It’s the conference for new ideas that successfully drive corporate development – the European Innovation Impact Summit in Brussels. On 27 and 28 September, the summit offered innovative companies at the international level a forum for networking and a focused exchange of experiences. The highlight of the event came with the presentation of the European Innovation Impact Awards. Medtech company Ottobock’s ideas management scheme garnered a win in the “Best Ideas Management Program in Healthcare” category, coming out on top of over 100 other competitors.

The European Innovation Impact Award recognises European companies’ best projects in the areas of ideas and innovations. “We are delighted to be able to further promote Ottobock’s sustainable ideas management programme with the Special Award Healthcare. We were impressed by the programme’s focus and the successes it has already achieved,” noted ideasEurope CEO Roland Rausch at the awards ceremony on 27 September.

Anja Rupprecht has been dedicated to promoting ideas management at Ottobock for over five years under the motto “Keep thinking – solve problems – achieve benefits”. She has continually developed the “IdeenBörse”, a scheme focusing on the exchange of ideas within the company that extends from the simple handling of suggestions to consulting to networking.

Rupprecht expressed her appreciation for her colleagues’ commitment as she accepted the award: “Above all, we have our employees’ creativity and the many people who assess ideas within the company to thank for this special award. Together, we have succeeded in increasing our productivity enormously,” said the ideas manager. Since 2012, Ottobock has achieved initial annual savings of more than one million euros thanks to just under 700 implemented ideas.

“The IdeenBörse programme helps our employees become actively involved in the company’s affairs. The European Innovation Impact Award has shown us that we’re on the right path and encouraged us to continue expanding the opportunities we offer in this direction,” said Dr Sönke Rössing, Chief of Strategy and Human Resources at Ottobock.

The European Innovation Impact Summit 2017 was held at the premises of the EU institutions in Brussels under the patronage of Ulrike Müller, Member of the European Parliament. Following this successful pilot event, the summit will in future offer international companies an exclusive conference and supporting programme each year that includes cutting-edge presentations and keynote speeches from the academic community – and therefore the opportunity to learn from the best.