In February 2017, NN launched its first international innovation ‘Sparklab’ in Hungary. On the occasion of its first anniversary, Steven Sudy, Sparklab Lead Hungary, reflects on the lab’s first year and the progress on driving innovation.
Why did NN launch Sparklab in Hungary?
As technology evolves, so do people and their habits. People expect to have digital solutions to everything around them. Consumers expect convenience and innovation when purchasing products and services. At NN, we want to truly matter in the lives of our stakeholders. We want to help our customers get better care and live better lives through technology-enabled solutions we can provide them with.
Since its launch, Sparklab in Hungary has been open to start-ups and other partners to develop and test innovative ideas that support the improvement of quality of life.
How would you describe the first year of Sparklab Hungary?
There is a saying: ‘Everybody has plans until we get punched in the face’. Last year, we focused on testing different innovation methods, measuring success/failure and then reiterating to see what works and what doesn’t. Along our first year journey, we had ambitious plans, we encountered failures, and ‘got punched in the face’, but we always got back up making new plans. Last year we learned a lot, and we’re now running in “Sparklab 2.0” mode.
What have been the main highlights?
Last year, we initiated a partnership with Vodafone in Hungary. Together we started working on a solution to provide better care for people living with diabetes. This includes an app with which patients can easily track their blood sugar levels and other relevant metrics helping them improve their quality of life. This year, we will continue our collaboration with Vodafone on a project related to child obesity.
What is your vision for the future?
I want Sparklab Hungary to contribute to the development of great solutions for our customers, solutions that truly improve their quality of life. And I want these solutions to be available, not just in Hungary, but across more countries where NN Group is present!
