AkzoNobel Announces 'Paint the Future' Challenge

AkzoNobel said it is seeking out the “newest, coolest, smartest and most revolutionary developments out there” as the company wants to combine its global scale, know-how and expertise with the “ingenious” solutions of start-ups and scale-ups around the world as part of its Paint the Future innovation challenge, which aims to connect with new disruptive technologies and accelerate innovation in the world of paints and coatings.

    "Our passion for paint and innovation goes way back and we're even more excited about the future," AkzoNobel CEO Thierry Vanlancker said. "Led by our Chief Technology Officer, Klaas Kruithof, we want to work with visionaries and entrepreneurs, capture the creative genius that flows from open innovation and paint the future together."

    "As a technology-driven paints and coatings company, we're full of knowledge, know-how and resources that we're ready to share,” Kruithof said. “We have a clear view of what our customers will need and expect in the future, so we're actively looking to collaborate with forward-thinking partners and take our innovation in all areas to another dimension. The future's a blank canvas - this is an exciting opportunity to help us paint it."

    Launched in partnership with KPMG, the annual challenge will give the winners the chance to enter into a joint development agreement with AkzoNobel. It's focused on five key areas:
1. Predictable performance: “How can we collect and augment data more innovatively so that our predictions for real-world surface performance become more accurate and efficient?”;
2. Smart application: “How could your solution change or improve the way customers apply our products?”;
3. Circular solutions: “How would your solution enable the circular use of materials at any point in our value chain?”;
4. Enhanced functionality: “What exciting new functionality can your technology offer to make coatings cleaner, more responsive or adaptive?”;
5. Life science infusion: “How can your solution, containing bio-active technology, help bring better performance or innovative features to our coatings?”

The finalists will be invited to attend a special awards event around the middle of next year when the winners will be announced. Full details will be released in January.