DSM E-nnovation contest reaches voting stage

General public and industry are given opportunity to vote for winning sports innovations designed in next-generation Arnitel® Eco material from DSM.

The DSM e-nnovation contest, which was launched in 2011, invited creative thinkers and designers interested in sports to submit ideas for equipment innovations that could make a difference in any sport. The specified material for the designs was next-generation Arnitel Eco, a bio-based thermoplastic copolyester.

The competition has now reached its closing date and with more than 30 entries received, a professional jury will be selecting four winning designs, to take forward to the final round. A fifth contestant can enter the finals via a wild card. This wildcard goes to the design with most votes on Facebook. This facebook page is open to everyone with a facebook account.

On this Facebook page you can review the designs which include helmets, gymnastic shoes, skiing goggles, protective gear, fishing lures, and much more, before casting your vote. The final date for voting is 31 March 2012. To view the design and give your vote, go to apps.facebook.com/contestshq/contests/200694.

DSM and Open Innovation

The e-nnovation contest is a clear example of the way DSM conducts a constant dialogue with external experts throughout the chain. DSM believes in open innovation and increasingly uses social media to open up communication on open innovation. The Company facilitates a LinkedIn group, which provides a meeting point for experts in or people related to the field of material science. Using both this LinkedIn group and the related Open Innovation portal, DSM and external experts share innovation challenges and develop solutions.

Read more about some of the success stories here: www.dsm.com/en_US/open_innovation/public/home/pages/success-stories.jsp

DSM and Sports

Participation in sport is an important part of a healthy lifestyle, and DSM wants to provide opportunities to everyone. It is for this reason that sport is an important part of DSM’s sponsorship strategy, providing a clear demonstration of the innovative use of DSM’s knowledge and expertise of nutrition and materials. Together with top athletes and sports associations, DSM is always looking to realize the next breakthrough innovation in sports equipment. Such innovations are great showcases for DSM technologies.

DSM supports sport in its many forms. With success or failure measured by the tiniest margins, engineering plastics are able to give an edge in equipment and clothing to athletes, from Olympians to rank amateurs. DSM plastics and resins can help deliver better, lighter, higher-performing equipment for all kinds of sports, from skiing to sailing to bobsleighing and golf.

About Arnitel Eco

Arnitel Eco is a biobased thermoplastic copolyester that is super flexible while being very strong and able to withstand all kinds of extreme conditions including heat and UV. The material was recently the recipient of the Frost & Sullivan Green Excellence in Product Innovation Award. What’s more, Arnitel Eco bio-based, high-performance plastics have been awarded Cradle to Cradle® certification by the internationally renowned sustainable design firm, McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC).