AkzoNobel CEO: Innovation in the paint and coatings industry has been steady

Innovation in the paint and coatings industry has been steady, according to Thierry Vanlancker, chief executive of AkzoNobel. AkzoNobel has just completed its first paint and paint start-up challenge to change that. We talked to him at the

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, chief executive of Akzo Nobe, hopes to repeat the challenge in the near future.
why did you decide to start this launch challenge?
Vanlancker: The idea of starting a game like this has actually been going on for some time. As a company, we've been focusing on open innovation. If you look at the coatings industry, there are some uncertainties in innovation because there are too many products and day-to-day sustainable development. So, in that sense, we're always looking for ways to achieve truly open innovation projects. We had a very natural conversation with our partner KPMG, and in another part, AkzoNobel's chemistry section was piloted to kick-start the challenge and really connect to the network.
how do you decide which companies will meet with professionals in Amsterdam on the shortlist and which will win?
: Well, we have about 160 companies applying, which is an overwhelming number. Of course, you can't have so many companies participating in such an event. Therefore, we choose according to the following criteria: Is it really suitable for coatings and coatings, is it novel or do we actually use it ourselves? Does it apply or commercialize for the foreseeable future? But is it really ready for the application or is it still experimental? This makes us 21 companies.then, we had a jury, half our own people, half outsiders, looking at 21 companies and presenting the awards to five winners. But the reality is that all 21 ideas are already very applicable, and I think that as we develop further, this will become a network of dialogue.
the next step for the Past the Future Award winners?
: It depends on the winner. But if you take away the four or five winners we have, you've got a meeting, whether it's a procurement contract or a development contract. I think for most of them, whether it's a technician or a business person, it's going to be an agreement that we can start commercializing. It's not just an event, it's just one of the milestones of a continuous innovation cycle.
do you plan to host another Paint the Future Challenge for the foreseeable future?
: Yes, it has to be a process. Otherwise it's going to be a big joy with new ideas, and then everyone doesn't go home. So because our goal is to make this part of open innovation and to build connected labs outside of our labs, we have to keep going. We haven't decided if it will be in 12 or 18 months because you need to have enough new ideas coming in. But I can imagine that somewhere in an 18-month time frame there will be a paint for the next 2020 or 2021. Yes, this will be a recurring event for us.
interview conducted by Jan Gesthuizen
Award-winning company
SAS Nanotechnology (USA) - Nanocapsules as corrosion-resistant self-healing pigments
QLayers (Netherlands) - Automatic printheads that can coat large surfaces in any weather
Interface Polymers (UK) - Adjust surface functions using two-segment polymers
Apellix (USA) - Homemade drones covering flat surfaces
Alucha Recycling Technologies (Netherlands) - Convert waste into bio-oils and minerals