Course Title

Digital innovation for Sustainable Development

Course Code

SDS 425

Course Type

Elective

Level

Master’s

Year / Semester

2^nd Semester

Instructor’s Name

Fabio Maria Montagnino

ECTS

5

Lectures / week

3

Laboratories / week

Course Purpose and Objectives

This course will expand SDS student’s possibilities to become agents of change and support sustainable development, both at local and global level.

It introduces innovation as a discipline, presenting models, frameworks and structured approaches that may be applied to promote, design and manage innovation. It focuses upon the way innovation is generated, and the explores the possible approaches that can foster sustainable development in human communities and offer solution for the most pressing global challenges.

It addresses the open innovation model, offering a first insight about the potential role of the different players in multi-stakeholder dynamics. Through practical examples, it shows how innovative ideas can be generated and supported in the journey towards an effective exploitation, from small and local, to large-scale deployment.

Theoretical contents will be interlinked with real-life experiences and implementation in the digitalization context. Students will acquire element methodology for the conceptual representation of business models, as well as the appropriate communication approaches towards the potential stakeholders

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will:

• experience, also through real life examples, concepts about sustainable, social and green innovation, and reflect about the contribution of computation-based science and technology in this context
• understand the concept of open innovation and innovation ecosystems
• assimilate the essential elements of innovation management and the tools that can be employed to boost innovation processes.

Prerequisites

None

Course Content

W1. Innovation and sustainability

• Sustainable development, economy and innovation
• Responsible Research and Innovation
• Impact-oriented innovation

W2. Innovation theory and models

• Theory of change and socio-technical systems
• Innovation ecosystems
• Innovation processes and tools

W3. Innovation strategies

• Types of innovation
• Closed and open innovation
• Innovation inspired by nature
• Digitalization as an innovation megatrend

W4. Lab to market journey

• Design thinking
• (Pre)prototyping
• The concept of Minimum Viable Product

W5. Launching an impactful startup

• Sustainable business models
• Team building
• Go-to-market strategies
• Access to finance

W6. Intellectual property management

• Intellectual property as an asset
• How to protect IP
• How to valorize IP

W7. Challenging the Sustainable Development Goals and the EU Green Deal

• The UN SDGs as an innovation framework
• The EU Green and Digital transition
• Examples of innovation for sustainability challenges
• Examples of solutions from computation-based science and technology

Teaching Methodology

Lectures, discussion of cases, co-design activities

Bibliography

• Kate Raworth (2018), Doughnut Economics: seven ways to think like a 21st century economist, Chelsea Green Publishing
• Larry Keeley (2013), Ten types of innovation, John Wiley & Sons
• Henry Chesbrough (2006), Open Innovation, Harvard Business School,
• Peter Drucker (2015), Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Routledge
• Bill Aulet (2013), Disciplined entrepreneurship, Wiley
• Stefan Muench et al. (2022) Towards a green and digital future, Publications Office of the European Union

Assessment

Coursework, Essays, Presentations

Language

English