6. Create an ecosystem to stimulate your innovation (level 5)

This level focuses on your company's external relations. It's about finding out what's going on in your ecosystem:

• material resources (R&D equipment, test bench, etc.);

• technical and commercial skills... ;

• financial resources to limit your risks;

• sub-assemblies that can be integrated into your own design products.

These external relationships need to be managed with a degree of formalization that can range from simple informal discussions to collaboration contracts, joint budget arrangements or the creation of joint legal entities (joint ventures, for example).

There are many different players to approach in order to create an ecosystem that facilitates innovation, and they...