At Bitron, innovation is not only a corporate goal, but a commitment shared by every employee. From these principles was launched “Innovation X,” an internal contest dedicated to all Bitron Group employees within the Automotive Business Unit. The purpose of the initiative was to gather innovative ideas regarding automotive products or solutions. These ideas were then evaluated by an internal jury of experts, made up of people covering different business functions, with the aim of scoring and rewarding the best ones. 

We spoke with Massimo Romairone, Automotive R&D Director, and Giuseppe Barberio, Automotive Innovation Manager, to find out the impact of this initiative and future directions.

The origins of Innovation X

According to the R&D Director, the creation of a contest like “Innovation X” was a natural consequence of Bitron's strategy. “We are driven by a strong desire to be increasingly innovative and a technology leader for our customers,” he explains. The main goal of the contest was to involve all people in the Automotive Business Unit, making each employee a key player in innovation. It is essential that everyone has the opportunity to contribute to Bitron's future by generating ideas that push the company in new directions for growth.

To ensure objective evaluation of the submitted projects, the committee followed well-defined criteria. “We established clear parameters, such as level of innovation, patentability, feasibility, and sustainability, “continues Massimo Romairone-” These criteria made it possible to reward the ideas most in line with the company's strategic vision. Although the choice was not easy, the objective assessment helped the team identify the ideas with the greatest potential to bring long-term value.”

A new approach to innovation

The contest had a concrete impact on the corporate culture. Giuseppe Barberio emphasizes how “Innovation X” has created an environment in which every employee feels involved, “It has been a concrete project to promote the innovation strategy, making each of us a protagonist.” Innovation, in this context, is no longer seen as the exclusive responsibility of the R&D department, but as an opportunity open to everyone. This openness has given rise to new synergies among colleagues, which have often resulted in innovative solutions, as evidenced by one of the contest's winning ideas, for which patentability was also requested.

The importance of involving everyone

“The importance of the active involvement of all levels of the company in the development of successful innovations “, reiterates Massimo Romairone-” The sense of belonging is fundamental. It is what makes us feel part of an ambitious project.” Innovation, in fact, cannot be confined only to certain sectors or business functions; it must permeate the entire organization. For this reason, once winning ideas are identified, Bitron invests in the development of prototypes and MVPs (Minimum Viable Products), which open the way to commercialization.

A lasting impact

Due to his specific role, Giuseppe Barberio feels directly involved in an initiative that makes innovation its first value. “I firmly believe that ‘Innovation X’ can have a significant long-term impact on business innovation,” says the Innovation Manager.” Employees often have ideas for improving processes or products, but they don't know how to share them. The contest gives them that opportunity, and this can lead to solutions that improve both products and processes.” The idea behind “Innovation X” is just that: to stimulate active participation, so that even the simplest ideas can evolve into valuable projects.

In conclusion, our Group continues to believe in investing in innovation as a strategic asset for the future, and “Innovation X” represents just one of many initiatives aimed at promoting positive change. The challenge now is to turn these ideas into concrete realities that can drive the company to new horizons of success.