Sumitomo Corporation launch Intrapreneurship programme
L Marks appointed innovation partner by Sumitomo Corporation Europe Ltd. and Sumitomo Corporation of Americas as the global conglomerate prepares to launch the “0–>1 Challenge 2019”
L Marks, the London-based firm behind the innovation programs transforming large organisations, including BMW Group, Energias de Portugal and Lloyd’s of London, has been appointed innovation partner by Sumitomo Corporation Europe Ltd. and Sumitomo Corporation of Americas. L Marks will lead the design and delivery of the “0–>1 Challenge 2019,” the global conglomerate’s flagship innovation program, in the EMEA & CIS and Americas regions. The program will bring together employees from across these two regions, inviting them to share their ideas and expertise to help shape the future of Sumitomo Corporation Group.
Conceived as an intrapreneurship program, the “0–>1 Challenge 2019” empowers and equips employees from across Sumitomo Corporation Group’s EMEA & CIS and Americas regions to play a key role in defining the organization’s innovation agenda. The program is expressly designed to harness the on-the-ground experience of employees for the development and implementation of new lines of business and helping to overcome the common challenges of intrapreneurship. Supported by the L Marks Intrapreneurship Program Team and the firm’s extensive mentor network of entrepreneurs and experts, participants will present their initial proposals to Sumitomo Corporation Group leadership at two Pitch Days, to be held in London and New York, in October. Intrapreneurs successful at this stage will progress to Program Live to develop and commercialize their proposals over 16 weeks.
In addition to producing trial-proven solutions, the”0–>1 Challenge 2019” will embed intrapreneurship across Sumitomo Corporation Group. Continuous innovation will in turn become a key characteristic of the organizations, generating a dynamic culture and, ultimately, fuelling growth.
Daniel Saunders, CEO of L Marks, said:
We are delighted to be partnering with Sumitomo Corporation Europe Ltd. and Sumitomo Corporation of Americas to create the “0–>1 Challenge 2019.” People are the heart of any organization; it is the employees on the ground who move the business forward. The intrapreneurship program is designed to leverage the talent, ideas and experience that exists within the organization. We are confident that it will not only generate transformative products and services for the business, but also create a class of innovation champions capable of driving pioneering solutions throughout Sumitomo Corporation Group well into the future.
About Sumitomo Corporation
Sumitomo Corporation (“SC”) is a leading Fortune 500 global trading and business investment company with 133 locations in 66 countries and regions. The entire SC Group consists of more than 900 companies. SC conducts commodity transactions in all industries utilizing worldwide networks, provides related customers with various financing, serves as an organizer and a coordinator for various projects, and invests in companies to promote greater growth potential. SC’s core business areas include Metal Products, Transportation and Construction Systems, Environment and Infrastructure, Media and Digital, Living Related and Real Estate, Mineral Resources, Energy, and Chemical and Electronics. For more information visit www.sumitomocorp.com.
About L Marks
L Marks is a specialist in corporate innovation and early-stage investor. Led by Stuart Marks and Daniel Saunders, the firm has designed and delivered more than 50 innovation programs in locations across the UK and in Spain, Israel, Japan and the US. L Marks partners with world-renowned organizations including BMW Group, Lloyd’s of London and British Airways, identifying business challenges and transforming them into opportunities for growth. Its Innovation Experts have launched and delivered a wide range of intrapreneur programs for FTSE 100 companies. Without exception, these programs have succeeded both in terms of moving the organization forward and in new directions and driving cultural change.