Kimberly-Clark Calls for Digital Innovations

Kimberly-Clark and its Digital Innovation Lab, or D'Lab, has renewed its global call for open-source innovation to help solve the biggest challenges facing the consumer packaged goods category. 

The annual K-Challenge invites start-ups, entrepreneurs and makers from around the world to help create consumer-driven technology solutions for Kimberly-Clark's well-known global brands such as Kleenex, Huggies, Depend and Kotex.

"Consumer adoption of new technologies is increasing at an unprecedented rate, and brands must look to the forward edges of innovation to identify new ways to connect with their digitally savvy consumers," said Scott Usitalo, Kimberly-Clark's chief marketing officer. "Startups represent a large part of this forward edge and the K-Challenge is an ideal interface for agile entrepreneurs and makers to connect with Kimberly-Clark's global brands."

The K-Challenge program is primarily focused on finding proven solutions in six key areas:

1. Omnichannel shopper experiences,

2. Data & predictive analytics,

3. Content & media experiences,

4. Internet-of-Things/Wearables/Connected Devices,

5. Supply chain/Operations solutions, and

6. Cyber security.

"Today's consumer wants a personalized approach, not a segmented approach, so we're applying the principles of maniacal consumer-centricity, rich user experiences, and algorithmic capabilities throughout the enterprise to create those connection points across consumer, customer, operations and business services," said Suja Chandrasekaran, Kimberly-Clark's chief information officer. "By partnering with technology entrepreneurs through the D'Lab, our brands can more quickly leverage the very best innovation in the market."

Selected solutions will work on pilot programs with Kimberly-Clark and its brands in one or more regions around the world. They will also benefit from Kimberly-Clark's global experience, distribution, and mentorship to develop further while testing their products on a global scale.

Chandrasekaran, who was recognized last June as one of CGT's industry Visionaries, will be a keynote speaker at the Retail and Consumer Goods Analytics Summit, to be held April 26-28 in Chicago. The conference is produced by CGT and sister publication RIS News.