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‘W
e want to disrupt the industry,”
says
Teppo Voutilainen
, Head of
KONE’s New Services and Solutions
Division. His team has a mandate
to prospect for completely new
businesses and models that may not even exist today.
“We have permission to look at things out of the box and
create a new environment to innovate,” he says, brimming
with excitement.
This enthusiasm stems from KONE’s renewed approach
to innovation. The confluence of competition, digitalization
and increasing urbanization has created new opportunities
for the company. And KONE aims to harness its potential
to introduce unique solutions, and fulfill its mission – to
improve the flow of urban life.
“We want to create a consistent People Flow experience
from the moment a person leaves home to the moment he
or she returns in the evening,” says Voutilainen.
To be able to innovate consistently requires insight and a
deep understanding of the needs created by urbanization.
KEEPING COMPANY WITH INNOVATION LEADERS
KONE already has an impressive innovation pedigree.
In 2015, Forbes business magazine ranked it among the
world’s top 50 innovation leaders, where it keeps company
with the likes of Tesla, Amazon and Apple.
Some of KONE’s past innovation credentials include
MonoSpace, a machine-room-less elevator invented in
1996, and UltraRope™, a lightweight rope with carbon
fiber that made high-rise travel possible. Both of these
groundbreaking technologies redefined innovation in the
industry.
But nothing stands still. Changes in market dynamics
and technologies mean the company needs to explore
new areas for growth. So instead of basking in the glory of
past achievements, KONE wants to ensure it remains at the
leading edge of technological development into the future.
“Cloud technologies, faster networks, computing power
and sensor technologies are all critical pieces,” says KONE
Chief Technology Officer
Tomio Pihkala
, mindful of how
digitalization and its related technological disruptions are
driving innovation.
“We are able to offer some services to customers in a
much easier way than before through the cloud and by
using mobile solutions, and that will have a significant
impact on our industry,” predicts Pihkala.
In a highly competitive environment, innovation is a key currency
that successful organizations use to maintain advantage in
constantly shifting markets. KONE too is changing its approach
toward innovation to cover more ground and create distinct value.
Innovating for future success
TEXT
DENISE WALL
ILLUSTR ATION
iSTOCK / KrulUA
“We started getting
many good partner
proposals from
countries but, I want to
see a bigger tsunami.”
BUILDING A COLLABORATIVE ECONOMY
To stay ahead of the curve, KONE is implementing a
program of innovation acceleration. Internally, it has formed
a new Technology and Innovation unit, which will bring
together KONE’s Research & Development and IT functions,
to cater to the fast-changing technological landscape. Apart
from emphasizing cross-functional teams and underscoring
field expertise, it is betting on productive partnerships – like
the one with IBM.
KONE will use IBM’s technology to harness the potential
of digitalization and the Internet of Things (IoT). IBM’s
Watson IoT Cloud Platform will help collect and store
equipment data, build applications, and develop new
solutions and new experiences for KONE’s customers.
Meanwhile, tapping into the buzzing start-up scene also
gives KONE the legroom to experiment.
“We’ve organized hackathon events where we invite 15
startup teams to work 48 hours. We feed them problems to
be solved and they come up with ideas,” Pihkala explains.
Increasingly, many companies are exploiting digital
platforms and engaging in industry-wide cooperation to
bring new technologies and platforms to the market. KONE
is also looking to tap into the collaborative economy as part
of its innovation strategy.
“Innovations will happen as ecosystems and partnerships
network. More so, within global networks, and increasingly
with customers who are leading the industry,” Pihkala
points out.
Voutilainen agrees. “We will be in very active and open
dialogue with customers and front lines, and will also be
working very closely with R&D,” he says, highlighting
KONE’s strategy.
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