WILD Labs - Mapping the Innovation Frontier - A Taxonomy for Navigating Spaces and Processes
TIME
14:00 – 15:30
TRACKS
TRACK 5: Living Labs Operations, Methods, Tools, and Impact
ORGANISER
inViable Life Cycle Thinking, Beatriz Rivela
DESCRIPTION
In recent decades, the concept of innovation and the definition of principles on how to run a co-design process ethically and genuinely to include communities in problem-solving and decision-making, have gradually garnered increased attention. This comes as the challenges societies face in a moment of serious eco-social crisis become ever more pressing. The approach of this workshop stems from the study and analysis of different formats, spaces, processes, and tools within various innovation frameworks, as well as previous attempts at systematisation and taxonomy (see, for example, “A Taxonomy of Organized Innovation Spaces,” a publication driven by the JRC in 2023). This serves to open a discussion on interoperability and potential lessons to incorporate into Living Labs from other innovation frameworks. Specifically, a taxonomy proposal will be presented for discussion, allowing for the exploration of symbiosis and integration of learnings, ultimately leading to the development of a catalogue of processes and tools that could potentially be integrated into a forward-looking vision of future applications that transcend the specific standardisation of Living Labs: the WILD Labs.
Agenda
The workshop has been designed considering 5 moments, which begin by sharing the motivation and intention and invite to an interactive exploration from the participants’ own experience, according to the following sequence:
- INTRO. Motivation and intention of the workshop (10 min)
- Reflection on living labs vs. innovation labs. Different cultures, contexts, needs.
- TRIGGER QUESTIONS (15 min; participatory process)
- In the context of innovation, what is a laboratory?
- What laboratory formats do you think are relevant?
- TAXONOMY PROPOSAL (20 min)
- An attempt to understand how labs perceive the world: Taxonomy of innovation laboratories. Presentation of a conceptual map of frameworks, methodologies, and tools.
- WILD WEST OF INNOVATION LABS (30 min)
- Where do you think your work fits? Participants physically place themselves in the position representing each framework (with its collection of methodologies and tools)
- Group discussion about the methodologies and tools that characterise that framework. What’s missing, what’s surplus …
- Each person changes position (moves to another framework of their choice). Reflection on interoperability and symbiosis.
- FINAL DISCUSSION (15 min)
SPEAKER BIOS
Beatriz Rivela
Co Founder - Head of Science Culturambiente inViable
Beatriz Rivela
Co Founder - Head of Science Culturambiente inViableBorn in a village in Galicia, Beatriz Rivela (BeÃña) studied Chemical Engineering and journeyed to the South of Chile to design and implement a clean production program. What she gleaned from her experience, while working in a semi-artisanal leather tannery in the Araucania Region, is that fundamental distinctions in the design and execution of programs are crucial for ensuring business sustainability. This realisation led her to embrace the Life Cycle Approach. Since then, all her academic research and professional fieldwork have revolved around the study, application, and promotion of life cycle conceptual processes and tools. BeÃña possesses a wealth of experience in environmental sustainability, showcased by her significant work in life cycle analysis and eco-innovation. Her founding roles at inViable and Culturambiente exemplify her commitment to integrating environmental considerations with social values, promoting eco-friendly cultural change. At the Escuela Politécnica Nacional (Ecuador), she led efforts to integrate sustainability across the institution's fabric, crafting a vision for a research-oriented and socially engaged university. Her guidance in sustainable campus initiatives reflected a dedication to environmental stewardship and educational excellence. Her expertise was further exemplified at Plan International Ecuador, where she advocated for sustainable livelihoods, translating research into impactful community initiatives. Her extensive experience in community engagement and outreach programs has been vital in fostering collaborations that transform academic research into societal benefits, demonstrating a keen understanding of the interconnectedness of ecological, educational, and social systems.
Juan Freire
Co-founder inViable
Juan Freire
Co-founder inViableJuan Freire has had a distinguished career, leading numerous multidisciplinary teams across scientific, corporate, and startup environments. His expertise spans the rapid development and prototyping of new products, ideas, and projects, as well as overseeing the entire lifecycle from market launch to operation and continuous improvement of products and services. Juan's work is firmly grounded in scientific methodologies, characterised by a critical, data-intensive, and experimental approach, as well as design principles that prioritise strategic and user-centred thinking. Much of his professional journey has been dedicated to the development and extensive utilisation of digital platforms and products, often collaborating with and leading digital teams. With a strong foundation in sustainability and environmental sciences, Juan's academic background was cultivated primarily within university and spin-off settings. In 2011, he made a significant transition from academia to strategy and innovation consultancy, simultaneously founding various entrepreneurial ventures. His entrepreneurial spirit led him to co-found 10 companies and startups, each focused on areas such as sustainability, education, technology, innovation, and design. Notably, from 2017 to 2023, Juan played integral roles at Tecnológico de Monterrey, one of Latin America's leading universities, where he contributed significantly to educational and digital innovation and drove organisational transformation through his various leadership positions. Juan has developed a long career working with fisheries and marine ecosystem management, including participating in and leading several projects focused on Marine Protected Areas both in Europe and Latin America. In those projects, one of the strategic objectives was community participation to promote both environmental and socio-economic sustainability.