When Procter & Gamble tried out crowdsourcing in 2002

Crowdsourcing is slowly becoming a must in industrial manufacturing. Back in 2002, it was not so clear that outside forces could play a role in developing new processes and systems. This is why Procter & Gamble's experience in this field has remained a pivotal example of why open innovation is essential to move companies forward. Thirteen years ago, the company was struggling to find a way to print images onto Pringles cans. A European scientist network coordinated the process and their their open competition eventually led them to an Italian bakery which had faced a similar challenge when they tried to print images onto pastries. After licensing this new technology, P&G moved quickly to bring their new idea to the market. Most importantly, that success story opened the R&D process to outside collaborators: between 2002 and 2012, the role of crowdsourcing in Procter & Gamble grew by 40 percent. Many firms are turning to crowdsourcing as a way to cut costs, improve efficiency and accelerate innovation. Join our network of solvers and become a player in our open innovation tournaments!