Your Global
Innovation Partner

Founded in Cleveland, Ohio (USA), NineSigma was one of the first companies offering Open Innovation services. Needless to say that NineSigma contributed to shaping that industry. Quite early on, Procter & Gamble’s management team grasped the value proposition behind NineSigma’s offering and implemented it into its innovation strategy through what has been called ‘Connect + Develop‘. This initiative was to become a successful program for fostering collaborations with innovators from outside the company’s four walls.

NineSigma? Well, Six Sigma has proven to be a successful approach for eliminating defects in any process. After optimization comes Innovation, hence NineSigma.

Harvard Professor Henry W. Chesbrough coined the term ‘Open Innovation’ (see Open Innovation: The New Imperative for Creating and Profiting from Technology. HBS Press. 2003).

What NineSigma had been doing for three years started to draw the attention of a much larger business community, thanks to Chesbrough’s seminal research work.

In a first effort to globalize its business, NineSigma Inc. concluded an alliance with Nippon Research Institute Co., Ltd. and started operating in Japan through that partnership.

NineSigma Japan Co. was incorporated in Tokyo and was the first private firm offering Open Innovation Services in Japan.

Continuing its global expansion, NineSigma opened an office in Belgium to propose Open Innovation services to European corporate clients. Quite rapidly NineSigma engaged with great companies like Ferrero, Danone, Siemens, Akzo Nobel, Ansaldo or K+S AG.

Embarking on the digitalization wave, NineSigma opened a first version of its Digital Innovation Platform, NineSights, to connect our clients’ needs to solutions and new approaches proposed by a global pool of bright innovators.

The GE NFL Head Health Grand Challenge was a $60 million program that included research and challenges to develop new solutions to help advance understanding of mild traumatic brain injury.

NineSigma structured and organized the Grand Challenge, launching a new offering that gives clients the opportunity to call for radical innovations to solve high aspirational needs and societal issues.

Football players are ready to start.

Through an MBO, NineSigma Holdings was created and headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. NineSigma Holdings is today the parent company of three NineSigma entities: NineSigma Europe, NineSigma North America and NineSigma Asia Pacific.

This new move enhances the company’s global footprint even more by accelerating its presence in key innovative regions of the world.

With close to 5,500 OI projects managed for more than 800 clients, NineSigma continues to expand and to offer focused, streamlined services.

NineSigma launches Open Innovation Council (OIC), a unique global network of over 20 000 members, tech-savvy industry professionals from multi-national corporations, SMEs and start ups who are passionate about technology and ready to share their insights with you.
OIC gives you quick access to fresh ideas.

NineSigma introduces Custom Innovation Programs designed to address the specific situation in your company.
Every organisation is unique and by working with us in the Partnership Model, you can access a highly interactive, flexible approach, with a dedicated NineSigma Team and full access to all our resources, to drive your innovation strategy.

NineSigma continues to grow, broaden its technical expertise and increase experience of innovation.
NineSigma has managed over 10 000 innovation projects and enabled over 2000 clients to grow their business through innovation.
30 Corporate Clients are working with NineSigma through the Partnership Program.
The Research Team has grown by over 50% and we welcomed 5 new Program Manager in the USA and Europe, enhancing our expertise in Chemistry, Materials Science, Physical Sciences, Aerospace, Sustainability and Renewable Energy.

20 years ago 100% of our services were public Open Innovation projects seeking new technologies.
Today, our clients are seeking more discrete, confidential exploratory projects.
Now, over 50% of our work is never made public. We use private and targeted approaches to help our clients:
– Understand the external environment and make strategic decision
– Find new partners, suppliers, manufacturers and R&D collaborators
– Create and test new business ideas in the B2B market.
Through constant evolution of our approaches, our digital infrastructure and our team, we are well positioned to help you grow and be successful in the next 20 years.