On June 21st, the Teatret del Serrallo was the venue for the launch session of SOM-INN PORT, the Port of Tarragona’s new Innovation Ecosystem, which seeks to make Tarragona a base port for innovation at an international level.
The session was opened by Ramón García, Managing Director of the Port of Tarragona, who reminded those present of how important innovation is for the Port of Tarragona and how its Open Innovation Ecosystem is a new element that makes it possible to continue affirming that Tarragona is a base port in terms of Innovation. At the same time, he explained that this would not be possible without the involvement of the Port Community in its entirety and without the contribution of all the interested stakeholders: current and future clients, members of the public from our areas and social and political institutions.
The launch of Som-Inn Port, the Port of Tarragona’s Innovation Ecosystem
Carme Tarragó, head of the Port Authority’s Department of Studies and Innovation, talked about how to address the future challenges to ports by applying the strategy of Open Innovation. She explained how the five core principles of Open Innovation will be developed in Som-Inn Port, the schedule of activities, the management tools and what the next steps to be taken are. She also expressed her gratitude for the commitment demonstrated by the entities that have already signed up and those that are in the process of joining Som-Inn Port. She also gratified the motivation and enthusiasm demonstrated by the first 15 Innovation Agents.
Som-Inn Port is starting life with 12 entities already signed up and 23 agreements signed with others intending to join. A constantly updated list of members of the Port of Tarragona’s Innovation Ecosystem can be found by following this link.
Carme Tarragó, leader of the Tarragona Port Authority’s Som-Inn Port, explaining the details of how the Port of Tarragona’s Innovation Ecosystem functions
Som-Inn Port, promoting the values of collaboration to build an innovative ecosystem
The session was concluded by Pere Monràs and Jordi Carrasco, Chairman and Director of the Biomimetics Science Institute, who gave an interesting and inspiring talk and a dynamic exchange between the attendees regarding the creation of innovation ecosystems by following the model of nature itself.
Pere Monràs, Chairman of the Biomimetics Science Institute, using nature to explain the need for collaboration in order to create innovative environments
Jordi Carrasco, Director of the Biomimetics Science Institute, screened a video on how small actions, such as the introduction of wolves into Yellowstone National Park in the United States, can dramatically alter the success or failure of these ecosystems. Not to be missed!
This session was led by Ignasi Clos, a partner at INDUCT, the consulting company collaborating with the Port of Tarragona in creating this innovation ecosystem, and one that specialises in the creation of open innovation communities.
Aims and core principles for participating in Som-Inn Port
Som-Inn Port is the area of collaboration between the Port Community and our stakeholders as a whole, in order to innovate in the Port of Tarragona’s processes, services and business models. In the following link you can find out more about how this innovation ecosystem works.
Its aims are:
- To promote innovation in the processes and services offered by the Port of Tarragona to its clients.
- To cooperate in order to make a large number of ideas and innovative projects of common interest tangible.
- To promote Collective Intelligence and the Culture of Innovation.
- To internationally promote the innovative capacities of the Port of Tarragona and of the members of the Innovation Ecosystem.
- To perform benchmarking in order to share know-how, experiences and the best practices in Innovation.
- To promote the professional talent of the Port of Tarragona and of all the members of the Innovation Ecosystem.
- To boost participation in European Innovation Projects.
- To generate a unique experience in the Port environment.
SOM-INN PORT promotes Open Innovation with five core principles:
- Competitive vigilance
- Co-innovation by means of Design Thinking
- Agile development of prototypes by means of Design Sprint
- Training in corporate innovation
- Networking between the members of the Innovation Ecosystem
Som-Inn Port seeks cooperation between the members of the Port Community and other territories but is also interested in the participation of members from outside the world of ports, aware of the need to form hybrids in order to innovate successfully. Only thus will we succeed in making Tarragona a base port for innovation.
If you would like to innovate with the Port of Tarragona, please get in touch with Som-Inn Port.
We look forward to hearing from you!
