What It Really Takes to Form a High-Impact Innovation Consortium
We’ve just launched our case study on the White Dot Initiative, a MedTech alliance that brought competitors to the same table to tackle Germany’s mounting medical waste problem. Since publishing, we’ve been getting a steady stream of questions. Mostly about how this even worked.
How do you get competing manufacturers, clinics, and recyclers to work together?
What’s the method behind building an innovation consortium that doesn’t fall apart after the kickoff call?
TL;DR
To build a high-impact innovation consortium:
- Focus on system change, not just collaboration
- Start with a clear, realistic mission
- Select diverse, essential partners
- Use simple tools & agile structure
- Define impact early
Some are looking for templates. Others just want to know how to avoid ending up with a glorified workshop series.
This article answers those questions. It also explains what doesn’t work.
Not Every Consortium Is Collaborative
Plenty of projects describe themselves as collaborative. In reality, many are loosely stitched-together partnerships with overlapping agendas and no real mechanism for driving change.
A high-impact consortium needs a structure. One that gives everyone a role, keeps the work moving, and allows for disagreements without derailing the process.
That starts with clarity. Not inspiration.
The First Step: Get Real About Vision
A shared mission matters. But it has to mean something. In our White Dot project, we didn’t ask partners to agree on an abstract sustainability goal. We asked:
- Can Germany’s MedTech sector cut incineration and stay compliant with EU law?
- Can we avoid greenwashing while still being profitable?
- What would a circular system actually need to work, economically and operationally?
That’s the kind of vision that anchors a group.
Choosing Partners: It’s Not About Filling Seats
We’ve seen consortia collapse under the weight of too many similar partners. Others fail because critical expertise was missing.
What worked for White Dot was diversity with intent. Manufacturers like Johnson & Johnson. Hospitals with on-the-ground challenges. Recyclers who understand the end of the pipeline.
Each partner brought a piece of the puzzle, and none could do it alone.
There was no “lead brand.” There was structure, yes. There was our led, yes. But not dominance.
Move Forward Quickly: How to Get Things Done
Consortium work only progresses if there are clear tasks, formed into a project. For us, it meant:
- Cut down the vision into feasible projects
- Start with the one with the most valuable outcome for the group
- Define next steps and the most qualified lead after each project step
This worked because our structure was agile, and the lead could be handed over from one organization to the next.
Consortium Best Practices:
- Appoint dedicated persons to lead each task
- Use transparent budgeting
- Include community stakeholders or external advisors
Related Articles
The White Dot Feasibility Study Shows How MedTech Can Profit from Circular Economy
Tools Can Help. But Only If You Actually Use Them
Yes, digital platforms matter, and the White Dot had one. But technology alone didn’t build the alliance. In reality, you have to simplify as much as possible. Collaborating across organizations means navigating various IT restrictions. Neither Microsoft Teams, Google Suite, nor other planning tools work for everyone due to differing security policies. In the end, we committed to using just two tools:
- Email for communication
- A whiteboard like Miro for documentation
Impact Has to Be Defined Early
The group identified one priority: reducing the incineration of high-value MedTech waste. Then, based on our research and our business case, we built a roadmap:
- Start with electronics
- Expand to steel tools
- Design products for reuse and refurbishment
This was phased, with milestones and decision points along the way. At each phase, the group re-evaluated. That flexibility helped us avoid scope bloat and spin.
So What Does “High-Impact” Really Mean?
Too many consortia chase funding instead of transformation. The ones that matter:
- Share the risk
- Prioritize feasibility over fanfare
- Create something others can adopt or adapt
Our full case study, Forming an Alliance of Frenemies, outlines how the White Dot group mapped the MedTech waste system, identified viable circular solutions, and created a phased plan for national scale.
Final Thought
If you’re trying to build a consortium that actually works, stop thinking like a coalition builder. Start thinking like a systems designer. The question isn’t how many partners you need. It’s: what exactly are you trying to change, and who can do it with you?
Need help mapping your ecosystem or building your own roadmap? Contact us at INDEED Innovation to explore how we can support your innovation alliance.
Larissa Scherrer
Marketing Strategy
Brand Positioning
Social Media Strategy
