Sivan Zamir is Vice President of Xylem Innovation Labs. Xylem is probably the World's largest water and wastewater technology company, and we'll explore today how innovation powers its "solving water" motto. 

When you're in business for a while, you can boast of having invented technologies such as the first submersible pump, the first dissolved oxygen meter, or the first digital twin-based wastewater network control system.

But how can you ensure that you will still strive and innovate in the future?

Well, one way to tell is to look at how much you invest in that said future, with R&D budgets as a proxy. As Xylem invests 4 to 5% of its yearly turnover into innovation, it sounds like a box they would tick.

Now money isn't everything yet; there's also the way you spend it, and probably even more critical in the upcoming era of radical collaboration, how you integrate into the ecosystem around you.

That's, as Sivan will explain in a minute, a bit of the rationale for the inception of the Xylem Innovation Labs. Building a consistent approach and a framework for early or growth stage start-ups, midsize OEMs, or later stage companies to interact with a giant the magnitude of Xylem.

This flows through partnerships with Burnt Island Ventures, The Westly Group, or Isle Utilities and also involves keeping a vigilant eye over what's happening in other industries or business model innovation. 

Are you ready for a 21st-century innovation masterclass? Well, while you buckle up, let me remind you that if you like what you hear, you can help me up tremendously by sharing that content around you. 

Please tell your friends, colleagues, or LinkedIn network what you found inspiring in what Sivan shares today, and if you don't like what you hear, please reach out to me and tell me what I should be doing differently or better. Come on, do it, and I'll meet you on the other side.