Outsourcing science: Where does the future of industry research lie?

With more and more big companies cutting back on internal R&D spending, and a greater demand for even quite small companies to produce top standard scientific data, what does the future hold for science and innovation?

Will outsourcing science to CROs, and a greater focus on partnerships with academic institutions coupled with an ever increasing open innovation culture mean that internal R&D is less important to food and nutrition companies in the future?

According to Joerg Gruenwald, founder and chief scientific advisor at analyse & realise, it makes sense that the industry is cutting down on big research departments. However, Sofia Mendonca, business development manager at Allma warned that internal research and development is important to businesses, but noted that more partnerships that bind academic knowledge and industry knowhow are needed.

“Innovation is happening in universities and independent institutions, and not necessarily in your own company, so you have to take advantage of that,”​ said Fernando Cartagena, director of Monteloeder.