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The term collaborator
is frequently used,
and every time we refer to it,
we imply we know what it means.
With a term that has
been used for centuries,
there always seems to be a
number of assumptions made,
but we do need to go
back and question them,
in order to better
understand how to
get the most out of
this powerful asset.
The business press will
frequently refer
to collaboration.
But within this talk,
we do need to think about
the nature, the form,
and the ways in which
we collaborate,
in order to ensure that we
are making the most of it.
Some collaborations
are highly successful,
whilst others are not so much.
Why do we collaborate?
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What is that propelling moment
that makes you want
to collaborate?
Where does that
intent come from?
If we use the Airbus,
Rolls-Royce and Siemens
collaboration that
began in 2017,
where they started to talk about
a hybrid plane
called the E-Fan X.
We saw there, that
innovation and
collaboration were
closely codependent.
Airbus was responsible for
the overall integration and
the control architecture,
Rolls-Royce was responsible
for the engine,
and Siemens were responsible for
the megawatt electric motors
and the power
distribution systems.
Each of those
collaborative partners
had something to
bring to the party.
They were coming
together because they
each had their unique strengths,
and alone they could never
have pulled this off.
Described as groundbreaking,
the demonstrator was
expected to fly in
2020, but it didn't.
April 2020, saw the specific
project decommissioned
and a joint statement between
the partners highlighted
three major advancements
that will enable future
projects to succeed,
but this wasn't the
right project for them.
Bringing partners together who
each have their
own unique area of
expertise is clearly
a huge advantage
when developing
innovative solutions.
The CTO of Airbus said,
"It's through cross-industry
partnerships like these
that the aviation industry
will bring competitive
zero-emissions solutions
to the future of flight.
Although E-Fan X will
not take to the skies,
I strongly believe that
its spirit will live on
as we continue on our journey
towards climate-neutral flight.
It's a journey that
we're all on together,
and only together
we will succeed."
Despite the fact
that this didn't
work as a project
in its own right,
the three major advancements,
that will no doubt lead
to future development,
have been a major and
compelling reason
to celebrate this collaboration.
