Case Study: NASA Uses Open Innovation To Spur Creativity And Generate Business Value

NASA's role in the US federal government isn't what it used to be. The days of the space race are long finished, and Cold-War-fueled, multibillion-dollar missile programs are a distant memory. NASA's uncertain future is also reflected in federal budget allocation. In order to continue producing cutting-edge results, NASA has changed the way it conducts business as well as the type of work it does and the outputs it creates. NASA has increased its outreach to the public at large to generate innovative ideas to best utilize and leverage the space program for the public good. The recent International Space Apps Challenge provides useful lessons in successfully developing and harnessing an open innovation ecosystem to better engage the public, find new and innovative ideas, and do it on a global basis. Forrester spoke with Dr. Sasi Kumar Pillay, chief technology officer at NASA, about lessons learned from the International Space Apps Challenge.