed to help you act with clarity and confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                      Only 25 seats are available<\/strong> for this cohort.
                                                      Early registration includes a $1,000 discount for those who move fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
                                                      \n\n\n\n

                                                      \n
                                                      Explore C-suite Innovation Lab<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
                                                      \n\n\n\n
                                                      \n

                                                      Innovation leaders are responding with multi-pronged strategies: establishing or expanding R&D centers in countries with more welcoming immigration policies, implementing distributed team structures that allow talent to contribute remotely, and forming partnerships with overseas universities and incubators to maintain access to global innovation networks. Companies with foresight are also investing more heavily in domestic talent development through university partnerships and vocational training programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                      <\/a>Deregulation: A Boon or a Double-Edged Sword?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                      The administration's deregulatory agenda presents complexity for innovators. Reduced bureaucratic hurdles could accelerate time-to-market for new technologies and lower compliance costs, particularly benefiting resource-constrained startups. Industries previously hampered by extensive regulatory requirements, such as autonomous vehicles, drone technologies, and certain healthcare innovations, may find paths to commercialization suddenly cleared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                      However, this deregulatory push<\/a> raises concerns about consumer protection, data privacy, and environmental safeguards. Companies developing cutting-edge technologies must consider whether short-term regulatory relief might lead to longer-term market backlash if products launch without adequate safety protocols or privacy considerations. The European Union's continuing emphasis on strict regulatory frameworks also means that companies with global ambitions must still design for the most stringent requirements, potentially negating domestic deregulatory benefits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                      \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

                                                      Sectors positioned to benefit most from the deregulatory environment include fintech (particularly cryptocurrency and blockchain applications), biotech (with potential for accelerated approval pathways), and advanced manufacturing (with fewer environmental compliance requirements). However, these same sectors may face heightened public scrutiny and potential consumer trust issues if perceived as cutting corners on important protections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                      <\/a>Economic Nationalism and Trade Policies<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                      The revival of \"America First\" policies is reshaping global innovation networks in fundamental ways. As we predicted in our <\/a>Macro-Economic Trends Report 2025-2030<\/a>, tariffs, trade barriers, and incentives for domestic production are already forcing companies to reconsider their supply chains, manufacturing strategies, and international expansion plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                      For hardware innovators, the push toward reshoring production creates both opportunities and challenges. While domestic manufacturing incentives may reduce costs for U.S.-based production, the disruption to established supply chains in Asia requires significant adjustment. Companies with highly integrated global operations report particular difficulty in rapidly reconfiguring their production networks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                      Cross-border innovation partnerships face new hurdles as well. Collaborative R&D initiatives between U.S. and foreign entities encounter increased scrutiny, particularly when they involve technologies with potential national security applications. Venture capital flows across borders show signs of constriction, with international investors expressing heightened caution about U.S.-based startups due to uncertainty about their ability to access global markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                      Forward-thinking organizations are developing robust contingency plans, diversifying their supply chains across multiple regions, and structuring international partnerships to withstand potential regulatory challenges. Some are exploring alternative markets for initial product launches, considering countries with more predictable trade relationships as testing grounds before tackling the U.S. market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                      <\/a>Geopolitical Realignment and Tech Partnerships<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                      The administration's foreign policy approach is triggering significant realignment in global innovation networks. Traditional alliances with European and East Asian partners show signs of strain, while new relationships with specific nations aligned with the administration's priorities create unexpected collaboration opportunities.

                                                      <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                      These shifts<\/a> have particular significance for technologies requiring extensive international coordination, such as artificial intelligence governance, climate tech development, and global health innovations. Standards-setting bodies and international research consortia report increased difficulty in maintaining cohesive agendas as geopolitical tensions influence technical discussions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                      National security concerns have intensified scrutiny of technology transfers and intellectual property exchanges, particularly with China but increasingly with other nations as well. This heightened caution creates additional friction for cross-border innovation initiatives and international academic collaboration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                      Despite these challenges, some organizations identify new opportunities in emerging markets <\/a>previously overlooked by the innovation community. Regions seeking to establish themselves as alternative technology hubs, from Latin America to Southeast Asia to Eastern Europe, present intriguing possibilities for companies looking to diversify their global footprint beyond traditional innovation centers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                      <\/a>Sector-by-Sector Analysis<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                      The impact of these political shifts varies significantly across different technology sectors:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                      Big Tech & AI<\/strong>: Large technology companies face a complex landscape<\/a> of reduced domestic regulatory pressure coupled with heightened scrutiny of their international operations and talent acquisition strategies. The AI sector in particular confronts contradictory forces: potential acceleration of commercial deployment due to lighter regulatory touch, alongside talent constraints that could slow fundamental research progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                      Energy & Climate Tech<\/strong>: The administration's emphasis on traditional energy sources has created headwinds for some renewable energy innovations. However, this same policy stance<\/a> has spurred increased private sector and state-level investment in clean technologies, as companies and local governments seek to maintain momentum on climate initiatives independent of federal direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                      Healthcare & Biotech<\/strong>: Changes to FDA approval processes and healthcare regulations signal potential opportunities<\/a> for accelerated commercialization of biomedical innovations. Telehealth, personalized medicine, and novel therapeutic approaches may benefit from streamlined regulatory pathways, though questions remain about insurance coverage and patient access.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                      Manufacturing & Robotics<\/strong>: The push for domestic manufacturing<\/a> has catalyzed new investment in advanced manufacturing technologies, robotics, and automation. Companies developing solutions that enable cost-effective production in higher-wage environments report surging interest from industrial clients reconsidering their global footprint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                      <\/a>Strategic Recommendations for Leaders<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
                                                      \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

                                                      Innovation leaders navigating this dynamic environment should consider several strategic approaches:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                        \n
                                                      1. Establish robust policy monitoring capabilities<\/strong>: Maintain dedicated resources tracking legislative and regulatory developments affecting your sector, whether through internal government relations teams or partnerships with specialized consultancies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                      2. Develop scenario-based strategic planning<\/strong>: Create flexible frameworks that allow rapid pivoting based on policy shifts. Identify trigger points that would necessitate strategy adjustments and prepare contingency plans for various political outcomes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                      3. Diversify geographic footprint<\/strong>: Reduce vulnerability to policy changes in any single market by distributing critical operations, talent pools, and customer bases across multiple regions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                      4. Engage proactively with policymakers<\/strong>: Rather than merely reacting to policy shifts, seek opportunities to shape the regulatory environment through industry associations, direct engagement, and public-private partnerships focused on innovation advancement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                      5. Balance short-term adaptation with long-term vision<\/strong>: While responding tactically to immediate policy shifts, maintain focus on fundamental technological trends and market opportunities that transcend political cycles.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

                                                        <\/a>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                        The Trump presidency's impact on innovation reflects the complex interplay between politics, economics, and technological development. While certain policies may create immediate obstacles for established innovation approaches, history demonstrates that the innovation ecosystem has remarkable resilience and adaptability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                        Organizations that approach this changing landscape with strategic foresight, operational flexibility, and collaborative spirit will not merely survive the crosswinds but may discover unexpected tailwinds that accelerate their journey. The fundamental drivers of technological progress, human ingenuity, market opportunity, and competitive pressure, remain powerful forces regardless of the political environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                        <\/a>Take Action: Prepare Your Organization for the New Innovation Landscape<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                        The current political and economic climate has made one thing clear: innovation leaders can no longer afford to rely on old playbooks. Strategic agility, bold thinking, and a global mindset are no longer optional \u2014 they\u2019re essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                        That\u2019s why we created the C-suite Innovation Lab: AI, Digital Transformation, and Venture Building<\/strong><\/a> \u2014 a four-day executive immersion program in Silicon Valley designed to help senior leaders lead through political and market uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                        This program addresses the full complexity of innovating in uncertain times \u2014 from global talent shifts and policy risk to venture building, startup collaboration, and transforming legacy infrastructure. You\u2019ll engage directly with leaders from organizations like Google, Microsoft, Stanford, Salesforce, McKinsey<\/strong>, and more, while working alongside a small cohort of peers equally committed to navigating change strategically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                        Whether you're rethinking your international expansion plans, retooling your innovation pipeline, or modernizing the culture and systems inside your organization \u2014 this experience is designed to help you act with clarity and confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                        Only 25 seats are available<\/strong> for this cohort.
                                                        Early registration includes a $1,000 discount for those who move fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
                                                        \n\n\n\n

                                                        \n
                                                        Explore C-suite Innovation Lab<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
                                                        \n\n\n\n
                                                        \n

                                                        Major tech companies are already reporting difficulties in recruiting international specialists in crucial fields like artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and advanced semiconductor design. University research labs face similar challenges in attracting and retaining global talent. This constraint comes at a particularly inopportune moment, as competition for technical expertise in emerging technologies intensifies globally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                        Innovation leaders are responding with multi-pronged strategies: establishing or expanding R&D centers in countries with more welcoming immigration policies, implementing distributed team structures that allow talent to contribute remotely, and forming partnerships with overseas universities and incubators to maintain access to global innovation networks. Companies with foresight are also investing more heavily in domestic talent development through university partnerships and vocational training programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                        <\/a>Deregulation: A Boon or a Double-Edged Sword?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                        The administration's deregulatory agenda presents complexity for innovators. Reduced bureaucratic hurdles could accelerate time-to-market for new technologies and lower compliance costs, particularly benefiting resource-constrained startups. Industries previously hampered by extensive regulatory requirements, such as autonomous vehicles, drone technologies, and certain healthcare innovations, may find paths to commercialization suddenly cleared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                        However, this deregulatory push<\/a> raises concerns about consumer protection, data privacy, and environmental safeguards. Companies developing cutting-edge technologies must consider whether short-term regulatory relief might lead to longer-term market backlash if products launch without adequate safety protocols or privacy considerations. The European Union's continuing emphasis on strict regulatory frameworks also means that companies with global ambitions must still design for the most stringent requirements, potentially negating domestic deregulatory benefits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                        \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

                                                        Sectors positioned to benefit most from the deregulatory environment include fintech (particularly cryptocurrency and blockchain applications), biotech (with potential for accelerated approval pathways), and advanced manufacturing (with fewer environmental compliance requirements). However, these same sectors may face heightened public scrutiny and potential consumer trust issues if perceived as cutting corners on important protections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                        <\/a>Economic Nationalism and Trade Policies<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                        The revival of \"America First\" policies is reshaping global innovation networks in fundamental ways. As we predicted in our <\/a>Macro-Economic Trends Report 2025-2030<\/a>, tariffs, trade barriers, and incentives for domestic production are already forcing companies to reconsider their supply chains, manufacturing strategies, and international expansion plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                        For hardware innovators, the push toward reshoring production creates both opportunities and challenges. While domestic manufacturing incentives may reduce costs for U.S.-based production, the disruption to established supply chains in Asia requires significant adjustment. Companies with highly integrated global operations report particular difficulty in rapidly reconfiguring their production networks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                        Cross-border innovation partnerships face new hurdles as well. Collaborative R&D initiatives between U.S. and foreign entities encounter increased scrutiny, particularly when they involve technologies with potential national security applications. Venture capital flows across borders show signs of constriction, with international investors expressing heightened caution about U.S.-based startups due to uncertainty about their ability to access global markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                        Forward-thinking organizations are developing robust contingency plans, diversifying their supply chains across multiple regions, and structuring international partnerships to withstand potential regulatory challenges. Some are exploring alternative markets for initial product launches, considering countries with more predictable trade relationships as testing grounds before tackling the U.S. market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                        <\/a>Geopolitical Realignment and Tech Partnerships<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                        The administration's foreign policy approach is triggering significant realignment in global innovation networks. Traditional alliances with European and East Asian partners show signs of strain, while new relationships with specific nations aligned with the administration's priorities create unexpected collaboration opportunities.

                                                        <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                        These shifts<\/a> have particular significance for technologies requiring extensive international coordination, such as artificial intelligence governance, climate tech development, and global health innovations. Standards-setting bodies and international research consortia report increased difficulty in maintaining cohesive agendas as geopolitical tensions influence technical discussions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                        National security concerns have intensified scrutiny of technology transfers and intellectual property exchanges, particularly with China but increasingly with other nations as well. This heightened caution creates additional friction for cross-border innovation initiatives and international academic collaboration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                        Despite these challenges, some organizations identify new opportunities in emerging markets <\/a>previously overlooked by the innovation community. Regions seeking to establish themselves as alternative technology hubs, from Latin America to Southeast Asia to Eastern Europe, present intriguing possibilities for companies looking to diversify their global footprint beyond traditional innovation centers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                        <\/a>Sector-by-Sector Analysis<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                        The impact of these political shifts varies significantly across different technology sectors:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                        Big Tech & AI<\/strong>: Large technology companies face a complex landscape<\/a> of reduced domestic regulatory pressure coupled with heightened scrutiny of their international operations and talent acquisition strategies. The AI sector in particular confronts contradictory forces: potential acceleration of commercial deployment due to lighter regulatory touch, alongside talent constraints that could slow fundamental research progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                        Energy & Climate Tech<\/strong>: The administration's emphasis on traditional energy sources has created headwinds for some renewable energy innovations. However, this same policy stance<\/a> has spurred increased private sector and state-level investment in clean technologies, as companies and local governments seek to maintain momentum on climate initiatives independent of federal direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                        Healthcare & Biotech<\/strong>: Changes to FDA approval processes and healthcare regulations signal potential opportunities<\/a> for accelerated commercialization of biomedical innovations. Telehealth, personalized medicine, and novel therapeutic approaches may benefit from streamlined regulatory pathways, though questions remain about insurance coverage and patient access.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                        Manufacturing & Robotics<\/strong>: The push for domestic manufacturing<\/a> has catalyzed new investment in advanced manufacturing technologies, robotics, and automation. Companies developing solutions that enable cost-effective production in higher-wage environments report surging interest from industrial clients reconsidering their global footprint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                        <\/a>Strategic Recommendations for Leaders<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
                                                        \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

                                                        Innovation leaders navigating this dynamic environment should consider several strategic approaches:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                          \n
                                                        1. Establish robust policy monitoring capabilities<\/strong>: Maintain dedicated resources tracking legislative and regulatory developments affecting your sector, whether through internal government relations teams or partnerships with specialized consultancies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                        2. Develop scenario-based strategic planning<\/strong>: Create flexible frameworks that allow rapid pivoting based on policy shifts. Identify trigger points that would necessitate strategy adjustments and prepare contingency plans for various political outcomes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                        3. Diversify geographic footprint<\/strong>: Reduce vulnerability to policy changes in any single market by distributing critical operations, talent pools, and customer bases across multiple regions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                        4. Engage proactively with policymakers<\/strong>: Rather than merely reacting to policy shifts, seek opportunities to shape the regulatory environment through industry associations, direct engagement, and public-private partnerships focused on innovation advancement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                        5. Balance short-term adaptation with long-term vision<\/strong>: While responding tactically to immediate policy shifts, maintain focus on fundamental technological trends and market opportunities that transcend political cycles.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

                                                          <\/a>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                          The Trump presidency's impact on innovation reflects the complex interplay between politics, economics, and technological development. While certain policies may create immediate obstacles for established innovation approaches, history demonstrates that the innovation ecosystem has remarkable resilience and adaptability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                          Organizations that approach this changing landscape with strategic foresight, operational flexibility, and collaborative spirit will not merely survive the crosswinds but may discover unexpected tailwinds that accelerate their journey. The fundamental drivers of technological progress, human ingenuity, market opportunity, and competitive pressure, remain powerful forces regardless of the political environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                          <\/a>Take Action: Prepare Your Organization for the New Innovation Landscape<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                          The current political and economic climate has made one thing clear: innovation leaders can no longer afford to rely on old playbooks. Strategic agility, bold thinking, and a global mindset are no longer optional \u2014 they\u2019re essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                          That\u2019s why we created the C-suite Innovation Lab: AI, Digital Transformation, and Venture Building<\/strong><\/a> \u2014 a four-day executive immersion program in Silicon Valley designed to help senior leaders lead through political and market uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                          This program addresses the full complexity of innovating in uncertain times \u2014 from global talent shifts and policy risk to venture building, startup collaboration, and transforming legacy infrastructure. You\u2019ll engage directly with leaders from organizations like Google, Microsoft, Stanford, Salesforce, McKinsey<\/strong>, and more, while working alongside a small cohort of peers equally committed to navigating change strategically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                          Whether you're rethinking your international expansion plans, retooling your innovation pipeline, or modernizing the culture and systems inside your organization \u2014 this experience is designed to help you act with clarity and confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                          Only 25 seats are available<\/strong> for this cohort.
                                                          Early registration includes a $1,000 discount for those who move fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
                                                          \n\n\n\n

                                                          \n
                                                          Explore C-suite Innovation Lab<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
                                                          \n\n\n\n
                                                          \n

                                                          Perhaps the most immediate impact on innovation stems from changes to immigration policy. Tech companies have long relied on global talent pools, with significant portions of their workforce holding H-1B visas or other work permits. The new administration's more restrictive approach<\/a> threatens to disrupt these established talent pipelines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                          Major tech companies are already reporting difficulties in recruiting international specialists in crucial fields like artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and advanced semiconductor design. University research labs face similar challenges in attracting and retaining global talent. This constraint comes at a particularly inopportune moment, as competition for technical expertise in emerging technologies intensifies globally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                          Innovation leaders are responding with multi-pronged strategies: establishing or expanding R&D centers in countries with more welcoming immigration policies, implementing distributed team structures that allow talent to contribute remotely, and forming partnerships with overseas universities and incubators to maintain access to global innovation networks. Companies with foresight are also investing more heavily in domestic talent development through university partnerships and vocational training programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                          <\/a>Deregulation: A Boon or a Double-Edged Sword?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                          The administration's deregulatory agenda presents complexity for innovators. Reduced bureaucratic hurdles could accelerate time-to-market for new technologies and lower compliance costs, particularly benefiting resource-constrained startups. Industries previously hampered by extensive regulatory requirements, such as autonomous vehicles, drone technologies, and certain healthcare innovations, may find paths to commercialization suddenly cleared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                          However, this deregulatory push<\/a> raises concerns about consumer protection, data privacy, and environmental safeguards. Companies developing cutting-edge technologies must consider whether short-term regulatory relief might lead to longer-term market backlash if products launch without adequate safety protocols or privacy considerations. The European Union's continuing emphasis on strict regulatory frameworks also means that companies with global ambitions must still design for the most stringent requirements, potentially negating domestic deregulatory benefits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                          \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

                                                          Sectors positioned to benefit most from the deregulatory environment include fintech (particularly cryptocurrency and blockchain applications), biotech (with potential for accelerated approval pathways), and advanced manufacturing (with fewer environmental compliance requirements). However, these same sectors may face heightened public scrutiny and potential consumer trust issues if perceived as cutting corners on important protections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                          <\/a>Economic Nationalism and Trade Policies<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                          The revival of \"America First\" policies is reshaping global innovation networks in fundamental ways. As we predicted in our <\/a>Macro-Economic Trends Report 2025-2030<\/a>, tariffs, trade barriers, and incentives for domestic production are already forcing companies to reconsider their supply chains, manufacturing strategies, and international expansion plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                          For hardware innovators, the push toward reshoring production creates both opportunities and challenges. While domestic manufacturing incentives may reduce costs for U.S.-based production, the disruption to established supply chains in Asia requires significant adjustment. Companies with highly integrated global operations report particular difficulty in rapidly reconfiguring their production networks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                          Cross-border innovation partnerships face new hurdles as well. Collaborative R&D initiatives between U.S. and foreign entities encounter increased scrutiny, particularly when they involve technologies with potential national security applications. Venture capital flows across borders show signs of constriction, with international investors expressing heightened caution about U.S.-based startups due to uncertainty about their ability to access global markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                          Forward-thinking organizations are developing robust contingency plans, diversifying their supply chains across multiple regions, and structuring international partnerships to withstand potential regulatory challenges. Some are exploring alternative markets for initial product launches, considering countries with more predictable trade relationships as testing grounds before tackling the U.S. market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                          <\/a>Geopolitical Realignment and Tech Partnerships<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                          The administration's foreign policy approach is triggering significant realignment in global innovation networks. Traditional alliances with European and East Asian partners show signs of strain, while new relationships with specific nations aligned with the administration's priorities create unexpected collaboration opportunities.

                                                          <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                          These shifts<\/a> have particular significance for technologies requiring extensive international coordination, such as artificial intelligence governance, climate tech development, and global health innovations. Standards-setting bodies and international research consortia report increased difficulty in maintaining cohesive agendas as geopolitical tensions influence technical discussions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                          National security concerns have intensified scrutiny of technology transfers and intellectual property exchanges, particularly with China but increasingly with other nations as well. This heightened caution creates additional friction for cross-border innovation initiatives and international academic collaboration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                          Despite these challenges, some organizations identify new opportunities in emerging markets <\/a>previously overlooked by the innovation community. Regions seeking to establish themselves as alternative technology hubs, from Latin America to Southeast Asia to Eastern Europe, present intriguing possibilities for companies looking to diversify their global footprint beyond traditional innovation centers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                          <\/a>Sector-by-Sector Analysis<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                          The impact of these political shifts varies significantly across different technology sectors:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                          Big Tech & AI<\/strong>: Large technology companies face a complex landscape<\/a> of reduced domestic regulatory pressure coupled with heightened scrutiny of their international operations and talent acquisition strategies. The AI sector in particular confronts contradictory forces: potential acceleration of commercial deployment due to lighter regulatory touch, alongside talent constraints that could slow fundamental research progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                          Energy & Climate Tech<\/strong>: The administration's emphasis on traditional energy sources has created headwinds for some renewable energy innovations. However, this same policy stance<\/a> has spurred increased private sector and state-level investment in clean technologies, as companies and local governments seek to maintain momentum on climate initiatives independent of federal direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                          Healthcare & Biotech<\/strong>: Changes to FDA approval processes and healthcare regulations signal potential opportunities<\/a> for accelerated commercialization of biomedical innovations. Telehealth, personalized medicine, and novel therapeutic approaches may benefit from streamlined regulatory pathways, though questions remain about insurance coverage and patient access.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                          Manufacturing & Robotics<\/strong>: The push for domestic manufacturing<\/a> has catalyzed new investment in advanced manufacturing technologies, robotics, and automation. Companies developing solutions that enable cost-effective production in higher-wage environments report surging interest from industrial clients reconsidering their global footprint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                          <\/a>Strategic Recommendations for Leaders<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
                                                          \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

                                                          Innovation leaders navigating this dynamic environment should consider several strategic approaches:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                            \n
                                                          1. Establish robust policy monitoring capabilities<\/strong>: Maintain dedicated resources tracking legislative and regulatory developments affecting your sector, whether through internal government relations teams or partnerships with specialized consultancies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                          2. Develop scenario-based strategic planning<\/strong>: Create flexible frameworks that allow rapid pivoting based on policy shifts. Identify trigger points that would necessitate strategy adjustments and prepare contingency plans for various political outcomes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                          3. Diversify geographic footprint<\/strong>: Reduce vulnerability to policy changes in any single market by distributing critical operations, talent pools, and customer bases across multiple regions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                          4. Engage proactively with policymakers<\/strong>: Rather than merely reacting to policy shifts, seek opportunities to shape the regulatory environment through industry associations, direct engagement, and public-private partnerships focused on innovation advancement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                          5. Balance short-term adaptation with long-term vision<\/strong>: While responding tactically to immediate policy shifts, maintain focus on fundamental technological trends and market opportunities that transcend political cycles.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

                                                            <\/a>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                            The Trump presidency's impact on innovation reflects the complex interplay between politics, economics, and technological development. While certain policies may create immediate obstacles for established innovation approaches, history demonstrates that the innovation ecosystem has remarkable resilience and adaptability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                            Organizations that approach this changing landscape with strategic foresight, operational flexibility, and collaborative spirit will not merely survive the crosswinds but may discover unexpected tailwinds that accelerate their journey. The fundamental drivers of technological progress, human ingenuity, market opportunity, and competitive pressure, remain powerful forces regardless of the political environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                            <\/a>Take Action: Prepare Your Organization for the New Innovation Landscape<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                            The current political and economic climate has made one thing clear: innovation leaders can no longer afford to rely on old playbooks. Strategic agility, bold thinking, and a global mindset are no longer optional \u2014 they\u2019re essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                            That\u2019s why we created the C-suite Innovation Lab: AI, Digital Transformation, and Venture Building<\/strong><\/a> \u2014 a four-day executive immersion program in Silicon Valley designed to help senior leaders lead through political and market uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                            This program addresses the full complexity of innovating in uncertain times \u2014 from global talent shifts and policy risk to venture building, startup collaboration, and transforming legacy infrastructure. You\u2019ll engage directly with leaders from organizations like Google, Microsoft, Stanford, Salesforce, McKinsey<\/strong>, and more, while working alongside a small cohort of peers equally committed to navigating change strategically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                            Whether you're rethinking your international expansion plans, retooling your innovation pipeline, or modernizing the culture and systems inside your organization \u2014 this experience is designed to help you act with clarity and confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                            Only 25 seats are available<\/strong> for this cohort.
                                                            Early registration includes a $1,000 discount for those who move fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
                                                            \n\n\n\n

                                                            \n
                                                            Explore C-suite Innovation Lab<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
                                                            \n\n\n\n
                                                            \n

                                                            <\/a>Shifting Immigration Policies<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                            Perhaps the most immediate impact on innovation stems from changes to immigration policy. Tech companies have long relied on global talent pools, with significant portions of their workforce holding H-1B visas or other work permits. The new administration's more restrictive approach<\/a> threatens to disrupt these established talent pipelines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                            Major tech companies are already reporting difficulties in recruiting international specialists in crucial fields like artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and advanced semiconductor design. University research labs face similar challenges in attracting and retaining global talent. This constraint comes at a particularly inopportune moment, as competition for technical expertise in emerging technologies intensifies globally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                            Innovation leaders are responding with multi-pronged strategies: establishing or expanding R&D centers in countries with more welcoming immigration policies, implementing distributed team structures that allow talent to contribute remotely, and forming partnerships with overseas universities and incubators to maintain access to global innovation networks. Companies with foresight are also investing more heavily in domestic talent development through university partnerships and vocational training programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                            <\/a>Deregulation: A Boon or a Double-Edged Sword?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                            The administration's deregulatory agenda presents complexity for innovators. Reduced bureaucratic hurdles could accelerate time-to-market for new technologies and lower compliance costs, particularly benefiting resource-constrained startups. Industries previously hampered by extensive regulatory requirements, such as autonomous vehicles, drone technologies, and certain healthcare innovations, may find paths to commercialization suddenly cleared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                            However, this deregulatory push<\/a> raises concerns about consumer protection, data privacy, and environmental safeguards. Companies developing cutting-edge technologies must consider whether short-term regulatory relief might lead to longer-term market backlash if products launch without adequate safety protocols or privacy considerations. The European Union's continuing emphasis on strict regulatory frameworks also means that companies with global ambitions must still design for the most stringent requirements, potentially negating domestic deregulatory benefits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                            \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

                                                            Sectors positioned to benefit most from the deregulatory environment include fintech (particularly cryptocurrency and blockchain applications), biotech (with potential for accelerated approval pathways), and advanced manufacturing (with fewer environmental compliance requirements). However, these same sectors may face heightened public scrutiny and potential consumer trust issues if perceived as cutting corners on important protections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                            <\/a>Economic Nationalism and Trade Policies<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                            The revival of \"America First\" policies is reshaping global innovation networks in fundamental ways. As we predicted in our <\/a>Macro-Economic Trends Report 2025-2030<\/a>, tariffs, trade barriers, and incentives for domestic production are already forcing companies to reconsider their supply chains, manufacturing strategies, and international expansion plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                            For hardware innovators, the push toward reshoring production creates both opportunities and challenges. While domestic manufacturing incentives may reduce costs for U.S.-based production, the disruption to established supply chains in Asia requires significant adjustment. Companies with highly integrated global operations report particular difficulty in rapidly reconfiguring their production networks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                            Cross-border innovation partnerships face new hurdles as well. Collaborative R&D initiatives between U.S. and foreign entities encounter increased scrutiny, particularly when they involve technologies with potential national security applications. Venture capital flows across borders show signs of constriction, with international investors expressing heightened caution about U.S.-based startups due to uncertainty about their ability to access global markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                            Forward-thinking organizations are developing robust contingency plans, diversifying their supply chains across multiple regions, and structuring international partnerships to withstand potential regulatory challenges. Some are exploring alternative markets for initial product launches, considering countries with more predictable trade relationships as testing grounds before tackling the U.S. market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                            <\/a>Geopolitical Realignment and Tech Partnerships<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                            The administration's foreign policy approach is triggering significant realignment in global innovation networks. Traditional alliances with European and East Asian partners show signs of strain, while new relationships with specific nations aligned with the administration's priorities create unexpected collaboration opportunities.

                                                            <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                            These shifts<\/a> have particular significance for technologies requiring extensive international coordination, such as artificial intelligence governance, climate tech development, and global health innovations. Standards-setting bodies and international research consortia report increased difficulty in maintaining cohesive agendas as geopolitical tensions influence technical discussions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                            National security concerns have intensified scrutiny of technology transfers and intellectual property exchanges, particularly with China but increasingly with other nations as well. This heightened caution creates additional friction for cross-border innovation initiatives and international academic collaboration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                            Despite these challenges, some organizations identify new opportunities in emerging markets <\/a>previously overlooked by the innovation community. Regions seeking to establish themselves as alternative technology hubs, from Latin America to Southeast Asia to Eastern Europe, present intriguing possibilities for companies looking to diversify their global footprint beyond traditional innovation centers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                            <\/a>Sector-by-Sector Analysis<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                            The impact of these political shifts varies significantly across different technology sectors:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                            Big Tech & AI<\/strong>: Large technology companies face a complex landscape<\/a> of reduced domestic regulatory pressure coupled with heightened scrutiny of their international operations and talent acquisition strategies. The AI sector in particular confronts contradictory forces: potential acceleration of commercial deployment due to lighter regulatory touch, alongside talent constraints that could slow fundamental research progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                            Energy & Climate Tech<\/strong>: The administration's emphasis on traditional energy sources has created headwinds for some renewable energy innovations. However, this same policy stance<\/a> has spurred increased private sector and state-level investment in clean technologies, as companies and local governments seek to maintain momentum on climate initiatives independent of federal direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                            Healthcare & Biotech<\/strong>: Changes to FDA approval processes and healthcare regulations signal potential opportunities<\/a> for accelerated commercialization of biomedical innovations. Telehealth, personalized medicine, and novel therapeutic approaches may benefit from streamlined regulatory pathways, though questions remain about insurance coverage and patient access.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                            Manufacturing & Robotics<\/strong>: The push for domestic manufacturing<\/a> has catalyzed new investment in advanced manufacturing technologies, robotics, and automation. Companies developing solutions that enable cost-effective production in higher-wage environments report surging interest from industrial clients reconsidering their global footprint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                            <\/a>Strategic Recommendations for Leaders<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
                                                            \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

                                                            Innovation leaders navigating this dynamic environment should consider several strategic approaches:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                              \n
                                                            1. Establish robust policy monitoring capabilities<\/strong>: Maintain dedicated resources tracking legislative and regulatory developments affecting your sector, whether through internal government relations teams or partnerships with specialized consultancies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                            2. Develop scenario-based strategic planning<\/strong>: Create flexible frameworks that allow rapid pivoting based on policy shifts. Identify trigger points that would necessitate strategy adjustments and prepare contingency plans for various political outcomes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                            3. Diversify geographic footprint<\/strong>: Reduce vulnerability to policy changes in any single market by distributing critical operations, talent pools, and customer bases across multiple regions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                            4. Engage proactively with policymakers<\/strong>: Rather than merely reacting to policy shifts, seek opportunities to shape the regulatory environment through industry associations, direct engagement, and public-private partnerships focused on innovation advancement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                            5. Balance short-term adaptation with long-term vision<\/strong>: While responding tactically to immediate policy shifts, maintain focus on fundamental technological trends and market opportunities that transcend political cycles.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

                                                              <\/a>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                              The Trump presidency's impact on innovation reflects the complex interplay between politics, economics, and technological development. While certain policies may create immediate obstacles for established innovation approaches, history demonstrates that the innovation ecosystem has remarkable resilience and adaptability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                              Organizations that approach this changing landscape with strategic foresight, operational flexibility, and collaborative spirit will not merely survive the crosswinds but may discover unexpected tailwinds that accelerate their journey. The fundamental drivers of technological progress, human ingenuity, market opportunity, and competitive pressure, remain powerful forces regardless of the political environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                              <\/a>Take Action: Prepare Your Organization for the New Innovation Landscape<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                              The current political and economic climate has made one thing clear: innovation leaders can no longer afford to rely on old playbooks. Strategic agility, bold thinking, and a global mindset are no longer optional \u2014 they\u2019re essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                              That\u2019s why we created the C-suite Innovation Lab: AI, Digital Transformation, and Venture Building<\/strong><\/a> \u2014 a four-day executive immersion program in Silicon Valley designed to help senior leaders lead through political and market uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                              This program addresses the full complexity of innovating in uncertain times \u2014 from global talent shifts and policy risk to venture building, startup collaboration, and transforming legacy infrastructure. You\u2019ll engage directly with leaders from organizations like Google, Microsoft, Stanford, Salesforce, McKinsey<\/strong>, and more, while working alongside a small cohort of peers equally committed to navigating change strategically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                              Whether you're rethinking your international expansion plans, retooling your innovation pipeline, or modernizing the culture and systems inside your organization \u2014 this experience is designed to help you act with clarity and confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                              Only 25 seats are available<\/strong> for this cohort.
                                                              Early registration includes a $1,000 discount for those who move fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
                                                              \n\n\n\n

                                                              \n
                                                              Explore C-suite Innovation Lab<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
                                                              \n\n\n\n
                                                              \n

                                                              The tech community's response has been mixed. Some leaders express optimism about reduced regulatory burdens and potential tax incentives, while others voice concern about talent acquisition challenges and international collaboration barriers. Startup founders, particularly those from immigrant backgrounds, report heightened uncertainty about their ability to scale in the U.S. market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                              <\/a>Shifting Immigration Policies<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                              Perhaps the most immediate impact on innovation stems from changes to immigration policy. Tech companies have long relied on global talent pools, with significant portions of their workforce holding H-1B visas or other work permits. The new administration's more restrictive approach<\/a> threatens to disrupt these established talent pipelines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                              Major tech companies are already reporting difficulties in recruiting international specialists in crucial fields like artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and advanced semiconductor design. University research labs face similar challenges in attracting and retaining global talent. This constraint comes at a particularly inopportune moment, as competition for technical expertise in emerging technologies intensifies globally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                              Innovation leaders are responding with multi-pronged strategies: establishing or expanding R&D centers in countries with more welcoming immigration policies, implementing distributed team structures that allow talent to contribute remotely, and forming partnerships with overseas universities and incubators to maintain access to global innovation networks. Companies with foresight are also investing more heavily in domestic talent development through university partnerships and vocational training programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                              <\/a>Deregulation: A Boon or a Double-Edged Sword?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                              The administration's deregulatory agenda presents complexity for innovators. Reduced bureaucratic hurdles could accelerate time-to-market for new technologies and lower compliance costs, particularly benefiting resource-constrained startups. Industries previously hampered by extensive regulatory requirements, such as autonomous vehicles, drone technologies, and certain healthcare innovations, may find paths to commercialization suddenly cleared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                              However, this deregulatory push<\/a> raises concerns about consumer protection, data privacy, and environmental safeguards. Companies developing cutting-edge technologies must consider whether short-term regulatory relief might lead to longer-term market backlash if products launch without adequate safety protocols or privacy considerations. The European Union's continuing emphasis on strict regulatory frameworks also means that companies with global ambitions must still design for the most stringent requirements, potentially negating domestic deregulatory benefits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                              \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

                                                              Sectors positioned to benefit most from the deregulatory environment include fintech (particularly cryptocurrency and blockchain applications), biotech (with potential for accelerated approval pathways), and advanced manufacturing (with fewer environmental compliance requirements). However, these same sectors may face heightened public scrutiny and potential consumer trust issues if perceived as cutting corners on important protections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                              <\/a>Economic Nationalism and Trade Policies<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                              The revival of \"America First\" policies is reshaping global innovation networks in fundamental ways. As we predicted in our <\/a>Macro-Economic Trends Report 2025-2030<\/a>, tariffs, trade barriers, and incentives for domestic production are already forcing companies to reconsider their supply chains, manufacturing strategies, and international expansion plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                              For hardware innovators, the push toward reshoring production creates both opportunities and challenges. While domestic manufacturing incentives may reduce costs for U.S.-based production, the disruption to established supply chains in Asia requires significant adjustment. Companies with highly integrated global operations report particular difficulty in rapidly reconfiguring their production networks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                              Cross-border innovation partnerships face new hurdles as well. Collaborative R&D initiatives between U.S. and foreign entities encounter increased scrutiny, particularly when they involve technologies with potential national security applications. Venture capital flows across borders show signs of constriction, with international investors expressing heightened caution about U.S.-based startups due to uncertainty about their ability to access global markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                              Forward-thinking organizations are developing robust contingency plans, diversifying their supply chains across multiple regions, and structuring international partnerships to withstand potential regulatory challenges. Some are exploring alternative markets for initial product launches, considering countries with more predictable trade relationships as testing grounds before tackling the U.S. market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                              <\/a>Geopolitical Realignment and Tech Partnerships<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                              The administration's foreign policy approach is triggering significant realignment in global innovation networks. Traditional alliances with European and East Asian partners show signs of strain, while new relationships with specific nations aligned with the administration's priorities create unexpected collaboration opportunities.

                                                              <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                              These shifts<\/a> have particular significance for technologies requiring extensive international coordination, such as artificial intelligence governance, climate tech development, and global health innovations. Standards-setting bodies and international research consortia report increased difficulty in maintaining cohesive agendas as geopolitical tensions influence technical discussions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                              National security concerns have intensified scrutiny of technology transfers and intellectual property exchanges, particularly with China but increasingly with other nations as well. This heightened caution creates additional friction for cross-border innovation initiatives and international academic collaboration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                              Despite these challenges, some organizations identify new opportunities in emerging markets <\/a>previously overlooked by the innovation community. Regions seeking to establish themselves as alternative technology hubs, from Latin America to Southeast Asia to Eastern Europe, present intriguing possibilities for companies looking to diversify their global footprint beyond traditional innovation centers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                              <\/a>Sector-by-Sector Analysis<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                              The impact of these political shifts varies significantly across different technology sectors:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                              Big Tech & AI<\/strong>: Large technology companies face a complex landscape<\/a> of reduced domestic regulatory pressure coupled with heightened scrutiny of their international operations and talent acquisition strategies. The AI sector in particular confronts contradictory forces: potential acceleration of commercial deployment due to lighter regulatory touch, alongside talent constraints that could slow fundamental research progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                              Energy & Climate Tech<\/strong>: The administration's emphasis on traditional energy sources has created headwinds for some renewable energy innovations. However, this same policy stance<\/a> has spurred increased private sector and state-level investment in clean technologies, as companies and local governments seek to maintain momentum on climate initiatives independent of federal direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                              Healthcare & Biotech<\/strong>: Changes to FDA approval processes and healthcare regulations signal potential opportunities<\/a> for accelerated commercialization of biomedical innovations. Telehealth, personalized medicine, and novel therapeutic approaches may benefit from streamlined regulatory pathways, though questions remain about insurance coverage and patient access.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                              Manufacturing & Robotics<\/strong>: The push for domestic manufacturing<\/a> has catalyzed new investment in advanced manufacturing technologies, robotics, and automation. Companies developing solutions that enable cost-effective production in higher-wage environments report surging interest from industrial clients reconsidering their global footprint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                              <\/a>Strategic Recommendations for Leaders<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
                                                              \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

                                                              Innovation leaders navigating this dynamic environment should consider several strategic approaches:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                \n
                                                              1. Establish robust policy monitoring capabilities<\/strong>: Maintain dedicated resources tracking legislative and regulatory developments affecting your sector, whether through internal government relations teams or partnerships with specialized consultancies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                              2. Develop scenario-based strategic planning<\/strong>: Create flexible frameworks that allow rapid pivoting based on policy shifts. Identify trigger points that would necessitate strategy adjustments and prepare contingency plans for various political outcomes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                              3. Diversify geographic footprint<\/strong>: Reduce vulnerability to policy changes in any single market by distributing critical operations, talent pools, and customer bases across multiple regions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                              4. Engage proactively with policymakers<\/strong>: Rather than merely reacting to policy shifts, seek opportunities to shape the regulatory environment through industry associations, direct engagement, and public-private partnerships focused on innovation advancement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                              5. Balance short-term adaptation with long-term vision<\/strong>: While responding tactically to immediate policy shifts, maintain focus on fundamental technological trends and market opportunities that transcend political cycles.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

                                                                <\/a>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                The Trump presidency's impact on innovation reflects the complex interplay between politics, economics, and technological development. While certain policies may create immediate obstacles for established innovation approaches, history demonstrates that the innovation ecosystem has remarkable resilience and adaptability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                Organizations that approach this changing landscape with strategic foresight, operational flexibility, and collaborative spirit will not merely survive the crosswinds but may discover unexpected tailwinds that accelerate their journey. The fundamental drivers of technological progress, human ingenuity, market opportunity, and competitive pressure, remain powerful forces regardless of the political environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                <\/a>Take Action: Prepare Your Organization for the New Innovation Landscape<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                The current political and economic climate has made one thing clear: innovation leaders can no longer afford to rely on old playbooks. Strategic agility, bold thinking, and a global mindset are no longer optional \u2014 they\u2019re essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                That\u2019s why we created the C-suite Innovation Lab: AI, Digital Transformation, and Venture Building<\/strong><\/a> \u2014 a four-day executive immersion program in Silicon Valley designed to help senior leaders lead through political and market uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                This program addresses the full complexity of innovating in uncertain times \u2014 from global talent shifts and policy risk to venture building, startup collaboration, and transforming legacy infrastructure. You\u2019ll engage directly with leaders from organizations like Google, Microsoft, Stanford, Salesforce, McKinsey<\/strong>, and more, while working alongside a small cohort of peers equally committed to navigating change strategically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                Whether you're rethinking your international expansion plans, retooling your innovation pipeline, or modernizing the culture and systems inside your organization \u2014 this experience is designed to help you act with clarity and confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                Only 25 seats are available<\/strong> for this cohort.
                                                                Early registration includes a $1,000 discount for those who move fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
                                                                \n\n\n\n

                                                                \n
                                                                Explore C-suite Innovation Lab<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
                                                                \n\n\n\n
                                                                \n

                                                                Early indicators<\/a> from the new administration include renewed executive actions targeting immigration restrictions, promises of sweeping deregulation across multiple industries, and statements reaffirming an \"America First\" approach to trade and manufacturing. Cabinet appointments with backgrounds in traditional industries rather than tech have raised questions about how Silicon Valley's priorities will fare in the new political environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                The tech community's response has been mixed. Some leaders express optimism about reduced regulatory burdens and potential tax incentives, while others voice concern about talent acquisition challenges and international collaboration barriers. Startup founders, particularly those from immigrant backgrounds, report heightened uncertainty about their ability to scale in the U.S. market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                <\/a>Shifting Immigration Policies<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                Perhaps the most immediate impact on innovation stems from changes to immigration policy. Tech companies have long relied on global talent pools, with significant portions of their workforce holding H-1B visas or other work permits. The new administration's more restrictive approach<\/a> threatens to disrupt these established talent pipelines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                Major tech companies are already reporting difficulties in recruiting international specialists in crucial fields like artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and advanced semiconductor design. University research labs face similar challenges in attracting and retaining global talent. This constraint comes at a particularly inopportune moment, as competition for technical expertise in emerging technologies intensifies globally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                Innovation leaders are responding with multi-pronged strategies: establishing or expanding R&D centers in countries with more welcoming immigration policies, implementing distributed team structures that allow talent to contribute remotely, and forming partnerships with overseas universities and incubators to maintain access to global innovation networks. Companies with foresight are also investing more heavily in domestic talent development through university partnerships and vocational training programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                <\/a>Deregulation: A Boon or a Double-Edged Sword?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                The administration's deregulatory agenda presents complexity for innovators. Reduced bureaucratic hurdles could accelerate time-to-market for new technologies and lower compliance costs, particularly benefiting resource-constrained startups. Industries previously hampered by extensive regulatory requirements, such as autonomous vehicles, drone technologies, and certain healthcare innovations, may find paths to commercialization suddenly cleared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                However, this deregulatory push<\/a> raises concerns about consumer protection, data privacy, and environmental safeguards. Companies developing cutting-edge technologies must consider whether short-term regulatory relief might lead to longer-term market backlash if products launch without adequate safety protocols or privacy considerations. The European Union's continuing emphasis on strict regulatory frameworks also means that companies with global ambitions must still design for the most stringent requirements, potentially negating domestic deregulatory benefits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

                                                                Sectors positioned to benefit most from the deregulatory environment include fintech (particularly cryptocurrency and blockchain applications), biotech (with potential for accelerated approval pathways), and advanced manufacturing (with fewer environmental compliance requirements). However, these same sectors may face heightened public scrutiny and potential consumer trust issues if perceived as cutting corners on important protections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                <\/a>Economic Nationalism and Trade Policies<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                The revival of \"America First\" policies is reshaping global innovation networks in fundamental ways. As we predicted in our <\/a>Macro-Economic Trends Report 2025-2030<\/a>, tariffs, trade barriers, and incentives for domestic production are already forcing companies to reconsider their supply chains, manufacturing strategies, and international expansion plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                For hardware innovators, the push toward reshoring production creates both opportunities and challenges. While domestic manufacturing incentives may reduce costs for U.S.-based production, the disruption to established supply chains in Asia requires significant adjustment. Companies with highly integrated global operations report particular difficulty in rapidly reconfiguring their production networks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                Cross-border innovation partnerships face new hurdles as well. Collaborative R&D initiatives between U.S. and foreign entities encounter increased scrutiny, particularly when they involve technologies with potential national security applications. Venture capital flows across borders show signs of constriction, with international investors expressing heightened caution about U.S.-based startups due to uncertainty about their ability to access global markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                Forward-thinking organizations are developing robust contingency plans, diversifying their supply chains across multiple regions, and structuring international partnerships to withstand potential regulatory challenges. Some are exploring alternative markets for initial product launches, considering countries with more predictable trade relationships as testing grounds before tackling the U.S. market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                <\/a>Geopolitical Realignment and Tech Partnerships<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                The administration's foreign policy approach is triggering significant realignment in global innovation networks. Traditional alliances with European and East Asian partners show signs of strain, while new relationships with specific nations aligned with the administration's priorities create unexpected collaboration opportunities.

                                                                <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                These shifts<\/a> have particular significance for technologies requiring extensive international coordination, such as artificial intelligence governance, climate tech development, and global health innovations. Standards-setting bodies and international research consortia report increased difficulty in maintaining cohesive agendas as geopolitical tensions influence technical discussions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                National security concerns have intensified scrutiny of technology transfers and intellectual property exchanges, particularly with China but increasingly with other nations as well. This heightened caution creates additional friction for cross-border innovation initiatives and international academic collaboration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                Despite these challenges, some organizations identify new opportunities in emerging markets <\/a>previously overlooked by the innovation community. Regions seeking to establish themselves as alternative technology hubs, from Latin America to Southeast Asia to Eastern Europe, present intriguing possibilities for companies looking to diversify their global footprint beyond traditional innovation centers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                <\/a>Sector-by-Sector Analysis<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                The impact of these political shifts varies significantly across different technology sectors:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                Big Tech & AI<\/strong>: Large technology companies face a complex landscape<\/a> of reduced domestic regulatory pressure coupled with heightened scrutiny of their international operations and talent acquisition strategies. The AI sector in particular confronts contradictory forces: potential acceleration of commercial deployment due to lighter regulatory touch, alongside talent constraints that could slow fundamental research progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                Energy & Climate Tech<\/strong>: The administration's emphasis on traditional energy sources has created headwinds for some renewable energy innovations. However, this same policy stance<\/a> has spurred increased private sector and state-level investment in clean technologies, as companies and local governments seek to maintain momentum on climate initiatives independent of federal direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                Healthcare & Biotech<\/strong>: Changes to FDA approval processes and healthcare regulations signal potential opportunities<\/a> for accelerated commercialization of biomedical innovations. Telehealth, personalized medicine, and novel therapeutic approaches may benefit from streamlined regulatory pathways, though questions remain about insurance coverage and patient access.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                Manufacturing & Robotics<\/strong>: The push for domestic manufacturing<\/a> has catalyzed new investment in advanced manufacturing technologies, robotics, and automation. Companies developing solutions that enable cost-effective production in higher-wage environments report surging interest from industrial clients reconsidering their global footprint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                <\/a>Strategic Recommendations for Leaders<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
                                                                \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

                                                                Innovation leaders navigating this dynamic environment should consider several strategic approaches:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                  \n
                                                                1. Establish robust policy monitoring capabilities<\/strong>: Maintain dedicated resources tracking legislative and regulatory developments affecting your sector, whether through internal government relations teams or partnerships with specialized consultancies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                                2. Develop scenario-based strategic planning<\/strong>: Create flexible frameworks that allow rapid pivoting based on policy shifts. Identify trigger points that would necessitate strategy adjustments and prepare contingency plans for various political outcomes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                                3. Diversify geographic footprint<\/strong>: Reduce vulnerability to policy changes in any single market by distributing critical operations, talent pools, and customer bases across multiple regions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                                4. Engage proactively with policymakers<\/strong>: Rather than merely reacting to policy shifts, seek opportunities to shape the regulatory environment through industry associations, direct engagement, and public-private partnerships focused on innovation advancement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                                5. Balance short-term adaptation with long-term vision<\/strong>: While responding tactically to immediate policy shifts, maintain focus on fundamental technological trends and market opportunities that transcend political cycles.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

                                                                  <\/a>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                  The Trump presidency's impact on innovation reflects the complex interplay between politics, economics, and technological development. While certain policies may create immediate obstacles for established innovation approaches, history demonstrates that the innovation ecosystem has remarkable resilience and adaptability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                  Organizations that approach this changing landscape with strategic foresight, operational flexibility, and collaborative spirit will not merely survive the crosswinds but may discover unexpected tailwinds that accelerate their journey. The fundamental drivers of technological progress, human ingenuity, market opportunity, and competitive pressure, remain powerful forces regardless of the political environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                  <\/a>Take Action: Prepare Your Organization for the New Innovation Landscape<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                  The current political and economic climate has made one thing clear: innovation leaders can no longer afford to rely on old playbooks. Strategic agility, bold thinking, and a global mindset are no longer optional \u2014 they\u2019re essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                  That\u2019s why we created the C-suite Innovation Lab: AI, Digital Transformation, and Venture Building<\/strong><\/a> \u2014 a four-day executive immersion program in Silicon Valley designed to help senior leaders lead through political and market uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                  This program addresses the full complexity of innovating in uncertain times \u2014 from global talent shifts and policy risk to venture building, startup collaboration, and transforming legacy infrastructure. You\u2019ll engage directly with leaders from organizations like Google, Microsoft, Stanford, Salesforce, McKinsey<\/strong>, and more, while working alongside a small cohort of peers equally committed to navigating change strategically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                  Whether you're rethinking your international expansion plans, retooling your innovation pipeline, or modernizing the culture and systems inside your organization \u2014 this experience is designed to help you act with clarity and confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                  Only 25 seats are available<\/strong> for this cohort.
                                                                  Early registration includes a $1,000 discount for those who move fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
                                                                  \n\n\n\n

                                                                  \n
                                                                  Explore C-suite Innovation Lab<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
                                                                  \n\n\n\n
                                                                  \n

                                                                  Trump's previous administration (2017-2021) introduced several policies that significantly impacted innovation: corporate tax cuts that freed up capital for R&D, trade conflicts with China that disrupted global supply chains, and increased scrutiny of H-1B visas that affected talent acquisition in tech hubs. These precedents provide important context for understanding the potential trajectory of his current term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                  Early indicators<\/a> from the new administration include renewed executive actions targeting immigration restrictions, promises of sweeping deregulation across multiple industries, and statements reaffirming an \"America First\" approach to trade and manufacturing. Cabinet appointments with backgrounds in traditional industries rather than tech have raised questions about how Silicon Valley's priorities will fare in the new political environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                  The tech community's response has been mixed. Some leaders express optimism about reduced regulatory burdens and potential tax incentives, while others voice concern about talent acquisition challenges and international collaboration barriers. Startup founders, particularly those from immigrant backgrounds, report heightened uncertainty about their ability to scale in the U.S. market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                  <\/a>Shifting Immigration Policies<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                  Perhaps the most immediate impact on innovation stems from changes to immigration policy. Tech companies have long relied on global talent pools, with significant portions of their workforce holding H-1B visas or other work permits. The new administration's more restrictive approach<\/a> threatens to disrupt these established talent pipelines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                  Major tech companies are already reporting difficulties in recruiting international specialists in crucial fields like artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and advanced semiconductor design. University research labs face similar challenges in attracting and retaining global talent. This constraint comes at a particularly inopportune moment, as competition for technical expertise in emerging technologies intensifies globally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                  Innovation leaders are responding with multi-pronged strategies: establishing or expanding R&D centers in countries with more welcoming immigration policies, implementing distributed team structures that allow talent to contribute remotely, and forming partnerships with overseas universities and incubators to maintain access to global innovation networks. Companies with foresight are also investing more heavily in domestic talent development through university partnerships and vocational training programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                  <\/a>Deregulation: A Boon or a Double-Edged Sword?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                  The administration's deregulatory agenda presents complexity for innovators. Reduced bureaucratic hurdles could accelerate time-to-market for new technologies and lower compliance costs, particularly benefiting resource-constrained startups. Industries previously hampered by extensive regulatory requirements, such as autonomous vehicles, drone technologies, and certain healthcare innovations, may find paths to commercialization suddenly cleared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                  However, this deregulatory push<\/a> raises concerns about consumer protection, data privacy, and environmental safeguards. Companies developing cutting-edge technologies must consider whether short-term regulatory relief might lead to longer-term market backlash if products launch without adequate safety protocols or privacy considerations. The European Union's continuing emphasis on strict regulatory frameworks also means that companies with global ambitions must still design for the most stringent requirements, potentially negating domestic deregulatory benefits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                  \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

                                                                  Sectors positioned to benefit most from the deregulatory environment include fintech (particularly cryptocurrency and blockchain applications), biotech (with potential for accelerated approval pathways), and advanced manufacturing (with fewer environmental compliance requirements). However, these same sectors may face heightened public scrutiny and potential consumer trust issues if perceived as cutting corners on important protections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                  <\/a>Economic Nationalism and Trade Policies<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                  The revival of \"America First\" policies is reshaping global innovation networks in fundamental ways. As we predicted in our <\/a>Macro-Economic Trends Report 2025-2030<\/a>, tariffs, trade barriers, and incentives for domestic production are already forcing companies to reconsider their supply chains, manufacturing strategies, and international expansion plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                  For hardware innovators, the push toward reshoring production creates both opportunities and challenges. While domestic manufacturing incentives may reduce costs for U.S.-based production, the disruption to established supply chains in Asia requires significant adjustment. Companies with highly integrated global operations report particular difficulty in rapidly reconfiguring their production networks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                  Cross-border innovation partnerships face new hurdles as well. Collaborative R&D initiatives between U.S. and foreign entities encounter increased scrutiny, particularly when they involve technologies with potential national security applications. Venture capital flows across borders show signs of constriction, with international investors expressing heightened caution about U.S.-based startups due to uncertainty about their ability to access global markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                  Forward-thinking organizations are developing robust contingency plans, diversifying their supply chains across multiple regions, and structuring international partnerships to withstand potential regulatory challenges. Some are exploring alternative markets for initial product launches, considering countries with more predictable trade relationships as testing grounds before tackling the U.S. market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                  <\/a>Geopolitical Realignment and Tech Partnerships<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                  The administration's foreign policy approach is triggering significant realignment in global innovation networks. Traditional alliances with European and East Asian partners show signs of strain, while new relationships with specific nations aligned with the administration's priorities create unexpected collaboration opportunities.

                                                                  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                  These shifts<\/a> have particular significance for technologies requiring extensive international coordination, such as artificial intelligence governance, climate tech development, and global health innovations. Standards-setting bodies and international research consortia report increased difficulty in maintaining cohesive agendas as geopolitical tensions influence technical discussions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                  National security concerns have intensified scrutiny of technology transfers and intellectual property exchanges, particularly with China but increasingly with other nations as well. This heightened caution creates additional friction for cross-border innovation initiatives and international academic collaboration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                  Despite these challenges, some organizations identify new opportunities in emerging markets <\/a>previously overlooked by the innovation community. Regions seeking to establish themselves as alternative technology hubs, from Latin America to Southeast Asia to Eastern Europe, present intriguing possibilities for companies looking to diversify their global footprint beyond traditional innovation centers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                  <\/a>Sector-by-Sector Analysis<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                  The impact of these political shifts varies significantly across different technology sectors:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                  Big Tech & AI<\/strong>: Large technology companies face a complex landscape<\/a> of reduced domestic regulatory pressure coupled with heightened scrutiny of their international operations and talent acquisition strategies. The AI sector in particular confronts contradictory forces: potential acceleration of commercial deployment due to lighter regulatory touch, alongside talent constraints that could slow fundamental research progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                  Energy & Climate Tech<\/strong>: The administration's emphasis on traditional energy sources has created headwinds for some renewable energy innovations. However, this same policy stance<\/a> has spurred increased private sector and state-level investment in clean technologies, as companies and local governments seek to maintain momentum on climate initiatives independent of federal direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                  Healthcare & Biotech<\/strong>: Changes to FDA approval processes and healthcare regulations signal potential opportunities<\/a> for accelerated commercialization of biomedical innovations. Telehealth, personalized medicine, and novel therapeutic approaches may benefit from streamlined regulatory pathways, though questions remain about insurance coverage and patient access.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                  Manufacturing & Robotics<\/strong>: The push for domestic manufacturing<\/a> has catalyzed new investment in advanced manufacturing technologies, robotics, and automation. Companies developing solutions that enable cost-effective production in higher-wage environments report surging interest from industrial clients reconsidering their global footprint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                  <\/a>Strategic Recommendations for Leaders<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
                                                                  \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

                                                                  Innovation leaders navigating this dynamic environment should consider several strategic approaches:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                    \n
                                                                  1. Establish robust policy monitoring capabilities<\/strong>: Maintain dedicated resources tracking legislative and regulatory developments affecting your sector, whether through internal government relations teams or partnerships with specialized consultancies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                                  2. Develop scenario-based strategic planning<\/strong>: Create flexible frameworks that allow rapid pivoting based on policy shifts. Identify trigger points that would necessitate strategy adjustments and prepare contingency plans for various political outcomes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                                  3. Diversify geographic footprint<\/strong>: Reduce vulnerability to policy changes in any single market by distributing critical operations, talent pools, and customer bases across multiple regions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                                  4. Engage proactively with policymakers<\/strong>: Rather than merely reacting to policy shifts, seek opportunities to shape the regulatory environment through industry associations, direct engagement, and public-private partnerships focused on innovation advancement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                                  5. Balance short-term adaptation with long-term vision<\/strong>: While responding tactically to immediate policy shifts, maintain focus on fundamental technological trends and market opportunities that transcend political cycles.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

                                                                    <\/a>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                    The Trump presidency's impact on innovation reflects the complex interplay between politics, economics, and technological development. While certain policies may create immediate obstacles for established innovation approaches, history demonstrates that the innovation ecosystem has remarkable resilience and adaptability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                    Organizations that approach this changing landscape with strategic foresight, operational flexibility, and collaborative spirit will not merely survive the crosswinds but may discover unexpected tailwinds that accelerate their journey. The fundamental drivers of technological progress, human ingenuity, market opportunity, and competitive pressure, remain powerful forces regardless of the political environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                    <\/a>Take Action: Prepare Your Organization for the New Innovation Landscape<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                    The current political and economic climate has made one thing clear: innovation leaders can no longer afford to rely on old playbooks. Strategic agility, bold thinking, and a global mindset are no longer optional \u2014 they\u2019re essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                    That\u2019s why we created the C-suite Innovation Lab: AI, Digital Transformation, and Venture Building<\/strong><\/a> \u2014 a four-day executive immersion program in Silicon Valley designed to help senior leaders lead through political and market uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                    This program addresses the full complexity of innovating in uncertain times \u2014 from global talent shifts and policy risk to venture building, startup collaboration, and transforming legacy infrastructure. You\u2019ll engage directly with leaders from organizations like Google, Microsoft, Stanford, Salesforce, McKinsey<\/strong>, and more, while working alongside a small cohort of peers equally committed to navigating change strategically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                    Whether you're rethinking your international expansion plans, retooling your innovation pipeline, or modernizing the culture and systems inside your organization \u2014 this experience is designed to help you act with clarity and confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                    Only 25 seats are available<\/strong> for this cohort.
                                                                    Early registration includes a $1,000 discount for those who move fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
                                                                    \n\n\n\n

                                                                    \n
                                                                    Explore C-suite Innovation Lab<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
                                                                    \n\n\n\n
                                                                    \n

                                                                    <\/a>The Political Backdrop<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                    Trump's previous administration (2017-2021) introduced several policies that significantly impacted innovation: corporate tax cuts that freed up capital for R&D, trade conflicts with China that disrupted global supply chains, and increased scrutiny of H-1B visas that affected talent acquisition in tech hubs. These precedents provide important context for understanding the potential trajectory of his current term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                    Early indicators<\/a> from the new administration include renewed executive actions targeting immigration restrictions, promises of sweeping deregulation across multiple industries, and statements reaffirming an \"America First\" approach to trade and manufacturing. Cabinet appointments with backgrounds in traditional industries rather than tech have raised questions about how Silicon Valley's priorities will fare in the new political environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                    The tech community's response has been mixed. Some leaders express optimism about reduced regulatory burdens and potential tax incentives, while others voice concern about talent acquisition challenges and international collaboration barriers. Startup founders, particularly those from immigrant backgrounds, report heightened uncertainty about their ability to scale in the U.S. market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                    <\/a>Shifting Immigration Policies<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                    Perhaps the most immediate impact on innovation stems from changes to immigration policy. Tech companies have long relied on global talent pools, with significant portions of their workforce holding H-1B visas or other work permits. The new administration's more restrictive approach<\/a> threatens to disrupt these established talent pipelines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                    Major tech companies are already reporting difficulties in recruiting international specialists in crucial fields like artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and advanced semiconductor design. University research labs face similar challenges in attracting and retaining global talent. This constraint comes at a particularly inopportune moment, as competition for technical expertise in emerging technologies intensifies globally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                    Innovation leaders are responding with multi-pronged strategies: establishing or expanding R&D centers in countries with more welcoming immigration policies, implementing distributed team structures that allow talent to contribute remotely, and forming partnerships with overseas universities and incubators to maintain access to global innovation networks. Companies with foresight are also investing more heavily in domestic talent development through university partnerships and vocational training programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                    <\/a>Deregulation: A Boon or a Double-Edged Sword?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                    The administration's deregulatory agenda presents complexity for innovators. Reduced bureaucratic hurdles could accelerate time-to-market for new technologies and lower compliance costs, particularly benefiting resource-constrained startups. Industries previously hampered by extensive regulatory requirements, such as autonomous vehicles, drone technologies, and certain healthcare innovations, may find paths to commercialization suddenly cleared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                    However, this deregulatory push<\/a> raises concerns about consumer protection, data privacy, and environmental safeguards. Companies developing cutting-edge technologies must consider whether short-term regulatory relief might lead to longer-term market backlash if products launch without adequate safety protocols or privacy considerations. The European Union's continuing emphasis on strict regulatory frameworks also means that companies with global ambitions must still design for the most stringent requirements, potentially negating domestic deregulatory benefits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                    \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

                                                                    Sectors positioned to benefit most from the deregulatory environment include fintech (particularly cryptocurrency and blockchain applications), biotech (with potential for accelerated approval pathways), and advanced manufacturing (with fewer environmental compliance requirements). However, these same sectors may face heightened public scrutiny and potential consumer trust issues if perceived as cutting corners on important protections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                    <\/a>Economic Nationalism and Trade Policies<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                    The revival of \"America First\" policies is reshaping global innovation networks in fundamental ways. As we predicted in our <\/a>Macro-Economic Trends Report 2025-2030<\/a>, tariffs, trade barriers, and incentives for domestic production are already forcing companies to reconsider their supply chains, manufacturing strategies, and international expansion plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                    For hardware innovators, the push toward reshoring production creates both opportunities and challenges. While domestic manufacturing incentives may reduce costs for U.S.-based production, the disruption to established supply chains in Asia requires significant adjustment. Companies with highly integrated global operations report particular difficulty in rapidly reconfiguring their production networks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                    Cross-border innovation partnerships face new hurdles as well. Collaborative R&D initiatives between U.S. and foreign entities encounter increased scrutiny, particularly when they involve technologies with potential national security applications. Venture capital flows across borders show signs of constriction, with international investors expressing heightened caution about U.S.-based startups due to uncertainty about their ability to access global markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                    Forward-thinking organizations are developing robust contingency plans, diversifying their supply chains across multiple regions, and structuring international partnerships to withstand potential regulatory challenges. Some are exploring alternative markets for initial product launches, considering countries with more predictable trade relationships as testing grounds before tackling the U.S. market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                    <\/a>Geopolitical Realignment and Tech Partnerships<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                    The administration's foreign policy approach is triggering significant realignment in global innovation networks. Traditional alliances with European and East Asian partners show signs of strain, while new relationships with specific nations aligned with the administration's priorities create unexpected collaboration opportunities.

                                                                    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                    These shifts<\/a> have particular significance for technologies requiring extensive international coordination, such as artificial intelligence governance, climate tech development, and global health innovations. Standards-setting bodies and international research consortia report increased difficulty in maintaining cohesive agendas as geopolitical tensions influence technical discussions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                    National security concerns have intensified scrutiny of technology transfers and intellectual property exchanges, particularly with China but increasingly with other nations as well. This heightened caution creates additional friction for cross-border innovation initiatives and international academic collaboration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                    Despite these challenges, some organizations identify new opportunities in emerging markets <\/a>previously overlooked by the innovation community. Regions seeking to establish themselves as alternative technology hubs, from Latin America to Southeast Asia to Eastern Europe, present intriguing possibilities for companies looking to diversify their global footprint beyond traditional innovation centers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                    <\/a>Sector-by-Sector Analysis<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                    The impact of these political shifts varies significantly across different technology sectors:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                    Big Tech & AI<\/strong>: Large technology companies face a complex landscape<\/a> of reduced domestic regulatory pressure coupled with heightened scrutiny of their international operations and talent acquisition strategies. The AI sector in particular confronts contradictory forces: potential acceleration of commercial deployment due to lighter regulatory touch, alongside talent constraints that could slow fundamental research progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                    Energy & Climate Tech<\/strong>: The administration's emphasis on traditional energy sources has created headwinds for some renewable energy innovations. However, this same policy stance<\/a> has spurred increased private sector and state-level investment in clean technologies, as companies and local governments seek to maintain momentum on climate initiatives independent of federal direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                    Healthcare & Biotech<\/strong>: Changes to FDA approval processes and healthcare regulations signal potential opportunities<\/a> for accelerated commercialization of biomedical innovations. Telehealth, personalized medicine, and novel therapeutic approaches may benefit from streamlined regulatory pathways, though questions remain about insurance coverage and patient access.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                    Manufacturing & Robotics<\/strong>: The push for domestic manufacturing<\/a> has catalyzed new investment in advanced manufacturing technologies, robotics, and automation. Companies developing solutions that enable cost-effective production in higher-wage environments report surging interest from industrial clients reconsidering their global footprint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                    <\/a>Strategic Recommendations for Leaders<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
                                                                    \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

                                                                    Innovation leaders navigating this dynamic environment should consider several strategic approaches:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                      \n
                                                                    1. Establish robust policy monitoring capabilities<\/strong>: Maintain dedicated resources tracking legislative and regulatory developments affecting your sector, whether through internal government relations teams or partnerships with specialized consultancies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                                    2. Develop scenario-based strategic planning<\/strong>: Create flexible frameworks that allow rapid pivoting based on policy shifts. Identify trigger points that would necessitate strategy adjustments and prepare contingency plans for various political outcomes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                                    3. Diversify geographic footprint<\/strong>: Reduce vulnerability to policy changes in any single market by distributing critical operations, talent pools, and customer bases across multiple regions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                                    4. Engage proactively with policymakers<\/strong>: Rather than merely reacting to policy shifts, seek opportunities to shape the regulatory environment through industry associations, direct engagement, and public-private partnerships focused on innovation advancement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                                    5. Balance short-term adaptation with long-term vision<\/strong>: While responding tactically to immediate policy shifts, maintain focus on fundamental technological trends and market opportunities that transcend political cycles.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

                                                                      <\/a>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                      The Trump presidency's impact on innovation reflects the complex interplay between politics, economics, and technological development. While certain policies may create immediate obstacles for established innovation approaches, history demonstrates that the innovation ecosystem has remarkable resilience and adaptability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                      Organizations that approach this changing landscape with strategic foresight, operational flexibility, and collaborative spirit will not merely survive the crosswinds but may discover unexpected tailwinds that accelerate their journey. The fundamental drivers of technological progress, human ingenuity, market opportunity, and competitive pressure, remain powerful forces regardless of the political environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                      <\/a>Take Action: Prepare Your Organization for the New Innovation Landscape<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                      The current political and economic climate has made one thing clear: innovation leaders can no longer afford to rely on old playbooks. Strategic agility, bold thinking, and a global mindset are no longer optional \u2014 they\u2019re essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                      That\u2019s why we created the C-suite Innovation Lab: AI, Digital Transformation, and Venture Building<\/strong><\/a> \u2014 a four-day executive immersion program in Silicon Valley designed to help senior leaders lead through political and market uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                      This program addresses the full complexity of innovating in uncertain times \u2014 from global talent shifts and policy risk to venture building, startup collaboration, and transforming legacy infrastructure. You\u2019ll engage directly with leaders from organizations like Google, Microsoft, Stanford, Salesforce, McKinsey<\/strong>, and more, while working alongside a small cohort of peers equally committed to navigating change strategically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                      Whether you're rethinking your international expansion plans, retooling your innovation pipeline, or modernizing the culture and systems inside your organization \u2014 this experience is designed to help you act with clarity and confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                      Only 25 seats are available<\/strong> for this cohort.
                                                                      Early registration includes a $1,000 discount for those who move fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
                                                                      \n\n\n\n

                                                                      \n
                                                                      Explore C-suite Innovation Lab<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
                                                                      \n\n\n\n
                                                                      \n

                                                                      This changing political landscape<\/a> presents both challenges and opportunities for innovation leaders. As immigration policies tighten, regulatory approaches shift, economic nationalism resurges, and geopolitical alignments transform, the innovation community faces a new reality that demands strategic adaptation. Forward-thinking organizations will need to navigate these crosswinds with agility, foresight, and resilience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                      <\/a>The Political Backdrop<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                      Trump's previous administration (2017-2021) introduced several policies that significantly impacted innovation: corporate tax cuts that freed up capital for R&D, trade conflicts with China that disrupted global supply chains, and increased scrutiny of H-1B visas that affected talent acquisition in tech hubs. These precedents provide important context for understanding the potential trajectory of his current term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                      Early indicators<\/a> from the new administration include renewed executive actions targeting immigration restrictions, promises of sweeping deregulation across multiple industries, and statements reaffirming an \"America First\" approach to trade and manufacturing. Cabinet appointments with backgrounds in traditional industries rather than tech have raised questions about how Silicon Valley's priorities will fare in the new political environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                      The tech community's response has been mixed. Some leaders express optimism about reduced regulatory burdens and potential tax incentives, while others voice concern about talent acquisition challenges and international collaboration barriers. Startup founders, particularly those from immigrant backgrounds, report heightened uncertainty about their ability to scale in the U.S. market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                      <\/a>Shifting Immigration Policies<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                      Perhaps the most immediate impact on innovation stems from changes to immigration policy. Tech companies have long relied on global talent pools, with significant portions of their workforce holding H-1B visas or other work permits. The new administration's more restrictive approach<\/a> threatens to disrupt these established talent pipelines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                      Major tech companies are already reporting difficulties in recruiting international specialists in crucial fields like artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and advanced semiconductor design. University research labs face similar challenges in attracting and retaining global talent. This constraint comes at a particularly inopportune moment, as competition for technical expertise in emerging technologies intensifies globally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                      Innovation leaders are responding with multi-pronged strategies: establishing or expanding R&D centers in countries with more welcoming immigration policies, implementing distributed team structures that allow talent to contribute remotely, and forming partnerships with overseas universities and incubators to maintain access to global innovation networks. Companies with foresight are also investing more heavily in domestic talent development through university partnerships and vocational training programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                      <\/a>Deregulation: A Boon or a Double-Edged Sword?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                      The administration's deregulatory agenda presents complexity for innovators. Reduced bureaucratic hurdles could accelerate time-to-market for new technologies and lower compliance costs, particularly benefiting resource-constrained startups. Industries previously hampered by extensive regulatory requirements, such as autonomous vehicles, drone technologies, and certain healthcare innovations, may find paths to commercialization suddenly cleared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                      However, this deregulatory push<\/a> raises concerns about consumer protection, data privacy, and environmental safeguards. Companies developing cutting-edge technologies must consider whether short-term regulatory relief might lead to longer-term market backlash if products launch without adequate safety protocols or privacy considerations. The European Union's continuing emphasis on strict regulatory frameworks also means that companies with global ambitions must still design for the most stringent requirements, potentially negating domestic deregulatory benefits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                      \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

                                                                      Sectors positioned to benefit most from the deregulatory environment include fintech (particularly cryptocurrency and blockchain applications), biotech (with potential for accelerated approval pathways), and advanced manufacturing (with fewer environmental compliance requirements). However, these same sectors may face heightened public scrutiny and potential consumer trust issues if perceived as cutting corners on important protections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                      <\/a>Economic Nationalism and Trade Policies<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                      The revival of \"America First\" policies is reshaping global innovation networks in fundamental ways. As we predicted in our <\/a>Macro-Economic Trends Report 2025-2030<\/a>, tariffs, trade barriers, and incentives for domestic production are already forcing companies to reconsider their supply chains, manufacturing strategies, and international expansion plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                      For hardware innovators, the push toward reshoring production creates both opportunities and challenges. While domestic manufacturing incentives may reduce costs for U.S.-based production, the disruption to established supply chains in Asia requires significant adjustment. Companies with highly integrated global operations report particular difficulty in rapidly reconfiguring their production networks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                      Cross-border innovation partnerships face new hurdles as well. Collaborative R&D initiatives between U.S. and foreign entities encounter increased scrutiny, particularly when they involve technologies with potential national security applications. Venture capital flows across borders show signs of constriction, with international investors expressing heightened caution about U.S.-based startups due to uncertainty about their ability to access global markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                      Forward-thinking organizations are developing robust contingency plans, diversifying their supply chains across multiple regions, and structuring international partnerships to withstand potential regulatory challenges. Some are exploring alternative markets for initial product launches, considering countries with more predictable trade relationships as testing grounds before tackling the U.S. market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                      <\/a>Geopolitical Realignment and Tech Partnerships<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                      The administration's foreign policy approach is triggering significant realignment in global innovation networks. Traditional alliances with European and East Asian partners show signs of strain, while new relationships with specific nations aligned with the administration's priorities create unexpected collaboration opportunities.

                                                                      <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                      These shifts<\/a> have particular significance for technologies requiring extensive international coordination, such as artificial intelligence governance, climate tech development, and global health innovations. Standards-setting bodies and international research consortia report increased difficulty in maintaining cohesive agendas as geopolitical tensions influence technical discussions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                      National security concerns have intensified scrutiny of technology transfers and intellectual property exchanges, particularly with China but increasingly with other nations as well. This heightened caution creates additional friction for cross-border innovation initiatives and international academic collaboration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                      Despite these challenges, some organizations identify new opportunities in emerging markets <\/a>previously overlooked by the innovation community. Regions seeking to establish themselves as alternative technology hubs, from Latin America to Southeast Asia to Eastern Europe, present intriguing possibilities for companies looking to diversify their global footprint beyond traditional innovation centers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                      <\/a>Sector-by-Sector Analysis<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                      The impact of these political shifts varies significantly across different technology sectors:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                      Big Tech & AI<\/strong>: Large technology companies face a complex landscape<\/a> of reduced domestic regulatory pressure coupled with heightened scrutiny of their international operations and talent acquisition strategies. The AI sector in particular confronts contradictory forces: potential acceleration of commercial deployment due to lighter regulatory touch, alongside talent constraints that could slow fundamental research progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                      Energy & Climate Tech<\/strong>: The administration's emphasis on traditional energy sources has created headwinds for some renewable energy innovations. However, this same policy stance<\/a> has spurred increased private sector and state-level investment in clean technologies, as companies and local governments seek to maintain momentum on climate initiatives independent of federal direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                      Healthcare & Biotech<\/strong>: Changes to FDA approval processes and healthcare regulations signal potential opportunities<\/a> for accelerated commercialization of biomedical innovations. Telehealth, personalized medicine, and novel therapeutic approaches may benefit from streamlined regulatory pathways, though questions remain about insurance coverage and patient access.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                      Manufacturing & Robotics<\/strong>: The push for domestic manufacturing<\/a> has catalyzed new investment in advanced manufacturing technologies, robotics, and automation. Companies developing solutions that enable cost-effective production in higher-wage environments report surging interest from industrial clients reconsidering their global footprint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                      <\/a>Strategic Recommendations for Leaders<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
                                                                      \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

                                                                      Innovation leaders navigating this dynamic environment should consider several strategic approaches:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                        \n
                                                                      1. Establish robust policy monitoring capabilities<\/strong>: Maintain dedicated resources tracking legislative and regulatory developments affecting your sector, whether through internal government relations teams or partnerships with specialized consultancies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                                      2. Develop scenario-based strategic planning<\/strong>: Create flexible frameworks that allow rapid pivoting based on policy shifts. Identify trigger points that would necessitate strategy adjustments and prepare contingency plans for various political outcomes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                                      3. Diversify geographic footprint<\/strong>: Reduce vulnerability to policy changes in any single market by distributing critical operations, talent pools, and customer bases across multiple regions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                                      4. Engage proactively with policymakers<\/strong>: Rather than merely reacting to policy shifts, seek opportunities to shape the regulatory environment through industry associations, direct engagement, and public-private partnerships focused on innovation advancement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                                      5. Balance short-term adaptation with long-term vision<\/strong>: While responding tactically to immediate policy shifts, maintain focus on fundamental technological trends and market opportunities that transcend political cycles.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

                                                                        <\/a>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                        The Trump presidency's impact on innovation reflects the complex interplay between politics, economics, and technological development. While certain policies may create immediate obstacles for established innovation approaches, history demonstrates that the innovation ecosystem has remarkable resilience and adaptability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                        Organizations that approach this changing landscape with strategic foresight, operational flexibility, and collaborative spirit will not merely survive the crosswinds but may discover unexpected tailwinds that accelerate their journey. The fundamental drivers of technological progress, human ingenuity, market opportunity, and competitive pressure, remain powerful forces regardless of the political environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                        <\/a>Take Action: Prepare Your Organization for the New Innovation Landscape<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                        The current political and economic climate has made one thing clear: innovation leaders can no longer afford to rely on old playbooks. Strategic agility, bold thinking, and a global mindset are no longer optional \u2014 they\u2019re essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                        That\u2019s why we created the C-suite Innovation Lab: AI, Digital Transformation, and Venture Building<\/strong><\/a> \u2014 a four-day executive immersion program in Silicon Valley designed to help senior leaders lead through political and market uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                        This program addresses the full complexity of innovating in uncertain times \u2014 from global talent shifts and policy risk to venture building, startup collaboration, and transforming legacy infrastructure. You\u2019ll engage directly with leaders from organizations like Google, Microsoft, Stanford, Salesforce, McKinsey<\/strong>, and more, while working alongside a small cohort of peers equally committed to navigating change strategically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                        Whether you're rethinking your international expansion plans, retooling your innovation pipeline, or modernizing the culture and systems inside your organization \u2014 this experience is designed to help you act with clarity and confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                        Only 25 seats are available<\/strong> for this cohort.
                                                                        Early registration includes a $1,000 discount for those who move fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
                                                                        \n\n\n\n

                                                                        \n
                                                                        Explore C-suite Innovation Lab<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
                                                                        \n\n\n\n
                                                                        \n

                                                                        Source: Visual Capitalist<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                        This changing political landscape<\/a> presents both challenges and opportunities for innovation leaders. As immigration policies tighten, regulatory approaches shift, economic nationalism resurges, and geopolitical alignments transform, the innovation community faces a new reality that demands strategic adaptation. Forward-thinking organizations will need to navigate these crosswinds with agility, foresight, and resilience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                        <\/a>The Political Backdrop<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                        Trump's previous administration (2017-2021) introduced several policies that significantly impacted innovation: corporate tax cuts that freed up capital for R&D, trade conflicts with China that disrupted global supply chains, and increased scrutiny of H-1B visas that affected talent acquisition in tech hubs. These precedents provide important context for understanding the potential trajectory of his current term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                        Early indicators<\/a> from the new administration include renewed executive actions targeting immigration restrictions, promises of sweeping deregulation across multiple industries, and statements reaffirming an \"America First\" approach to trade and manufacturing. Cabinet appointments with backgrounds in traditional industries rather than tech have raised questions about how Silicon Valley's priorities will fare in the new political environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                        The tech community's response has been mixed. Some leaders express optimism about reduced regulatory burdens and potential tax incentives, while others voice concern about talent acquisition challenges and international collaboration barriers. Startup founders, particularly those from immigrant backgrounds, report heightened uncertainty about their ability to scale in the U.S. market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                        <\/a>Shifting Immigration Policies<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                        Perhaps the most immediate impact on innovation stems from changes to immigration policy. Tech companies have long relied on global talent pools, with significant portions of their workforce holding H-1B visas or other work permits. The new administration's more restrictive approach<\/a> threatens to disrupt these established talent pipelines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                        Major tech companies are already reporting difficulties in recruiting international specialists in crucial fields like artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and advanced semiconductor design. University research labs face similar challenges in attracting and retaining global talent. This constraint comes at a particularly inopportune moment, as competition for technical expertise in emerging technologies intensifies globally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                        Innovation leaders are responding with multi-pronged strategies: establishing or expanding R&D centers in countries with more welcoming immigration policies, implementing distributed team structures that allow talent to contribute remotely, and forming partnerships with overseas universities and incubators to maintain access to global innovation networks. Companies with foresight are also investing more heavily in domestic talent development through university partnerships and vocational training programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                        <\/a>Deregulation: A Boon or a Double-Edged Sword?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                        The administration's deregulatory agenda presents complexity for innovators. Reduced bureaucratic hurdles could accelerate time-to-market for new technologies and lower compliance costs, particularly benefiting resource-constrained startups. Industries previously hampered by extensive regulatory requirements, such as autonomous vehicles, drone technologies, and certain healthcare innovations, may find paths to commercialization suddenly cleared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                        However, this deregulatory push<\/a> raises concerns about consumer protection, data privacy, and environmental safeguards. Companies developing cutting-edge technologies must consider whether short-term regulatory relief might lead to longer-term market backlash if products launch without adequate safety protocols or privacy considerations. The European Union's continuing emphasis on strict regulatory frameworks also means that companies with global ambitions must still design for the most stringent requirements, potentially negating domestic deregulatory benefits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                        \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

                                                                        Sectors positioned to benefit most from the deregulatory environment include fintech (particularly cryptocurrency and blockchain applications), biotech (with potential for accelerated approval pathways), and advanced manufacturing (with fewer environmental compliance requirements). However, these same sectors may face heightened public scrutiny and potential consumer trust issues if perceived as cutting corners on important protections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                        <\/a>Economic Nationalism and Trade Policies<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                        The revival of \"America First\" policies is reshaping global innovation networks in fundamental ways. As we predicted in our <\/a>Macro-Economic Trends Report 2025-2030<\/a>, tariffs, trade barriers, and incentives for domestic production are already forcing companies to reconsider their supply chains, manufacturing strategies, and international expansion plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                        For hardware innovators, the push toward reshoring production creates both opportunities and challenges. While domestic manufacturing incentives may reduce costs for U.S.-based production, the disruption to established supply chains in Asia requires significant adjustment. Companies with highly integrated global operations report particular difficulty in rapidly reconfiguring their production networks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                        Cross-border innovation partnerships face new hurdles as well. Collaborative R&D initiatives between U.S. and foreign entities encounter increased scrutiny, particularly when they involve technologies with potential national security applications. Venture capital flows across borders show signs of constriction, with international investors expressing heightened caution about U.S.-based startups due to uncertainty about their ability to access global markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                        Forward-thinking organizations are developing robust contingency plans, diversifying their supply chains across multiple regions, and structuring international partnerships to withstand potential regulatory challenges. Some are exploring alternative markets for initial product launches, considering countries with more predictable trade relationships as testing grounds before tackling the U.S. market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                        <\/a>Geopolitical Realignment and Tech Partnerships<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                        The administration's foreign policy approach is triggering significant realignment in global innovation networks. Traditional alliances with European and East Asian partners show signs of strain, while new relationships with specific nations aligned with the administration's priorities create unexpected collaboration opportunities.

                                                                        <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                        These shifts<\/a> have particular significance for technologies requiring extensive international coordination, such as artificial intelligence governance, climate tech development, and global health innovations. Standards-setting bodies and international research consortia report increased difficulty in maintaining cohesive agendas as geopolitical tensions influence technical discussions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                        National security concerns have intensified scrutiny of technology transfers and intellectual property exchanges, particularly with China but increasingly with other nations as well. This heightened caution creates additional friction for cross-border innovation initiatives and international academic collaboration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                        Despite these challenges, some organizations identify new opportunities in emerging markets <\/a>previously overlooked by the innovation community. Regions seeking to establish themselves as alternative technology hubs, from Latin America to Southeast Asia to Eastern Europe, present intriguing possibilities for companies looking to diversify their global footprint beyond traditional innovation centers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                        <\/a>Sector-by-Sector Analysis<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                        The impact of these political shifts varies significantly across different technology sectors:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                        Big Tech & AI<\/strong>: Large technology companies face a complex landscape<\/a> of reduced domestic regulatory pressure coupled with heightened scrutiny of their international operations and talent acquisition strategies. The AI sector in particular confronts contradictory forces: potential acceleration of commercial deployment due to lighter regulatory touch, alongside talent constraints that could slow fundamental research progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                        Energy & Climate Tech<\/strong>: The administration's emphasis on traditional energy sources has created headwinds for some renewable energy innovations. However, this same policy stance<\/a> has spurred increased private sector and state-level investment in clean technologies, as companies and local governments seek to maintain momentum on climate initiatives independent of federal direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                        Healthcare & Biotech<\/strong>: Changes to FDA approval processes and healthcare regulations signal potential opportunities<\/a> for accelerated commercialization of biomedical innovations. Telehealth, personalized medicine, and novel therapeutic approaches may benefit from streamlined regulatory pathways, though questions remain about insurance coverage and patient access.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                        Manufacturing & Robotics<\/strong>: The push for domestic manufacturing<\/a> has catalyzed new investment in advanced manufacturing technologies, robotics, and automation. Companies developing solutions that enable cost-effective production in higher-wage environments report surging interest from industrial clients reconsidering their global footprint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                        <\/a>Strategic Recommendations for Leaders<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
                                                                        \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

                                                                        Innovation leaders navigating this dynamic environment should consider several strategic approaches:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                          \n
                                                                        1. Establish robust policy monitoring capabilities<\/strong>: Maintain dedicated resources tracking legislative and regulatory developments affecting your sector, whether through internal government relations teams or partnerships with specialized consultancies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                                        2. Develop scenario-based strategic planning<\/strong>: Create flexible frameworks that allow rapid pivoting based on policy shifts. Identify trigger points that would necessitate strategy adjustments and prepare contingency plans for various political outcomes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                                        3. Diversify geographic footprint<\/strong>: Reduce vulnerability to policy changes in any single market by distributing critical operations, talent pools, and customer bases across multiple regions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                                        4. Engage proactively with policymakers<\/strong>: Rather than merely reacting to policy shifts, seek opportunities to shape the regulatory environment through industry associations, direct engagement, and public-private partnerships focused on innovation advancement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                                        5. Balance short-term adaptation with long-term vision<\/strong>: While responding tactically to immediate policy shifts, maintain focus on fundamental technological trends and market opportunities that transcend political cycles.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

                                                                          <\/a>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                          The Trump presidency's impact on innovation reflects the complex interplay between politics, economics, and technological development. While certain policies may create immediate obstacles for established innovation approaches, history demonstrates that the innovation ecosystem has remarkable resilience and adaptability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                          Organizations that approach this changing landscape with strategic foresight, operational flexibility, and collaborative spirit will not merely survive the crosswinds but may discover unexpected tailwinds that accelerate their journey. The fundamental drivers of technological progress, human ingenuity, market opportunity, and competitive pressure, remain powerful forces regardless of the political environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                          <\/a>Take Action: Prepare Your Organization for the New Innovation Landscape<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                          The current political and economic climate has made one thing clear: innovation leaders can no longer afford to rely on old playbooks. Strategic agility, bold thinking, and a global mindset are no longer optional \u2014 they\u2019re essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                          That\u2019s why we created the C-suite Innovation Lab: AI, Digital Transformation, and Venture Building<\/strong><\/a> \u2014 a four-day executive immersion program in Silicon Valley designed to help senior leaders lead through political and market uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                          This program addresses the full complexity of innovating in uncertain times \u2014 from global talent shifts and policy risk to venture building, startup collaboration, and transforming legacy infrastructure. You\u2019ll engage directly with leaders from organizations like Google, Microsoft, Stanford, Salesforce, McKinsey<\/strong>, and more, while working alongside a small cohort of peers equally committed to navigating change strategically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                          Whether you're rethinking your international expansion plans, retooling your innovation pipeline, or modernizing the culture and systems inside your organization \u2014 this experience is designed to help you act with clarity and confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                          Only 25 seats are available<\/strong> for this cohort.
                                                                          Early registration includes a $1,000 discount for those who move fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
                                                                          \n\n\n\n

                                                                          \n
                                                                          Explore C-suite Innovation Lab<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
                                                                          \n\n\n\n
                                                                          \n
                                                                          \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

                                                                          Source: Visual Capitalist<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                          This changing political landscape<\/a> presents both challenges and opportunities for innovation leaders. As immigration policies tighten, regulatory approaches shift, economic nationalism resurges, and geopolitical alignments transform, the innovation community faces a new reality that demands strategic adaptation. Forward-thinking organizations will need to navigate these crosswinds with agility, foresight, and resilience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                          <\/a>The Political Backdrop<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                          Trump's previous administration (2017-2021) introduced several policies that significantly impacted innovation: corporate tax cuts that freed up capital for R&D, trade conflicts with China that disrupted global supply chains, and increased scrutiny of H-1B visas that affected talent acquisition in tech hubs. These precedents provide important context for understanding the potential trajectory of his current term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                          Early indicators<\/a> from the new administration include renewed executive actions targeting immigration restrictions, promises of sweeping deregulation across multiple industries, and statements reaffirming an \"America First\" approach to trade and manufacturing. Cabinet appointments with backgrounds in traditional industries rather than tech have raised questions about how Silicon Valley's priorities will fare in the new political environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                          The tech community's response has been mixed. Some leaders express optimism about reduced regulatory burdens and potential tax incentives, while others voice concern about talent acquisition challenges and international collaboration barriers. Startup founders, particularly those from immigrant backgrounds, report heightened uncertainty about their ability to scale in the U.S. market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                          <\/a>Shifting Immigration Policies<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                          Perhaps the most immediate impact on innovation stems from changes to immigration policy. Tech companies have long relied on global talent pools, with significant portions of their workforce holding H-1B visas or other work permits. The new administration's more restrictive approach<\/a> threatens to disrupt these established talent pipelines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                          Major tech companies are already reporting difficulties in recruiting international specialists in crucial fields like artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and advanced semiconductor design. University research labs face similar challenges in attracting and retaining global talent. This constraint comes at a particularly inopportune moment, as competition for technical expertise in emerging technologies intensifies globally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                          Innovation leaders are responding with multi-pronged strategies: establishing or expanding R&D centers in countries with more welcoming immigration policies, implementing distributed team structures that allow talent to contribute remotely, and forming partnerships with overseas universities and incubators to maintain access to global innovation networks. Companies with foresight are also investing more heavily in domestic talent development through university partnerships and vocational training programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                          <\/a>Deregulation: A Boon or a Double-Edged Sword?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                          The administration's deregulatory agenda presents complexity for innovators. Reduced bureaucratic hurdles could accelerate time-to-market for new technologies and lower compliance costs, particularly benefiting resource-constrained startups. Industries previously hampered by extensive regulatory requirements, such as autonomous vehicles, drone technologies, and certain healthcare innovations, may find paths to commercialization suddenly cleared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                          However, this deregulatory push<\/a> raises concerns about consumer protection, data privacy, and environmental safeguards. Companies developing cutting-edge technologies must consider whether short-term regulatory relief might lead to longer-term market backlash if products launch without adequate safety protocols or privacy considerations. The European Union's continuing emphasis on strict regulatory frameworks also means that companies with global ambitions must still design for the most stringent requirements, potentially negating domestic deregulatory benefits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                          \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

                                                                          Sectors positioned to benefit most from the deregulatory environment include fintech (particularly cryptocurrency and blockchain applications), biotech (with potential for accelerated approval pathways), and advanced manufacturing (with fewer environmental compliance requirements). However, these same sectors may face heightened public scrutiny and potential consumer trust issues if perceived as cutting corners on important protections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                          <\/a>Economic Nationalism and Trade Policies<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                          The revival of \"America First\" policies is reshaping global innovation networks in fundamental ways. As we predicted in our <\/a>Macro-Economic Trends Report 2025-2030<\/a>, tariffs, trade barriers, and incentives for domestic production are already forcing companies to reconsider their supply chains, manufacturing strategies, and international expansion plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                          For hardware innovators, the push toward reshoring production creates both opportunities and challenges. While domestic manufacturing incentives may reduce costs for U.S.-based production, the disruption to established supply chains in Asia requires significant adjustment. Companies with highly integrated global operations report particular difficulty in rapidly reconfiguring their production networks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                          Cross-border innovation partnerships face new hurdles as well. Collaborative R&D initiatives between U.S. and foreign entities encounter increased scrutiny, particularly when they involve technologies with potential national security applications. Venture capital flows across borders show signs of constriction, with international investors expressing heightened caution about U.S.-based startups due to uncertainty about their ability to access global markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                          Forward-thinking organizations are developing robust contingency plans, diversifying their supply chains across multiple regions, and structuring international partnerships to withstand potential regulatory challenges. Some are exploring alternative markets for initial product launches, considering countries with more predictable trade relationships as testing grounds before tackling the U.S. market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                          <\/a>Geopolitical Realignment and Tech Partnerships<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                          The administration's foreign policy approach is triggering significant realignment in global innovation networks. Traditional alliances with European and East Asian partners show signs of strain, while new relationships with specific nations aligned with the administration's priorities create unexpected collaboration opportunities.

                                                                          <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                          These shifts<\/a> have particular significance for technologies requiring extensive international coordination, such as artificial intelligence governance, climate tech development, and global health innovations. Standards-setting bodies and international research consortia report increased difficulty in maintaining cohesive agendas as geopolitical tensions influence technical discussions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                          National security concerns have intensified scrutiny of technology transfers and intellectual property exchanges, particularly with China but increasingly with other nations as well. This heightened caution creates additional friction for cross-border innovation initiatives and international academic collaboration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                          Despite these challenges, some organizations identify new opportunities in emerging markets <\/a>previously overlooked by the innovation community. Regions seeking to establish themselves as alternative technology hubs, from Latin America to Southeast Asia to Eastern Europe, present intriguing possibilities for companies looking to diversify their global footprint beyond traditional innovation centers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                          <\/a>Sector-by-Sector Analysis<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                          The impact of these political shifts varies significantly across different technology sectors:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                          Big Tech & AI<\/strong>: Large technology companies face a complex landscape<\/a> of reduced domestic regulatory pressure coupled with heightened scrutiny of their international operations and talent acquisition strategies. The AI sector in particular confronts contradictory forces: potential acceleration of commercial deployment due to lighter regulatory touch, alongside talent constraints that could slow fundamental research progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                          Energy & Climate Tech<\/strong>: The administration's emphasis on traditional energy sources has created headwinds for some renewable energy innovations. However, this same policy stance<\/a> has spurred increased private sector and state-level investment in clean technologies, as companies and local governments seek to maintain momentum on climate initiatives independent of federal direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                          Healthcare & Biotech<\/strong>: Changes to FDA approval processes and healthcare regulations signal potential opportunities<\/a> for accelerated commercialization of biomedical innovations. Telehealth, personalized medicine, and novel therapeutic approaches may benefit from streamlined regulatory pathways, though questions remain about insurance coverage and patient access.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                          Manufacturing & Robotics<\/strong>: The push for domestic manufacturing<\/a> has catalyzed new investment in advanced manufacturing technologies, robotics, and automation. Companies developing solutions that enable cost-effective production in higher-wage environments report surging interest from industrial clients reconsidering their global footprint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                          <\/a>Strategic Recommendations for Leaders<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
                                                                          \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

                                                                          Innovation leaders navigating this dynamic environment should consider several strategic approaches:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                            \n
                                                                          1. Establish robust policy monitoring capabilities<\/strong>: Maintain dedicated resources tracking legislative and regulatory developments affecting your sector, whether through internal government relations teams or partnerships with specialized consultancies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                                          2. Develop scenario-based strategic planning<\/strong>: Create flexible frameworks that allow rapid pivoting based on policy shifts. Identify trigger points that would necessitate strategy adjustments and prepare contingency plans for various political outcomes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                                          3. Diversify geographic footprint<\/strong>: Reduce vulnerability to policy changes in any single market by distributing critical operations, talent pools, and customer bases across multiple regions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                                          4. Engage proactively with policymakers<\/strong>: Rather than merely reacting to policy shifts, seek opportunities to shape the regulatory environment through industry associations, direct engagement, and public-private partnerships focused on innovation advancement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                                          5. Balance short-term adaptation with long-term vision<\/strong>: While responding tactically to immediate policy shifts, maintain focus on fundamental technological trends and market opportunities that transcend political cycles.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

                                                                            <\/a>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                            The Trump presidency's impact on innovation reflects the complex interplay between politics, economics, and technological development. While certain policies may create immediate obstacles for established innovation approaches, history demonstrates that the innovation ecosystem has remarkable resilience and adaptability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                            Organizations that approach this changing landscape with strategic foresight, operational flexibility, and collaborative spirit will not merely survive the crosswinds but may discover unexpected tailwinds that accelerate their journey. The fundamental drivers of technological progress, human ingenuity, market opportunity, and competitive pressure, remain powerful forces regardless of the political environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                            <\/a>Take Action: Prepare Your Organization for the New Innovation Landscape<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                            The current political and economic climate has made one thing clear: innovation leaders can no longer afford to rely on old playbooks. Strategic agility, bold thinking, and a global mindset are no longer optional \u2014 they\u2019re essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                            That\u2019s why we created the C-suite Innovation Lab: AI, Digital Transformation, and Venture Building<\/strong><\/a> \u2014 a four-day executive immersion program in Silicon Valley designed to help senior leaders lead through political and market uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                            This program addresses the full complexity of innovating in uncertain times \u2014 from global talent shifts and policy risk to venture building, startup collaboration, and transforming legacy infrastructure. You\u2019ll engage directly with leaders from organizations like Google, Microsoft, Stanford, Salesforce, McKinsey<\/strong>, and more, while working alongside a small cohort of peers equally committed to navigating change strategically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                            Whether you're rethinking your international expansion plans, retooling your innovation pipeline, or modernizing the culture and systems inside your organization \u2014 this experience is designed to help you act with clarity and confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                            Only 25 seats are available<\/strong> for this cohort.
                                                                            Early registration includes a $1,000 discount for those who move fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
                                                                            \n\n\n\n

                                                                            \n
                                                                            Explore C-suite Innovation Lab<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
                                                                            \n\n\n\n
                                                                            \n

                                                                            The inauguration of Donald Trump to his second term as President of the United States in January 2025 has sent immediate ripples throughout the global innovation ecosystem. Within weeks of taking office, executive orders, policy statements, and cabinet appointments have signaled significant shifts that are already altering the terrain for startups, established tech companies, and innovation hubs worldwide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                            \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

                                                                            Source: Visual Capitalist<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                            This changing political landscape<\/a> presents both challenges and opportunities for innovation leaders. As immigration policies tighten, regulatory approaches shift, economic nationalism resurges, and geopolitical alignments transform, the innovation community faces a new reality that demands strategic adaptation. Forward-thinking organizations will need to navigate these crosswinds with agility, foresight, and resilience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                            <\/a>The Political Backdrop<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                            Trump's previous administration (2017-2021) introduced several policies that significantly impacted innovation: corporate tax cuts that freed up capital for R&D, trade conflicts with China that disrupted global supply chains, and increased scrutiny of H-1B visas that affected talent acquisition in tech hubs. These precedents provide important context for understanding the potential trajectory of his current term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                            Early indicators<\/a> from the new administration include renewed executive actions targeting immigration restrictions, promises of sweeping deregulation across multiple industries, and statements reaffirming an \"America First\" approach to trade and manufacturing. Cabinet appointments with backgrounds in traditional industries rather than tech have raised questions about how Silicon Valley's priorities will fare in the new political environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                            The tech community's response has been mixed. Some leaders express optimism about reduced regulatory burdens and potential tax incentives, while others voice concern about talent acquisition challenges and international collaboration barriers. Startup founders, particularly those from immigrant backgrounds, report heightened uncertainty about their ability to scale in the U.S. market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                            <\/a>Shifting Immigration Policies<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                            Perhaps the most immediate impact on innovation stems from changes to immigration policy. Tech companies have long relied on global talent pools, with significant portions of their workforce holding H-1B visas or other work permits. The new administration's more restrictive approach<\/a> threatens to disrupt these established talent pipelines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                            Major tech companies are already reporting difficulties in recruiting international specialists in crucial fields like artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and advanced semiconductor design. University research labs face similar challenges in attracting and retaining global talent. This constraint comes at a particularly inopportune moment, as competition for technical expertise in emerging technologies intensifies globally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                            Innovation leaders are responding with multi-pronged strategies: establishing or expanding R&D centers in countries with more welcoming immigration policies, implementing distributed team structures that allow talent to contribute remotely, and forming partnerships with overseas universities and incubators to maintain access to global innovation networks. Companies with foresight are also investing more heavily in domestic talent development through university partnerships and vocational training programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                            <\/a>Deregulation: A Boon or a Double-Edged Sword?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                            The administration's deregulatory agenda presents complexity for innovators. Reduced bureaucratic hurdles could accelerate time-to-market for new technologies and lower compliance costs, particularly benefiting resource-constrained startups. Industries previously hampered by extensive regulatory requirements, such as autonomous vehicles, drone technologies, and certain healthcare innovations, may find paths to commercialization suddenly cleared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                            However, this deregulatory push<\/a> raises concerns about consumer protection, data privacy, and environmental safeguards. Companies developing cutting-edge technologies must consider whether short-term regulatory relief might lead to longer-term market backlash if products launch without adequate safety protocols or privacy considerations. The European Union's continuing emphasis on strict regulatory frameworks also means that companies with global ambitions must still design for the most stringent requirements, potentially negating domestic deregulatory benefits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                            \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

                                                                            Sectors positioned to benefit most from the deregulatory environment include fintech (particularly cryptocurrency and blockchain applications), biotech (with potential for accelerated approval pathways), and advanced manufacturing (with fewer environmental compliance requirements). However, these same sectors may face heightened public scrutiny and potential consumer trust issues if perceived as cutting corners on important protections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                            <\/a>Economic Nationalism and Trade Policies<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                            The revival of \"America First\" policies is reshaping global innovation networks in fundamental ways. As we predicted in our <\/a>Macro-Economic Trends Report 2025-2030<\/a>, tariffs, trade barriers, and incentives for domestic production are already forcing companies to reconsider their supply chains, manufacturing strategies, and international expansion plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                            For hardware innovators, the push toward reshoring production creates both opportunities and challenges. While domestic manufacturing incentives may reduce costs for U.S.-based production, the disruption to established supply chains in Asia requires significant adjustment. Companies with highly integrated global operations report particular difficulty in rapidly reconfiguring their production networks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                            Cross-border innovation partnerships face new hurdles as well. Collaborative R&D initiatives between U.S. and foreign entities encounter increased scrutiny, particularly when they involve technologies with potential national security applications. Venture capital flows across borders show signs of constriction, with international investors expressing heightened caution about U.S.-based startups due to uncertainty about their ability to access global markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                            Forward-thinking organizations are developing robust contingency plans, diversifying their supply chains across multiple regions, and structuring international partnerships to withstand potential regulatory challenges. Some are exploring alternative markets for initial product launches, considering countries with more predictable trade relationships as testing grounds before tackling the U.S. market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                            <\/a>Geopolitical Realignment and Tech Partnerships<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                            The administration's foreign policy approach is triggering significant realignment in global innovation networks. Traditional alliances with European and East Asian partners show signs of strain, while new relationships with specific nations aligned with the administration's priorities create unexpected collaboration opportunities.

                                                                            <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                            These shifts<\/a> have particular significance for technologies requiring extensive international coordination, such as artificial intelligence governance, climate tech development, and global health innovations. Standards-setting bodies and international research consortia report increased difficulty in maintaining cohesive agendas as geopolitical tensions influence technical discussions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                            National security concerns have intensified scrutiny of technology transfers and intellectual property exchanges, particularly with China but increasingly with other nations as well. This heightened caution creates additional friction for cross-border innovation initiatives and international academic collaboration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                            Despite these challenges, some organizations identify new opportunities in emerging markets <\/a>previously overlooked by the innovation community. Regions seeking to establish themselves as alternative technology hubs, from Latin America to Southeast Asia to Eastern Europe, present intriguing possibilities for companies looking to diversify their global footprint beyond traditional innovation centers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                            <\/a>Sector-by-Sector Analysis<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                            The impact of these political shifts varies significantly across different technology sectors:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                            Big Tech & AI<\/strong>: Large technology companies face a complex landscape<\/a> of reduced domestic regulatory pressure coupled with heightened scrutiny of their international operations and talent acquisition strategies. The AI sector in particular confronts contradictory forces: potential acceleration of commercial deployment due to lighter regulatory touch, alongside talent constraints that could slow fundamental research progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                            Energy & Climate Tech<\/strong>: The administration's emphasis on traditional energy sources has created headwinds for some renewable energy innovations. However, this same policy stance<\/a> has spurred increased private sector and state-level investment in clean technologies, as companies and local governments seek to maintain momentum on climate initiatives independent of federal direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                            Healthcare & Biotech<\/strong>: Changes to FDA approval processes and healthcare regulations signal potential opportunities<\/a> for accelerated commercialization of biomedical innovations. Telehealth, personalized medicine, and novel therapeutic approaches may benefit from streamlined regulatory pathways, though questions remain about insurance coverage and patient access.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                            Manufacturing & Robotics<\/strong>: The push for domestic manufacturing<\/a> has catalyzed new investment in advanced manufacturing technologies, robotics, and automation. Companies developing solutions that enable cost-effective production in higher-wage environments report surging interest from industrial clients reconsidering their global footprint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                            <\/a>Strategic Recommendations for Leaders<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
                                                                            \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

                                                                            Innovation leaders navigating this dynamic environment should consider several strategic approaches:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                              \n
                                                                            1. Establish robust policy monitoring capabilities<\/strong>: Maintain dedicated resources tracking legislative and regulatory developments affecting your sector, whether through internal government relations teams or partnerships with specialized consultancies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                                            2. Develop scenario-based strategic planning<\/strong>: Create flexible frameworks that allow rapid pivoting based on policy shifts. Identify trigger points that would necessitate strategy adjustments and prepare contingency plans for various political outcomes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                                            3. Diversify geographic footprint<\/strong>: Reduce vulnerability to policy changes in any single market by distributing critical operations, talent pools, and customer bases across multiple regions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                                            4. Engage proactively with policymakers<\/strong>: Rather than merely reacting to policy shifts, seek opportunities to shape the regulatory environment through industry associations, direct engagement, and public-private partnerships focused on innovation advancement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                                            5. Balance short-term adaptation with long-term vision<\/strong>: While responding tactically to immediate policy shifts, maintain focus on fundamental technological trends and market opportunities that transcend political cycles.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

                                                                              <\/a>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                              The Trump presidency's impact on innovation reflects the complex interplay between politics, economics, and technological development. While certain policies may create immediate obstacles for established innovation approaches, history demonstrates that the innovation ecosystem has remarkable resilience and adaptability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                              Organizations that approach this changing landscape with strategic foresight, operational flexibility, and collaborative spirit will not merely survive the crosswinds but may discover unexpected tailwinds that accelerate their journey. The fundamental drivers of technological progress, human ingenuity, market opportunity, and competitive pressure, remain powerful forces regardless of the political environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                              <\/a>Take Action: Prepare Your Organization for the New Innovation Landscape<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                              The current political and economic climate has made one thing clear: innovation leaders can no longer afford to rely on old playbooks. Strategic agility, bold thinking, and a global mindset are no longer optional \u2014 they\u2019re essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                              That\u2019s why we created the C-suite Innovation Lab: AI, Digital Transformation, and Venture Building<\/strong><\/a> \u2014 a four-day executive immersion program in Silicon Valley designed to help senior leaders lead through political and market uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                              This program addresses the full complexity of innovating in uncertain times \u2014 from global talent shifts and policy risk to venture building, startup collaboration, and transforming legacy infrastructure. You\u2019ll engage directly with leaders from organizations like Google, Microsoft, Stanford, Salesforce, McKinsey<\/strong>, and more, while working alongside a small cohort of peers equally committed to navigating change strategically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                              Whether you're rethinking your international expansion plans, retooling your innovation pipeline, or modernizing the culture and systems inside your organization \u2014 this experience is designed to help you act with clarity and confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                              Only 25 seats are available<\/strong> for this cohort.
                                                                              Early registration includes a $1,000 discount for those who move fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
                                                                              \n\n\n\n

                                                                              \n
                                                                              Explore C-suite Innovation Lab<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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                                                                              \n

                                                                              Innovation in the Crosswinds: How the Trump Presidency is Reshaping the Innovation Landscape<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

                                                                              The inauguration of Donald Trump to his second term as President of the United States in January 2025 has sent immediate ripples throughout the global innovation ecosystem. Within weeks of taking office, executive orders, policy statements, and cabinet appointments have signaled significant shifts that are already altering the terrain for startups, established tech companies, and innovation hubs worldwide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                              \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

                                                                              Source: Visual Capitalist<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                              This changing political landscape<\/a> presents both challenges and opportunities for innovation leaders. As immigration policies tighten, regulatory approaches shift, economic nationalism resurges, and geopolitical alignments transform, the innovation community faces a new reality that demands strategic adaptation. Forward-thinking organizations will need to navigate these crosswinds with agility, foresight, and resilience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                              <\/a>The Political Backdrop<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                              Trump's previous administration (2017-2021) introduced several policies that significantly impacted innovation: corporate tax cuts that freed up capital for R&D, trade conflicts with China that disrupted global supply chains, and increased scrutiny of H-1B visas that affected talent acquisition in tech hubs. These precedents provide important context for understanding the potential trajectory of his current term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                              Early indicators<\/a> from the new administration include renewed executive actions targeting immigration restrictions, promises of sweeping deregulation across multiple industries, and statements reaffirming an \"America First\" approach to trade and manufacturing. Cabinet appointments with backgrounds in traditional industries rather than tech have raised questions about how Silicon Valley's priorities will fare in the new political environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                              The tech community's response has been mixed. Some leaders express optimism about reduced regulatory burdens and potential tax incentives, while others voice concern about talent acquisition challenges and international collaboration barriers. Startup founders, particularly those from immigrant backgrounds, report heightened uncertainty about their ability to scale in the U.S. market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                              <\/a>Shifting Immigration Policies<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                              Perhaps the most immediate impact on innovation stems from changes to immigration policy. Tech companies have long relied on global talent pools, with significant portions of their workforce holding H-1B visas or other work permits. The new administration's more restrictive approach<\/a> threatens to disrupt these established talent pipelines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                              Major tech companies are already reporting difficulties in recruiting international specialists in crucial fields like artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and advanced semiconductor design. University research labs face similar challenges in attracting and retaining global talent. This constraint comes at a particularly inopportune moment, as competition for technical expertise in emerging technologies intensifies globally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                              Innovation leaders are responding with multi-pronged strategies: establishing or expanding R&D centers in countries with more welcoming immigration policies, implementing distributed team structures that allow talent to contribute remotely, and forming partnerships with overseas universities and incubators to maintain access to global innovation networks. Companies with foresight are also investing more heavily in domestic talent development through university partnerships and vocational training programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                              <\/a>Deregulation: A Boon or a Double-Edged Sword?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                              The administration's deregulatory agenda presents complexity for innovators. Reduced bureaucratic hurdles could accelerate time-to-market for new technologies and lower compliance costs, particularly benefiting resource-constrained startups. Industries previously hampered by extensive regulatory requirements, such as autonomous vehicles, drone technologies, and certain healthcare innovations, may find paths to commercialization suddenly cleared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                              However, this deregulatory push<\/a> raises concerns about consumer protection, data privacy, and environmental safeguards. Companies developing cutting-edge technologies must consider whether short-term regulatory relief might lead to longer-term market backlash if products launch without adequate safety protocols or privacy considerations. The European Union's continuing emphasis on strict regulatory frameworks also means that companies with global ambitions must still design for the most stringent requirements, potentially negating domestic deregulatory benefits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                              \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

                                                                              Sectors positioned to benefit most from the deregulatory environment include fintech (particularly cryptocurrency and blockchain applications), biotech (with potential for accelerated approval pathways), and advanced manufacturing (with fewer environmental compliance requirements). However, these same sectors may face heightened public scrutiny and potential consumer trust issues if perceived as cutting corners on important protections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                              <\/a>Economic Nationalism and Trade Policies<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                              The revival of \"America First\" policies is reshaping global innovation networks in fundamental ways. As we predicted in our <\/a>Macro-Economic Trends Report 2025-2030<\/a>, tariffs, trade barriers, and incentives for domestic production are already forcing companies to reconsider their supply chains, manufacturing strategies, and international expansion plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                              For hardware innovators, the push toward reshoring production creates both opportunities and challenges. While domestic manufacturing incentives may reduce costs for U.S.-based production, the disruption to established supply chains in Asia requires significant adjustment. Companies with highly integrated global operations report particular difficulty in rapidly reconfiguring their production networks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                              Cross-border innovation partnerships face new hurdles as well. Collaborative R&D initiatives between U.S. and foreign entities encounter increased scrutiny, particularly when they involve technologies with potential national security applications. Venture capital flows across borders show signs of constriction, with international investors expressing heightened caution about U.S.-based startups due to uncertainty about their ability to access global markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                              Forward-thinking organizations are developing robust contingency plans, diversifying their supply chains across multiple regions, and structuring international partnerships to withstand potential regulatory challenges. Some are exploring alternative markets for initial product launches, considering countries with more predictable trade relationships as testing grounds before tackling the U.S. market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                              <\/a>Geopolitical Realignment and Tech Partnerships<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                              The administration's foreign policy approach is triggering significant realignment in global innovation networks. Traditional alliances with European and East Asian partners show signs of strain, while new relationships with specific nations aligned with the administration's priorities create unexpected collaboration opportunities.

                                                                              <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                              These shifts<\/a> have particular significance for technologies requiring extensive international coordination, such as artificial intelligence governance, climate tech development, and global health innovations. Standards-setting bodies and international research consortia report increased difficulty in maintaining cohesive agendas as geopolitical tensions influence technical discussions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                              National security concerns have intensified scrutiny of technology transfers and intellectual property exchanges, particularly with China but increasingly with other nations as well. This heightened caution creates additional friction for cross-border innovation initiatives and international academic collaboration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                              Despite these challenges, some organizations identify new opportunities in emerging markets <\/a>previously overlooked by the innovation community. Regions seeking to establish themselves as alternative technology hubs, from Latin America to Southeast Asia to Eastern Europe, present intriguing possibilities for companies looking to diversify their global footprint beyond traditional innovation centers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                              <\/a>Sector-by-Sector Analysis<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                              The impact of these political shifts varies significantly across different technology sectors:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                              Big Tech & AI<\/strong>: Large technology companies face a complex landscape<\/a> of reduced domestic regulatory pressure coupled with heightened scrutiny of their international operations and talent acquisition strategies. The AI sector in particular confronts contradictory forces: potential acceleration of commercial deployment due to lighter regulatory touch, alongside talent constraints that could slow fundamental research progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                              Energy & Climate Tech<\/strong>: The administration's emphasis on traditional energy sources has created headwinds for some renewable energy innovations. However, this same policy stance<\/a> has spurred increased private sector and state-level investment in clean technologies, as companies and local governments seek to maintain momentum on climate initiatives independent of federal direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                              Healthcare & Biotech<\/strong>: Changes to FDA approval processes and healthcare regulations signal potential opportunities<\/a> for accelerated commercialization of biomedical innovations. Telehealth, personalized medicine, and novel therapeutic approaches may benefit from streamlined regulatory pathways, though questions remain about insurance coverage and patient access.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                              Manufacturing & Robotics<\/strong>: The push for domestic manufacturing<\/a> has catalyzed new investment in advanced manufacturing technologies, robotics, and automation. Companies developing solutions that enable cost-effective production in higher-wage environments report surging interest from industrial clients reconsidering their global footprint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                              <\/a>Strategic Recommendations for Leaders<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
                                                                              \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

                                                                              Innovation leaders navigating this dynamic environment should consider several strategic approaches:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                                \n
                                                                              1. Establish robust policy monitoring capabilities<\/strong>: Maintain dedicated resources tracking legislative and regulatory developments affecting your sector, whether through internal government relations teams or partnerships with specialized consultancies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                                              2. Develop scenario-based strategic planning<\/strong>: Create flexible frameworks that allow rapid pivoting based on policy shifts. Identify trigger points that would necessitate strategy adjustments and prepare contingency plans for various political outcomes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                                              3. Diversify geographic footprint<\/strong>: Reduce vulnerability to policy changes in any single market by distributing critical operations, talent pools, and customer bases across multiple regions.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                                              4. Engage proactively with policymakers<\/strong>: Rather than merely reacting to policy shifts, seek opportunities to shape the regulatory environment through industry associations, direct engagement, and public-private partnerships focused on innovation advancement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                                                                              5. Balance short-term adaptation with long-term vision<\/strong>: While responding tactically to immediate policy shifts, maintain focus on fundamental technological trends and market opportunities that transcend political cycles.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

                                                                                <\/a>Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                                The Trump presidency's impact on innovation reflects the complex interplay between politics, economics, and technological development. While certain policies may create immediate obstacles for established innovation approaches, history demonstrates that the innovation ecosystem has remarkable resilience and adaptability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                                Organizations that approach this changing landscape with strategic foresight, operational flexibility, and collaborative spirit will not merely survive the crosswinds but may discover unexpected tailwinds that accelerate their journey. The fundamental drivers of technological progress, human ingenuity, market opportunity, and competitive pressure, remain powerful forces regardless of the political environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                                <\/a>Take Action: Prepare Your Organization for the New Innovation Landscape<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                                                                                The current political and economic climate has made one thing clear: innovation leaders can no longer afford to rely on old playbooks. Strategic agility, bold thinking, and a global mindset are no longer optional \u2014 they\u2019re essential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                                That\u2019s why we created the C-suite Innovation Lab: AI, Digital Transformation, and Venture Building<\/strong><\/a> \u2014 a four-day executive immersion program in Silicon Valley designed to help senior leaders lead through political and market uncertainty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                                This program addresses the full complexity of innovating in uncertain times \u2014 from global talent shifts and policy risk to venture building, startup collaboration, and transforming legacy infrastructure. You\u2019ll engage directly with leaders from organizations like Google, Microsoft, Stanford, Salesforce, McKinsey<\/strong>, and more, while working alongside a small cohort of peers equally committed to navigating change strategically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                                Whether you're rethinking your international expansion plans, retooling your innovation pipeline, or modernizing the culture and systems inside your organization \u2014 this experience is designed to help you act with clarity and confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                                                                Only 25 seats are available<\/strong> for this cohort.
                                                                                Early registration includes a $1,000 discount for those who move fast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
                                                                                \n\n\n\n

                                                                                \n
                                                                                Explore C-suite Innovation Lab<\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
                                                                                \n\n\n\n

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