The Last Word: Embracing Cross-Industry Collaboration
“Your next business breakthrough may be hidden in plain sight; embracing cross-industry collaboration can drive innovation and unlock transformative solutions,” argues Kimberley Van Vliet, founder and CEO of WaVv and ConvergX®, CDN Del NATO Industrial Advisory Group (NIAG); Deputy Chair relationship NIAG-ACT.
Innovation thrives at the crossroads of industries. As someone who has spent nearly two decades facilitating these intersections, I’ve seen firsthand the transformative power that cross-industry collaboration holds. My journey began in the defense sector, driven by a personal history and passion for military and intelligence work. However, it quickly became clear that staying confined to one sector limits both potential and progress.
At WaVv, we specialize in facilitating the transfer of commercialized solutions across various industries—from aerospace and defense to energy, mining, and beyond. One of the most critical realizations I’ve had is that true innovation isn’t just about research and development. It’s about looking at existing solutions from different angles and industries and reimagining their applications.
Consider the oil and gas industry and the military. Both sectors operate with high standards, stringent regulations, and similar technological levels. When defense contractors approached us with technologies that were no longer useful for their primary applications, we saw opportunities. For instance, an oil-water separator designed for energy applications could be adapted for use in naval vessels with slight modifications. The technology, shelved by one industry, found new life and utility in another. This is the essence of innovation—seeing the potential in existing technologies and finding new ways to apply them.
Read more about how businesses drive change with innovative solutions in Issue 17: Celebrating Innovation.
Our annual ConvergX conference embodies this philosophy. It’s a platform where industry leaders from diverse sectors gather to share, collaborate, and innovate. We deliberately keep it broad—energy companies meet defense contractors, tech giants converse with mining firms. The results are often groundbreaking. By bringing together seemingly disparate industries, we create a fertile ground for unexpected solutions and collaborations.
One impact of this approach is its ability to mitigate industry downturns. The 2015 economic downturn hit both the energy and defense sectors hard. However, companies that had diversified and engaged in cross-industry collaborations weathered the storm better. They had built resilient, adaptable strategies by leveraging technologies and solutions from outside their traditional spheres.
The global landscape today demands this kind of agility and openness. The war in Ukraine and other geopolitical tensions have shown the limitations of traditional, insular approaches. NATO, for instance, is increasingly looking to industries outside of defense for solutions. Commercial off-the-shelf technologies, like drones, have been adapted for military use, demonstrating the untapped potential in cross-industry innovation.
For companies and leaders, the message is clear: Don’t stay in your lane. Explore the intersections. Your next breakthrough might be a technology already sitting on a shelf in another industry. Engage in conversations outside your usual circles, attend cross-sector conferences, and be open to unconventional collaborations. The future of innovation lies in these unexpected partnerships, where the sum is truly greater than its parts.
Author - Mariam Ibrahim
Mariam Ibrahim is a writer, editor and communications professional currently based in Seoul. She currently serves as Managing Editor of Disruption.
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