Beiersdorf launches revised version of its open innovation platform Pearlfinder

• More convenient and attractive Pearlfinder to increase the number of external cooperation partners
• Open innovation initiative of NIVEA producer dedicated to confidentiality

Hamburg, 18-12-2014 — /EuropaWire/ — Today (December 15th, 2014) Beiersdorf has launched a revised version of it’s open innovation platform Pearlfinder. As of now it is even easier for registered users to submit innovative ideas and to get in touch with Beiersdorf scientists. The relaunch further strengthens the open innovation initiative of the NIVEA producer. Whether scouting new raw materials and technologies or sharing creative innovation ideas: Pearlfinder has been successfully connecting external cooperation partners with Beiersdorf researchers for a good four years.

“Our community includes suppliers from diverse industries as well as institutes, universities and scientists. With Pearlfinder we enable a collaborative and confidential exchange in a secure environment,” says Katrin Thiel, who manages the NIVEA producer’s open innovation platform together with Manja Stroech. The platform has been completely overhauled in the last few months.

Convenient Form of Collaboration
“We have made collaborating with our users more convenient: the pages are clearer, it’s easier to upload suggestions and managing your own data is simple – just like we are used to in modern social media,” says Manja Stroech. “With better usability and an attractive new design we also hope to expand our circle of cooperation partners for Beiersdorf. Currently there are 270 external partners registered. Our users have already contributed many valuable innovation ideas and solutions about half of which are followed up on annually. Some of the submitted ideas have already led to promising cooperative research – some with new partners – that without Pearlfinder we probably would have never stumbled upon,” says Stroech.

Competitive Advantage through Guarantee of Confidentiality
Katrin Thiel and Manja Stroech trace the high quality of the ideas back to the platform’s approach to confidentiality. On Pearlfinder each registered community member can submit ideas without having to fear they will be misused. This is guaranteed by a confidentiality agreement between Beiersdorf and the Pearlfinder user made during registration.

“We have received feedback from members who see this security aspect of Pearlfinder as a prerequisite for trusting and open collaboration, which is absent from other open innovation platforms. With it we have created an important advantage over our competitors’ similar initiatives,” says Katrin Thiel.

Sharing Knowledge Across Industries
Small companies especially remark that Pearlfinder helps them to better understand the needs of Beiersdorf. Another attractive aspect is that working with Beiersdorf researchers affords them insight into the latest findings in the fields of skin research, skin care and consumer desires.

“We also hope that Pearlfinder will encourage the exchange of ideas across industries,” says Manja Stroech. “Because many of the ingredients used in cosmetics originally come from other industries. Q10 for example stems originally from the food industry. There are also interesting overlaps between our research areas and the paint industry or for example biotechnology. That’s why we hope to get potential cooperation partners excited about Pearlfinder.”

Click here for the Pearlfinder Online Platform: http://Pearlfinder.Beiersdorf.de

Press Contact
Inken Hollmann-Peters
Vice President Corporate Communications & Sustainability

Beiersdorf AG
Unnastrasse 48
20245 Hamburg, Germany

Phone: +49 (0) 40 – 4909 2001

Email: cc@beiersdorf.com