Open Innovation in Insurance: Why It's No Longer Optional
We live in an era in which change is no longer an occasional thing, but a constant one. Technological advances are making a big impact in our daily lives, redefining not only how we communicate, move or work, but also how we understand concepts as essential as care, security or protection. In this new scenario, where digital is intertwined with the human, companies are called to rethink their role. It is no longer enough to adapt, it is necessary to anticipate, collaborate, learn from the environment and act with purpose.
This is where the innovation open, an approach that goes beyond technological improvement or the development of new products. Innovating in an open way is a declaration of intent because it involves opening up to external knowledge, building bridges with those outside the traditional perimeter of the organization and, above all, putting collective intelligence at the service of common welfare. Especially in sectors such as insurance, whose mission is to accompany people in the most important moments of their lives, this way of innovating acquires even greater relevance.
From collaboration to impact: the value of the startup ecosystem
Open innovation breaks with the logic that everything must be done “inside”. It is based on the conviction that the best ideas are not always born within the organization, and that collaboration with external agents, startups, universities, entrepreneurs, clients or research centers, can accelerate processes, enrich proposals and generate solutions that are more adapted to the real challenges of society. In short, it is a more permeable way of thinking, more connected to reality and more generous in its vision of progress.
For insurers, this approach represents a real opportunity for transformation. Not only does it allow us to gain agility and rapidly incorporate emerging technologies, but it also favors a more diverse view, less conditioned by internal inertia. By opening up to new ways of thinking and working, companies in the sector can redefine their relationship with customers, designing products and services that are more empathetic, personalized and useful in their daily lives.
Innovate with purpose to be close to people
But the value of open innovation is not measured only in terms of efficiency or competitiveness. Its true impact is reflected in the ability to build a living ecosystem, where collaboration generates shared value and tangible benefits for society. In this type of environment, innovation ceases to be an end in itself and becomes a means that improves people's lives by anticipating risks, facilitating decision-making, simplifying procedures or even providing emotional support in complex moments.
Companies that want to thrive in this uncertain and changing context must assume that they cannot do it alone. The complexity of the present requires open networks, constant exchange and active listening. It involves abandoning the idea of absolute control to give way to a more flexible logic, where the important thing is not so much who has the idea, but how it is implemented and who benefits.
Along these lines, initiatives such as Santalucía Impulsa represent a clear example of how a large company can lead this transformation from within, without losing its connection with the innovative ecosystem that surrounds it.
Bet on collaboration with startups, promote the Intrapurrecy and opening spaces where new ideas flourish not only allows us to move forward as an organization, but also to strengthen a firm commitment to people, who are, after all, the raison d'être of the insurance sector.
Because innovating, when done with meaning, with empathy and with a long-term vision, is not only a matter of technology, but also a way of being present, of caring and of evolving together with those who matter most to us.
