German life science company Bayer AG has vowed to seek organic growth through constantly encouraging various forms of innovation.

"For Bayer, our mission is 'science for a better life'. Innovation is an important way to bring better life to people. Our 152 years of development history is based on it," said Kemal Malik, member of the board of management of Bayer AG, who is responsible for innovation.

"Now Bayer is a multinational company with more than 100,000 employees. Our businesses have a global network. I think all of that cannot be achieved without innovation," Malik said at Bayer's innovation day held in Shanghai on Sept 6, part of the company's global innovation activities series.

In addition to the new initiatives brought about by Bayer's board of management members, the event also showcased Bayer Group Greater China.

New thoughts and ideas from guests, experiences from best-practice cases and world-class innovation training activities were also provided during the event.

There was an exhibition in which creative programs from Bayer Group Greater China were displayed, and discussions and interactions were held among Bayer innovation ambassadors, coaches and its staff, aimed to inspire ideas and proposals, helping drive the culture of innovation.

According to the company, Bayer has been investing heavily in research and development with more than 13,000 of its employees working in the R&D sector.

"In 2015, we invested about 4.3 billion euros ($4.85 billion) into R&D, and we believe R&D is a very important part of our innovation strategy," Malik said.

In addition to the in-house expertise, Bayer also offers many different forms of cooperation that covers the entire value-chain, such as traditional licensing agreements, strategic research alliances, crowdsourcing and co-working initiatives.

"With these, we can reach out to the most creative and innovative minds in the world. We are looking for outstanding partners in all fields that can help supplement our in-house expertise," Malik said.

For example, Bayer started the Grants4Apps, a crowdsourcing program, in Shanghai earlier this year. Chinese startups whose software services, technologies and apps have the potential of creating value for physicians and patients are invited to submit their project ideas.

Grants4Apps is an open innovation initiative launched in Berlin in 2013.

It provides financial support to developers and startups for their software, hardware and technology projects that contribute to improving health outcomes or pharmaceutical processes. It is the first time that Bayer has run this program in China.

"It is a great chance to showcase China's innovation capabilities in combination with Bayer's global reach," said Celina Chew, president of Bayer Group Greater China.

"Successful applicants were chosen from China's young healthcare startups and brought into an environment where they can receive support, so that they can bring their products to market as quickly and as efficiently as possible," Chew said.

"The Chinese government has been attaching great importance to innovation and entrepreneurship, hoping they will become new engines for future economic growth. We want to support the government in finding new growth drivers that also meet our company's business development ideas," Chew added.

wanghongyi@chinadaily.com.cn

Bayer in China

Bayer, a life science company, is contributing to China's development with cutting-edge solutions and products in healthcare and agriculture, with its three business divisions.

Bayer's pharmaceuticals division is a strong player in the Chinese healthcare market. It currently has one of the most comprehensive product pipelines in the industry and plans to introduce more innovative products in China in the areas of oncology, cardiology, women's health and diagnostic imaging.

Bayer's crop science division is committed to developing sustainable agriculture in China through integrated crop solutions. With a highly efficient and cutting-edge portfolio, complete technical services and strong collaborations with local partners, Bayer is aligned with the Chinese government's efforts to modernize its agriculture. It is dedicated to helping farmers to improve plant health, achieve better yields and gain more benefits.

Bayer's consumer health division is a leading over-the-counter medication player in China, building on its strength as a leader in the global consumer health market. It offers consumers some of the world's best-known and most trusted OTC medications and dietary supplements.

In addition, Bayer offers a number of health products for livestock and pets.

China Daily

(China Daily 09/13/2016 page24)