In this edition of El Periscopio, we talk with Ana Esteban, Innovation Manager at Sacyr Innovation and Infrastructure, and Arantxa Quintana, Open Innovation Manager at Sacyr. We make innovation more accessible, relatable, and understandable through the case of the large company where they work. In this podcast, we discover how to build a strong innovation culture in a company with more than 40,000 employees.
The Facilitators
Within Sacyr, their role is to observe, inspire, listen, and challenge teams to be curious and question the status quo. As facilitators, they tell us they are responsible for opening communication channels between internal company teams and external agents to ensure that innovation flows.
They explain that the key is identifying opportunities and turning them into initiatives or projects that create economic, social, and environmental value for the business.
Cultivating Innovation
At Sacyr, more than 40 people are dedicated to innovation, but the entire company works towards it.
"There is an innovation culture taking root," says Ana.
All employees strive to be innovators, and this is reflected in their pro-innovation attitude.
Sacyr is heavily invested in fostering innovation through its dedicated Culture Department and Communications Department, which develop outreach, training, and inspiration programs and initiatives.
The Solution to the Challenge
Sacyr iChallenges is Sacyr's open innovation vehicle.
The program, which is one of the pillars of their innovation and transformation strategy, is a dynamic space where innovation, technology, and collaboration with the innovation ecosystem converge.
Ana and Arantxa explain that through iChallenges, Sacyr shares its business unit challenges so other companies can contribute solutions.
Thanks to this tool, they have achieved global reach. Each edition brings them to more companies and countries, allowing them to discover new innovation hubs.
The Innovation Funnel
Arantxa explains that working on innovation requires a dynamic challenge identification process.
Each year, they introduce improvements to enhance their approach in line with their innovation strategy.
They gather experts from all business areas around major themes and collaborate to promote idea generation and diverse contributions.
They listen extensively, embrace diversity, and follow a process of analysis, definition, and prioritization with business teams.
Key Partnerships
The company does not work alone.
"Internal and external collaboration is key and a clear accelerator of talent," says Arantxa.
Sacyr strongly believes in partnerships for innovation. Our guests believe that collaboration between teams and with external talent opens up new perspectives and approaches. They insist that solutions often come easily from different fields that might otherwise go unnoticed.
Opening Up to the World
"Innovation makes no sense if it is not open innovation," states Ana.
Both guests agree that knowledge exists everywhere, inside and outside the company. Arantxa reminds us that the world outside is always larger and has more talent, so we shouldn't be afraid to rely on it.
The Essence of Creativity
Both Ana and Arantxa believe that creativity is key to innovation. They encourage stepping out of our comfort zones to develop it.
"Curiosity is the engine of creativity," says Ana.
We must be curious and ask questions, always keeping an open mind.
They conclude with the thought that many rush to solutions without focusing enough on the problem, believing that creativity is for others. But we must recognize that creativity is about making connections, and we all can do it. We should all apply it in our daily lives.
