With a seminar given by the Spanish expert Enric Segarra, the Uruguayan Chamber of Information Technology (Cuti) launched its program i3: +ideas +initiatives +innovation, an initiative aimed at supporting the creation and strengthening of innovation capabilities in companies in the technology sector.
The proposal, sponsored by the Industrial Fund of the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Mining and supported by the National Agency for Research and Innovation, includes awareness-raising activities, a cycle of seven workshops by national and international speakers, and interventions in companies, where innovation capabilities will be diagnosed and measured.
Leonardo Loureiro, director of Cuti, explained that "Uruguayan ICT companies have shown that they can generate important business locally and internationally, but it is important that they can stay at the forefront of innovation to continue growing in the competitive international market, not only at the price level but with different, disruptive proposals that provide high added value".
Faced with this reality, the Chamber decided to launch this space and called Segarra to kick off and begin to motivate and train entrepreneurs and employees of companies in the sector.
With a conference entitled Rethink! Turbulence, black swans, change and disruption, the expert provided his vision on how to foster and institutionalize innovation in organizations that are already established. "We are currently living in a time of unprecedented constant change and the ability of organizations to adapt through innovation will be vital to stay alive in the business world," he said.
On how to achieve this, Segarra said it is key to develop likeability and a positive inclination towards change. He added that disruptive thinking should be encouraged, even if it is uncomfortable at times, and that it is necessary to find the right balance between exploiting the current business and exploring new opportunities. In his view, companies should think and organize themselves in a customer or user-oriented way using conceptual frameworks, processes and tools such as design thinking or job-to-be-done.
During the rest of the year and on a monthly basis, other workshops will be held on topics such as creativity, innovation in business models, innovation strategies, tools for the development of new products, idea generation models and organizational design for innovation. At the end of the program, participants will receive a certificate in "Innovation Management".
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