1911年,,德國(guó)科學(xué)家弗里德里?!へ惣股暾?qǐng)了世界上第一個(gè)利用氫能生產(chǎn)鋼鐵的專利。但是直到1973年,,日本的新日鐵公司才根據(jù)這一工藝設(shè)計(jì)出了煉鋼設(shè)備。到了2016年,,瑞典鋼鐵制造商SSAB公司開(kāi)始攜手鐵礦石市場(chǎng)領(lǐng)軍者LKAB和能源巨頭Vattenfall研究這項(xiàng)深度技術(shù),。直到5年后,他們才成功制造出了世界上最接近零排放的鋼鐵——它們幾乎是完全用綠色氫能生產(chǎn)的,,生產(chǎn)過(guò)程中排放的碳幾乎可以忽略不計(jì)。SSAB公司的氫能煉鋼設(shè)備排放的主要是水蒸氣,,它將在三年內(nèi)實(shí)現(xiàn)商業(yè)化生產(chǎn)——這也是另一項(xiàng)深度技術(shù)成熟的成果,。
隨著新科學(xué)技術(shù)的發(fā)展成熟和客戶需求的變化,,深度技術(shù)在助力企業(yè)開(kāi)發(fā)全新產(chǎn)品和流程上扮演了越來(lái)越重要的角色,。此處的“深度技術(shù)”一詞,,是指采取問(wèn)題導(dǎo)向型的方法,將先進(jìn)的物理技術(shù)(比如先進(jìn)的材料科技)與復(fù)雜的數(shù)字技術(shù)(比如人工智能,、量子計(jì)算等)相結(jié)合,,以解決一些巨大的挑戰(zhàn)。目前的時(shí)機(jī)也恰逢其時(shí),,一些全球化的挑戰(zhàn)(比如氣候變化,、疾病,、影響不良等)愈演愈烈,,企業(yè)必須制定全新的解決方案來(lái)應(yīng)對(duì)這些挑戰(zhàn)。因此,,這些深度技術(shù)帶來(lái)的創(chuàng)新將催生創(chuàng)造價(jià)值的新商機(jī)。而這又引出了一個(gè)問(wèn)題——你的公司有深度技術(shù)戰(zhàn)略嗎,?
大多數(shù)深度技術(shù)都是從很久以前就開(kāi)始研發(fā)了,,但它們遲早會(huì)產(chǎn)生影響,。隨著深度技術(shù)相關(guān)創(chuàng)新的加快,,廣大企業(yè)開(kāi)發(fā)新產(chǎn)品和服務(wù)的速度也會(huì)相應(yīng)地提升。目前,,合成生物和生成式人工智能等技術(shù)已經(jīng)在顛覆現(xiàn)有商業(yè)秩序,,而在下一個(gè)十年里,,可控核聚變和量子計(jì)算技術(shù)等預(yù)計(jì)也將進(jìn)入市場(chǎng),。
要想抓住深度技術(shù)帶來(lái)的商機(jī),首先需要制定一個(gè)戰(zhàn)略,。當(dāng)今世界面臨的許多重大挑戰(zhàn)都是與特定行業(yè)掛鉤的,,因此企業(yè)在制定深度技術(shù)戰(zhàn)略時(shí),必須要考慮到這一因素,,以及企業(yè)的特定目標(biāo)和能力,。在近期發(fā)表于《麻省理工學(xué)院斯隆管理評(píng)論》的一篇文章中,我們探討了守成型企業(yè)可以的四種典型的深度技術(shù)戰(zhàn)略,。除了戰(zhàn)略之外,,企業(yè)要想以深度技術(shù)取勝,還要滿足四個(gè)條件:
確保領(lǐng)導(dǎo)層重視
公司必須首先在最高管理層為深度技術(shù)構(gòu)建一個(gè)討論和決策流程,,這有助于企業(yè)明確應(yīng)當(dāng)采取哪些措施,以及如何在執(zhí)行過(guò)程中落實(shí)責(zé)任,。參與討論和決策的不應(yīng)該只是總監(jiān)一級(jí),,研發(fā),、數(shù)字化,、戰(zhàn)略和可持續(xù)發(fā)展等部門(mén)的負(fù)責(zé)人也應(yīng)在這一過(guò)程中扮演重要角色。
深度技術(shù)團(tuán)隊(duì)必須從幾個(gè)方面采取行動(dòng),,從搜索新興技術(shù),,到管理合作伙伴、供應(yīng)商和消費(fèi)者等等,。企業(yè)必須在不損失收入和客戶的前提下,實(shí)現(xiàn)從舊技術(shù)到新技術(shù)的過(guò)渡,。該團(tuán)隊(duì)必須建立相關(guān)機(jī)制,確保企業(yè)可以分享經(jīng)驗(yàn),,并且向合作伙伴,、鄰近行業(yè)的公司乃至競(jìng)爭(zhēng)對(duì)手學(xué)習(xí),。企業(yè)領(lǐng)導(dǎo)也必須營(yíng)造一種可以自由開(kāi)展“后向模擬”的環(huán)境——換句話說(shuō),,就是首先明確世界上有哪些最重要和最緊迫的問(wèn)題,然后暢想一個(gè)這些問(wèn)題都得到妥善解決的美好未來(lái),,然后再反推解決方案。這種做法可能涉及對(duì)現(xiàn)有業(yè)務(wù)做出重大變革,。
當(dāng)技術(shù)成熟,、消費(fèi)者需求和商業(yè)價(jià)值出現(xiàn)重合時(shí),,深度技術(shù)創(chuàng)新就會(huì)出現(xiàn),。因此,企業(yè)應(yīng)重點(diǎn)關(guān)注新興技術(shù)之間的聯(lián)系,,以及行業(yè)價(jià)值鏈上甚至是跨行業(yè)應(yīng)用的可能。企業(yè)只有評(píng)估了哪些科技進(jìn)步能用于解決那些最迫切的挑戰(zhàn),,才能決定究竟是自己開(kāi)發(fā)新技術(shù),,還是與合作伙伴共同開(kāi)發(fā),或者是通過(guò)并購(gòu)快速獲得這些技術(shù),。
只要方法得當(dāng),持續(xù)的技術(shù)搜索,,就會(huì)為合作關(guān)系的長(zhǎng)期穩(wěn)定發(fā)展奠定基礎(chǔ)。比如,,拜耳公司意識(shí)到合成生物技術(shù)很有可能掀起農(nóng)用化學(xué)品行業(yè)的革命,因此它在2017年與初創(chuàng)公司銀杏生物(Gingko Bioworks)成立了一家合資公司,。隨著技術(shù)的進(jìn)步和銀杏生物的增長(zhǎng),,去年10月份,拜耳又將這家合資公司及其設(shè)備出售給了銀杏生物,。為了取代那家合資企業(yè),,拜耳與銀杏生物建立了長(zhǎng)期的合作關(guān)系,未來(lái)它也將成為率先將銀杏生物的創(chuàng)新合成生物產(chǎn)品推向市場(chǎng)的公司之一。
重構(gòu)生態(tài)系統(tǒng)
隨著更多企業(yè)開(kāi)始掌握深度技術(shù),,它們必須重新思考如何與行業(yè)生態(tài)系統(tǒng)進(jìn)行互動(dòng)。雖然新技術(shù)將導(dǎo)致價(jià)值鏈發(fā)生重大變化,,但我們很難將價(jià)值鏈上的一個(gè)環(huán)節(jié)簡(jiǎn)單地替換為另一個(gè)環(huán)節(jié),所以企業(yè)必須部署新的架構(gòu),,比如開(kāi)展合作——包括技術(shù)合作、建立合資企業(yè)等等,。
在外部,,企業(yè)必須讓供應(yīng)商、分銷(xiāo)商和其他合作伙伴與他們的深度技術(shù)戰(zhàn)略保持一致,,并且出臺(tái)激勵(lì)措施,,鼓勵(lì)他們投資于新的技術(shù)和運(yùn)營(yíng)模式,。他們還應(yīng)該找到與重要供應(yīng)商和分銷(xiāo)商合作的新方法,,而不是將他們拱手讓給傳統(tǒng)競(jìng)爭(zhēng)對(duì)手。
與鄰近行業(yè)或相關(guān)行業(yè)的一些市場(chǎng)領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者合作,,是守成型企業(yè)對(duì)技術(shù)和應(yīng)用開(kāi)展壓力測(cè)試的一種方法。比如阿迪達(dá)斯,、香奈兒,、Inditex、李維斯,、巴塔哥尼亞和Stella McCartney等多家服裝公司都與時(shí)尚創(chuàng)新平臺(tái)“Fashion For Good”簽訂了合作協(xié)議,。該平臺(tái)創(chuàng)建于2017年3月,,它致力于將各大品牌,、零售商、供應(yīng)商,、創(chuàng)新者和投資者聚集在一起,,通過(guò)“對(duì)話和合作”改變服裝行業(yè)的面貌。由于該平臺(tái)愿意為一些初期創(chuàng)意提供投資和幫助,,因此有不少企業(yè)的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者都被它吸引,利用它來(lái)擴(kuò)大創(chuàng)新,,并確保其創(chuàng)新被廣泛采用。
打造深度技術(shù)人才庫(kù)
深度技術(shù)通常需要較長(zhǎng)的研發(fā)階段,,并且需要大量的專業(yè)人才,。因此,企業(yè)有必要招聘專門(mén)人才,,尤其是研發(fā)團(tuán)隊(duì)和面向客戶的團(tuán)隊(duì),。除了提升現(xiàn)有團(tuán)隊(duì)的技能、吸引一流人才之外,,聰明的公司還會(huì)從行業(yè)以外招募人才。
一些更有野心的公司則通過(guò)孵化器,、大學(xué)和研發(fā)中心等,在一些新技術(shù)應(yīng)用領(lǐng)域打造自己的人才庫(kù),。比如2019年12月,,消費(fèi)品巨頭聯(lián)合利華在荷蘭瓦赫寧根大學(xué)里斥資1億美元設(shè)立了一個(gè)名叫Hive的食品創(chuàng)新中心。該中心的選址并非偶然,,瓦赫寧根又被稱為“食品谷”,,這里匯聚了不少食品領(lǐng)域的科創(chuàng)公司,、科研機(jī)構(gòu),、非政府組織和企業(yè),,并曾催生多項(xiàng)農(nóng)業(yè)食品技術(shù)領(lǐng)域的創(chuàng)新,。除了輔助研發(fā)和促進(jìn)合作外,該中心還負(fù)責(zé)替聯(lián)合利華物色其所需的人才,。
充分利用政策
企業(yè)應(yīng)充分利用政策法規(guī)來(lái)助力深度技術(shù)的發(fā)展,。政策法規(guī)不僅會(huì)影響新興技術(shù)的發(fā)展,還會(huì)加大對(duì)新產(chǎn)品和新工藝的需求,。
近年來(lái),,很多地方都以立法的形式為新技術(shù)提供了財(cái)政支持。比如,,為了打造氫能經(jīng)濟(jì),,歐盟決定在“Repower EU”能源框架下,到2030年前將每年生產(chǎn)和進(jìn)口2000萬(wàn)噸綠色氫能,。而美國(guó)去年的《基礎(chǔ)設(shè)施投資和就業(yè)法案》也為綠色氫能提供了約100億美元的激勵(lì),。
企業(yè)還應(yīng)該探索監(jiān)管環(huán)境,以確定政府的補(bǔ)貼,、稅收減免等政策可以為深度技術(shù)提供多少支持,。比如美國(guó)《降低通脹法案》就提供了3700億美元的激勵(lì)資金,,用于降低碳排放,包括為碳捕集,、利用和封存技術(shù)(簡(jiǎn)稱CCUS)提供財(cái)政支持,。除了可以享受更多稅收減免優(yōu)惠,《降低通脹法案》還降低了準(zhǔn)入門(mén)檻,,甚至允許企業(yè)將向第三方出售稅收減免額度。所以精明的企業(yè)一定會(huì)利用美國(guó)這種稅收政策,,加大對(duì)減排技術(shù)的攻關(guān)。
另外,,深度技術(shù)戰(zhàn)略必須有新老技術(shù)過(guò)渡的管理方案作為補(bǔ)充才算完整,。一方面,,保守的守成型企業(yè)可能會(huì)選擇篩選一些有前途的技術(shù),,并一定程度上限制對(duì)它們的初始投資,。他們可能會(huì)更傾向于開(kāi)展合作,這樣就能分擔(dān)成本,,特別是在需要比較大的投資的時(shí)候。而另一方面,,那些富有進(jìn)取精神的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者可能會(huì)集中投資,迅速將創(chuàng)新技術(shù)大規(guī)模商業(yè)化,。如果沒(méi)有足夠的資金,企業(yè)也可以選擇在中期為新的解決方案開(kāi)發(fā)利基市場(chǎng),,同時(shí)密切關(guān)注擴(kuò)張機(jī)會(huì)??傊还懿扇∧姆N方式,,企業(yè)都必須學(xué)會(huì)制定以深度技術(shù)為核心的戰(zhàn)略,。(財(cái)富中文網(wǎng))
本文作者 Fran?ois Candelon是波士頓咨詢集團(tuán)巴黎辦事處常務(wù)董事兼高級(jí)合伙人,,兼BCG亨德森智庫(kù)(BHI)全球總監(jiān)。
Max M?nnig是波士頓咨詢集團(tuán)塞爾多夫辦事處項(xiàng)目負(fù)責(zé)人兼BHI大使,。
Vinit Patel是波士頓咨詢集團(tuán)孟買(mǎi)辦事處項(xiàng)目負(fù)責(zé)人,,也是前BHI大使,。
John Paschkewitz是波士頓咨詢集團(tuán)華盛頓辦事處合伙人兼副總監(jiān),也是BCG X深度技術(shù)團(tuán)隊(duì)的核心成員,。
本專欄文章中出現(xiàn)的一些公司是波士頓咨詢集團(tuán)現(xiàn)在或以前的客戶,。
譯者:樸成奎
1911年,,德國(guó)科學(xué)家弗里德里?!へ惣股暾?qǐng)了世界上第一個(gè)利用氫能生產(chǎn)鋼鐵的專利。但是直到1973年,,日本的新日鐵公司才根據(jù)這一工藝設(shè)計(jì)出了煉鋼設(shè)備,。到了2016年,瑞典鋼鐵制造商SSAB公司開(kāi)始攜手鐵礦石市場(chǎng)領(lǐng)軍者LKAB和能源巨頭Vattenfall研究這項(xiàng)深度技術(shù),。直到5年后,他們才成功制造出了世界上最接近零排放的鋼鐵——它們幾乎是完全用綠色氫能生產(chǎn)的,,生產(chǎn)過(guò)程中排放的碳幾乎可以忽略不計(jì)。SSAB公司的氫能煉鋼設(shè)備排放的主要是水蒸氣,,它將在三年內(nèi)實(shí)現(xiàn)商業(yè)化生產(chǎn)——這也是另一項(xiàng)深度技術(shù)成熟的成果。
隨著新科學(xué)技術(shù)的發(fā)展成熟和客戶需求的變化,,深度技術(shù)在助力企業(yè)開(kāi)發(fā)全新產(chǎn)品和流程上扮演了越來(lái)越重要的角色,。此處的“深度技術(shù)”一詞,,是指采取問(wèn)題導(dǎo)向型的方法,,將先進(jìn)的物理技術(shù)(比如先進(jìn)的材料科技)與復(fù)雜的數(shù)字技術(shù)(比如人工智能、量子計(jì)算等)相結(jié)合,,以解決一些巨大的挑戰(zhàn),。目前的時(shí)機(jī)也恰逢其時(shí),,一些全球化的挑戰(zhàn)(比如氣候變化,、疾病、影響不良等)愈演愈烈,,企業(yè)必須制定全新的解決方案來(lái)應(yīng)對(duì)這些挑戰(zhàn),。因此,這些深度技術(shù)帶來(lái)的創(chuàng)新將催生創(chuàng)造價(jià)值的新商機(jī),。而這又引出了一個(gè)問(wèn)題——你的公司有深度技術(shù)戰(zhàn)略嗎?
大多數(shù)深度技術(shù)都是從很久以前就開(kāi)始研發(fā)了,,但它們遲早會(huì)產(chǎn)生影響。隨著深度技術(shù)相關(guān)創(chuàng)新的加快,,廣大企業(yè)開(kāi)發(fā)新產(chǎn)品和服務(wù)的速度也會(huì)相應(yīng)地提升,。目前,,合成生物和生成式人工智能等技術(shù)已經(jīng)在顛覆現(xiàn)有商業(yè)秩序,,而在下一個(gè)十年里,可控核聚變和量子計(jì)算技術(shù)等預(yù)計(jì)也將進(jìn)入市場(chǎng),。
要想抓住深度技術(shù)帶來(lái)的商機(jī),,首先需要制定一個(gè)戰(zhàn)略,。當(dāng)今世界面臨的許多重大挑戰(zhàn)都是與特定行業(yè)掛鉤的,因此企業(yè)在制定深度技術(shù)戰(zhàn)略時(shí),,必須要考慮到這一因素,以及企業(yè)的特定目標(biāo)和能力,。在近期發(fā)表于《麻省理工學(xué)院斯隆管理評(píng)論》的一篇文章中,,我們探討了守成型企業(yè)可以的四種典型的深度技術(shù)戰(zhàn)略。除了戰(zhàn)略之外,企業(yè)要想以深度技術(shù)取勝,,還要滿足四個(gè)條件:
確保領(lǐng)導(dǎo)層重視
公司必須首先在最高管理層為深度技術(shù)構(gòu)建一個(gè)討論和決策流程,,這有助于企業(yè)明確應(yīng)當(dāng)采取哪些措施,以及如何在執(zhí)行過(guò)程中落實(shí)責(zé)任,。參與討論和決策的不應(yīng)該只是總監(jiān)一級(jí),研發(fā),、數(shù)字化,、戰(zhàn)略和可持續(xù)發(fā)展等部門(mén)的負(fù)責(zé)人也應(yīng)在這一過(guò)程中扮演重要角色。
深度技術(shù)團(tuán)隊(duì)必須從幾個(gè)方面采取行動(dòng),,從搜索新興技術(shù),,到管理合作伙伴、供應(yīng)商和消費(fèi)者等等,。企業(yè)必須在不損失收入和客戶的前提下,實(shí)現(xiàn)從舊技術(shù)到新技術(shù)的過(guò)渡,。該團(tuán)隊(duì)必須建立相關(guān)機(jī)制,確保企業(yè)可以分享經(jīng)驗(yàn),,并且向合作伙伴,、鄰近行業(yè)的公司乃至競(jìng)爭(zhēng)對(duì)手學(xué)習(xí),。企業(yè)領(lǐng)導(dǎo)也必須營(yíng)造一種可以自由開(kāi)展“后向模擬”的環(huán)境——換句話說(shuō),,就是首先明確世界上有哪些最重要和最緊迫的問(wèn)題,,然后暢想一個(gè)這些問(wèn)題都得到妥善解決的美好未來(lái),,然后再反推解決方案,。這種做法可能涉及對(duì)現(xiàn)有業(yè)務(wù)做出重大變革。
當(dāng)技術(shù)成熟,、消費(fèi)者需求和商業(yè)價(jià)值出現(xiàn)重合時(shí),,深度技術(shù)創(chuàng)新就會(huì)出現(xiàn)。因此,,企業(yè)應(yīng)重點(diǎn)關(guān)注新興技術(shù)之間的聯(lián)系,,以及行業(yè)價(jià)值鏈上甚至是跨行業(yè)應(yīng)用的可能。企業(yè)只有評(píng)估了哪些科技進(jìn)步能用于解決那些最迫切的挑戰(zhàn),,才能決定究竟是自己開(kāi)發(fā)新技術(shù),,還是與合作伙伴共同開(kāi)發(fā),,或者是通過(guò)并購(gòu)快速獲得這些技術(shù),。
只要方法得當(dāng),,持續(xù)的技術(shù)搜索,就會(huì)為合作關(guān)系的長(zhǎng)期穩(wěn)定發(fā)展奠定基礎(chǔ),。比如,,拜耳公司意識(shí)到合成生物技術(shù)很有可能掀起農(nóng)用化學(xué)品行業(yè)的革命,因此它在2017年與初創(chuàng)公司銀杏生物(Gingko Bioworks)成立了一家合資公司,。隨著技術(shù)的進(jìn)步和銀杏生物的增長(zhǎng),去年10月份,,拜耳又將這家合資公司及其設(shè)備出售給了銀杏生物,。為了取代那家合資企業(yè),拜耳與銀杏生物建立了長(zhǎng)期的合作關(guān)系,,未來(lái)它也將成為率先將銀杏生物的創(chuàng)新合成生物產(chǎn)品推向市場(chǎng)的公司之一,。
重構(gòu)生態(tài)系統(tǒng)
隨著更多企業(yè)開(kāi)始掌握深度技術(shù),,它們必須重新思考如何與行業(yè)生態(tài)系統(tǒng)進(jìn)行互動(dòng)。雖然新技術(shù)將導(dǎo)致價(jià)值鏈發(fā)生重大變化,,但我們很難將價(jià)值鏈上的一個(gè)環(huán)節(jié)簡(jiǎn)單地替換為另一個(gè)環(huán)節(jié),所以企業(yè)必須部署新的架構(gòu),,比如開(kāi)展合作——包括技術(shù)合作、建立合資企業(yè)等等,。
在外部,企業(yè)必須讓供應(yīng)商,、分銷(xiāo)商和其他合作伙伴與他們的深度技術(shù)戰(zhàn)略保持一致,,并且出臺(tái)激勵(lì)措施,鼓勵(lì)他們投資于新的技術(shù)和運(yùn)營(yíng)模式,。他們還應(yīng)該找到與重要供應(yīng)商和分銷(xiāo)商合作的新方法,,而不是將他們拱手讓給傳統(tǒng)競(jìng)爭(zhēng)對(duì)手,。
與鄰近行業(yè)或相關(guān)行業(yè)的一些市場(chǎng)領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者合作,,是守成型企業(yè)對(duì)技術(shù)和應(yīng)用開(kāi)展壓力測(cè)試的一種方法,。比如阿迪達(dá)斯,、香奈兒、Inditex,、李維斯,、巴塔哥尼亞和Stella McCartney等多家服裝公司都與時(shí)尚創(chuàng)新平臺(tái)“Fashion For Good”簽訂了合作協(xié)議,。該平臺(tái)創(chuàng)建于2017年3月,它致力于將各大品牌,、零售商、供應(yīng)商,、創(chuàng)新者和投資者聚集在一起,,通過(guò)“對(duì)話和合作”改變服裝行業(yè)的面貌。由于該平臺(tái)愿意為一些初期創(chuàng)意提供投資和幫助,,因此有不少企業(yè)的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者都被它吸引,,利用它來(lái)擴(kuò)大創(chuàng)新,,并確保其創(chuàng)新被廣泛采用,。
打造深度技術(shù)人才庫(kù)
深度技術(shù)通常需要較長(zhǎng)的研發(fā)階段,,并且需要大量的專業(yè)人才,。因此,企業(yè)有必要招聘專門(mén)人才,尤其是研發(fā)團(tuán)隊(duì)和面向客戶的團(tuán)隊(duì),。除了提升現(xiàn)有團(tuán)隊(duì)的技能,、吸引一流人才之外,聰明的公司還會(huì)從行業(yè)以外招募人才,。
一些更有野心的公司則通過(guò)孵化器,、大學(xué)和研發(fā)中心等,在一些新技術(shù)應(yīng)用領(lǐng)域打造自己的人才庫(kù),。比如2019年12月,消費(fèi)品巨頭聯(lián)合利華在荷蘭瓦赫寧根大學(xué)里斥資1億美元設(shè)立了一個(gè)名叫Hive的食品創(chuàng)新中心,。該中心的選址并非偶然,,瓦赫寧根又被稱為“食品谷”,,這里匯聚了不少食品領(lǐng)域的科創(chuàng)公司、科研機(jī)構(gòu)、非政府組織和企業(yè),,并曾催生多項(xiàng)農(nóng)業(yè)食品技術(shù)領(lǐng)域的創(chuàng)新。除了輔助研發(fā)和促進(jìn)合作外,,該中心還負(fù)責(zé)替聯(lián)合利華物色其所需的人才,。
充分利用政策
企業(yè)應(yīng)充分利用政策法規(guī)來(lái)助力深度技術(shù)的發(fā)展,。政策法規(guī)不僅會(huì)影響新興技術(shù)的發(fā)展,,還會(huì)加大對(duì)新產(chǎn)品和新工藝的需求,。
近年來(lái),,很多地方都以立法的形式為新技術(shù)提供了財(cái)政支持。比如,,為了打造氫能經(jīng)濟(jì),,歐盟決定在“Repower EU”能源框架下,,到2030年前將每年生產(chǎn)和進(jìn)口2000萬(wàn)噸綠色氫能,。而美國(guó)去年的《基礎(chǔ)設(shè)施投資和就業(yè)法案》也為綠色氫能提供了約100億美元的激勵(lì)。
企業(yè)還應(yīng)該探索監(jiān)管環(huán)境,,以確定政府的補(bǔ)貼,、稅收減免等政策可以為深度技術(shù)提供多少支持。比如美國(guó)《降低通脹法案》就提供了3700億美元的激勵(lì)資金,,用于降低碳排放,,包括為碳捕集,、利用和封存技術(shù)(簡(jiǎn)稱CCUS)提供財(cái)政支持。除了可以享受更多稅收減免優(yōu)惠,,《降低通脹法案》還降低了準(zhǔn)入門(mén)檻,,甚至允許企業(yè)將向第三方出售稅收減免額度。所以精明的企業(yè)一定會(huì)利用美國(guó)這種稅收政策,加大對(duì)減排技術(shù)的攻關(guān),。
另外,,深度技術(shù)戰(zhàn)略必須有新老技術(shù)過(guò)渡的管理方案作為補(bǔ)充才算完整,。一方面,,保守的守成型企業(yè)可能會(huì)選擇篩選一些有前途的技術(shù),,并一定程度上限制對(duì)它們的初始投資,。他們可能會(huì)更傾向于開(kāi)展合作,這樣就能分擔(dān)成本,,特別是在需要比較大的投資的時(shí)候,。而另一方面,那些富有進(jìn)取精神的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者可能會(huì)集中投資,,迅速將創(chuàng)新技術(shù)大規(guī)模商業(yè)化。如果沒(méi)有足夠的資金,,企業(yè)也可以選擇在中期為新的解決方案開(kāi)發(fā)利基市場(chǎng),同時(shí)密切關(guān)注擴(kuò)張機(jī)會(huì),。總之不管采取哪種方式,,企業(yè)都必須學(xué)會(huì)制定以深度技術(shù)為核心的戰(zhàn)略,。(財(cái)富中文網(wǎng))
本文作者 Fran?ois Candelon是波士頓咨詢集團(tuán)巴黎辦事處常務(wù)董事兼高級(jí)合伙人,,兼BCG亨德森智庫(kù)(BHI)全球總監(jiān)。
Max M?nnig是波士頓咨詢集團(tuán)塞爾多夫辦事處項(xiàng)目負(fù)責(zé)人兼BHI大使,。
Vinit Patel是波士頓咨詢集團(tuán)孟買(mǎi)辦事處項(xiàng)目負(fù)責(zé)人,,也是前BHI大使。
John Paschkewitz是波士頓咨詢集團(tuán)華盛頓辦事處合伙人兼副總監(jiān),,也是BCG X深度技術(shù)團(tuán)隊(duì)的核心成員。
本專欄文章中出現(xiàn)的一些公司是波士頓咨詢集團(tuán)現(xiàn)在或以前的客戶,。
譯者:樸成奎
In 1911 a German scientist, Friedrich Bergius, filed the world’s first patent on a process to produce steel using hydrogen. But it wasn’t until 1973 that Nippon Steel could design a steel-making facility based on the process. Then, in 2016, the Swedish steelmaker SSAB started working on the deep tech, teaming up with iron-ore leader LKAB and energy giant Vattenfall. Five years later, they succeeded in manufacturing the closest thing the world has seen to fossil-free steel, using green hydrogen to make steel with (almost) no carbon emissions. SSAB’s Hydrogen Breakthrough Ironmaking Technology facility, which emits mostly water vapor, will attain commercial production in three years’ time—which will mark the fruition of yet another deep tech.
As new sciences evolve, technologies mature, and customer demands are changing, deep tech is increasingly enabling business to develop radically new products and processes. We use the term “deep tech” to describe the problem-driven approach to tackling huge challenges by combining new physical technologies, such as advanced material sciences, with sophisticated digital technologies, such as A.I. and soon, quantum computing. The timing is fortuitous; several global crises—such as climate change, disease, and malnutrition—are escalating, so business has to develop radically different solutions to tackle them quickly. As a result, these deep tech-driven innovations will spawn new value-creation opportunities. It begs the question: Do you have a deep tech strategy?
Most deep technologies started developing a long time ago, but they will make an impact—sooner or later. As innovation quickens around the deep technologies that are now becoming accessible, companies will develop new offerings faster. Some technologies, such as synthetic biology and generative A.I., are already disrupting business, while others, such as nuclear fusion and quantum computing, will come to market only in the next decade.
Capturing business opportunities with deep tech requires the creation of a strategy. Many of the big challenges the world faces are industry-specific, so a given strategy must take that factor into account as well as company-specific ambitions and capabilities. In a recent MIT SMR article, we unveiled four archetypal deep-tech strategies that incumbents can deploy. Independent of the strategy, four requirements are critical to ensure that companies win with deep tech. They are:
Ensure deep tech leadership
Companies must start by creating a discussion and decision-making process for deep tech at the top management level, which will help figure out the actions to take and the responsibilities for their execution. The members shouldn’t be just CXOs; heads of functions such as R&D, digital, strategy, and sustainability as well as growth officers all have key roles to play in the process.
The deep-tech team must drive action on several fronts, from scanning for emerging technologies to managing partners, suppliers, and consumers. It must manage the transition from old to new technologies without losing revenues or customers. The team must set up mechanisms by which the organization can share its experiences and learn from those of partners, companies in adjacent industries, and rivals. Leaders must create an environment that offers creative liberty to “backcast”—that is, to identify the world’s biggest and most pressing problems, define a desirable future in which those issues have been resolved, and work backwards to identify solutions. This may involve significant changes to the existing business.
Deep tech innovations arise when technological maturity, consumer needs, and business value intersect. Companies should therefore focus on identifying the connections between emerging technologies, and their possible applications, in the industry’s value chain as well as across sectors. Assessing the scientific advances that could become available to address their most critical challenges will allow companies to make decisions about whether to develop promising technologies in-house, do so with partners, or use M&A to acquire them quickly.
Done right, constant technology scanning will lay the basis for growing partnerships over time. Recognizing that a deep tech like syn-bio could revolutionize the agrochemicals industry, for instance, Bayer set up a joint venture with the start-up Gingko Bioworks back in 2017. As technologies evolved and Gingko grew, Bayer sold the joint venture, and its syn-bio facilities, to Gingko last October. To replace the venture, Bayer struck a long-term partnership that will make it among the first to take Gingko’s future syn-bio innovations to market.
Rethink ecosystems
As companies come to grips with deep tech, they must rethink how they will engage with ecosystems. While the new technologies will drive major changes in the value chain, it’s difficult to simple swap one link for another, so companies will have to deploy new structures such as technological collaborations, partnerships, and joint ventures.
Externally, companies will have to align suppliers, distributors, and other partners with their new deep tech-based strategies, incentivizing some to invest in the new technologies and operating models. They must also figure out ways of collaborating in new ways with critical suppliers and distributors rather than losing them to traditional rivals.
Teaming up with a few market leaders in adjacent or related industries will enable incumbents to stress-test technologies and applications. For instance, several apparel companies—such as Adidas, Chanel, Inditex, Levi Strauss, Patagonia, and Stella McCartney—have signed up with Fashion for Good, an initiative to reimagine fashion. Launched in March 2017, it brings together brands, retailers, suppliers, innovators, and funders to change the apparel industry through “conversation and collaboration.” Because Fashion for Good funds and nurtures early-stage ideas, the leaders have come together to scale its innovations and ensure widespread adoption.
Tap deep tech talent pools
Deep tech usually requires an extended research phase and demands a large amount of specialized talent. That’s why companies need to hire talent specifically for such ventures, especially for R&D and customer-facing teams. In addition to upskilling existing teams and attracting best-in-class talent, smart companies will recruit from outside their industries.
The more ambitious will try to create talent pools, through incubators, universities, and R&D centers, in emerging application areas. For example, in December 2019, consumer goods giant Unilever opened a $100 million Foods Innovation Center, Hive, on the Wageningen University campus in the Netherlands. The location is no accident; nicknamed Food Valley, Wageningen is the epicenter of several agri-food technology breakthroughs made by the region’s start-ups, science institutes, NGOs, and companies. In addition to driving R&D and catalyzing collaboration, the Center is helping Unilever attract the kind, and amount, of talent it needs.
Leverage policy
Companies would do well to use policies and regulations to provide a fillip to their deep tech efforts. Not only do regulations influence the development of novel technologies, but they also increase the demand for new products and processes.
Many new laws have provided financial support for new technologies. For instance, to create the hydrogen economy, the EU has targeted the production and import of 20 mtpa of green hydrogen by 2030 under the Repower EU policy framework, while in the U.S., last year’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act provided around $10 billion of incentives for green hydrogen.
Companies should explore the regulatory landscape to identify how deep tech can be supported by government policies such as subsidies and tax credits. For instance, the US Inflation Reduction Act has provided $370 billion of incentives to reduce carbon emissions including financial support for carbon dioxide capture, utilization and storage (CCUS, for short). In addition to higher tax credits, the IRA has reduced the thresholds that facilities must reach to qualify for them and even allowed companies to sell the credits to third parties. Savvy companies are bound to use such tax policies to kickstart their efforts in the U.S. to reduce carbon emissions.
A deep tech strategy will be complete only when it’s accompanied by a plan to manage the transition from the old to the new. At one end of the spectrum, conservative incumbents may choose to screen the landscape for a few promising technologies and limit their initial investments. They should look for opportunities to collaborate so they can share costs, especially if large investments are necessary. At the other end, aggressive leaders will pool investments to commercialize innovations at scale quickly. If they don’t have sufficient funds, companies can develop niches for new solutions in the medium term while keeping eye open for opportunities to expand. Either way, businesses must learn to develop strategies that have deep tech at their core.
Fran?ois Candelon is a managing director and senior partner in the Paris office of Boston Consulting Groupand the global director of the BCG Henderson Institute (BHI).
Max M?nnig is a project leader in BCG’s Düsseldorf office and a BHI ambassador.
Vinit Patel is a project leader in BCG’s Mumbai office and a former BHI ambassador.
John Paschkewitz is a partner and associate director in BCG’s Washington, D.C. office and core member of BCG X’s Deep Tech team.
Some of the companies featured in this column are past or current clients of BCG.