Innovation Ahead by IRI

Edge of What's Next: April 2026

In the first episode of The Edge of What’s Next, IRI explores the trends reshaping the future of innovation and R&D, including the K-shaped economy, private equity investment, physical AI, demographic shifts, workforce dynamics, and the growing need for human connection in an increasingly digital environment.

This conversation highlights how manufacturers and innovation leaders can respond to uncertainty by strengthening portfolio diversification, aligning R&D priorities with organizational strategy, supporting knowledge transfer, and thoughtfully using AI to accelerate innovation while preserving the creativity and collaboration that drive long-term value.

IS 26 Session: 2025 Maurice Holland Award Winner Address

The Holland Award Address will be delivered by the recipients of the 2025 Maurice Holland Award, presented annually by IRI to honor the most outstanding paper published in the prior year’s volume of Research-Technology Management (RTM). Named for IRI’s founder, Maurice Holland, the award recognizes exceptional thought leadership that advances the practice of innovation and industrial research. During this address, this year’s winning authors will present the findings of their award-winning paper, Integrating AI into the Front End of New Product Development, by Tucker Marion, Chelsea Yuan, and Mohsen Moghaddam.

IS 26 Session: Interactive Session: Anticipating Innovation Challenges for the Future

Work with your fellow innovators to identify the key issues that will shape innovation in the near future in this interactive session. Share challenges, solutions, and learn what issues are keeping your peers up at night and what they are doing to address them now.

IS 26 Session: Powering Growth Through Open and Co-Innovation

Learn about Evonik, ENEOS Americas, and NSF’s approach to partnering and venturing – and how co-innovation can accelerate your growth through relationships with traditional and non-traditional partners. You’ll walk away with insights into practical approaches for co-innovation that will drive strategic value, scale new ideas and strengthen the innovation pipeline.

IS 26 Session: Cross-functional Innovation EMD’s Microphysiological Systems Project

This session explores EMD’s new cross‑business initiative centered on Microphysiological Systems (MPS), cutting‑edge in vitro platforms that model human organ function to accelerate drug development and reduce animal testing. Sakshi will discuss how the initiative came to life, the strategies used to align multiple business units, and the practical lessons learned from driving collaboration at scale.

IS 26 Session: Harnessing AI for Real World Impact

Hear how NVIDIA and Lubrizol are using AI to deliver tangible business results—from improving productivity and decision-making to unlocking new revenue and operating models. Learn what it takes to move from pilots to scalable deployments, align AI investments with strategic priorities, and measure impact that matters.

IS 26 Session: Innovating Inside and Outside the Core

Explore how organizations balance innovation within their core businesses while simultaneously pursuing opportunities beyond them. Hear perspectives on aligning strategy, capabilities, and culture to drive growth both inside and outside the core.

IS 26 Session: Driving the Innovation Pipeline for Impact

Balancing structure and creativity in new product development (NPD) is a persistent challenge. A well-defined NPD process is essential for managing portfolios and accelerating project velocity, yet too much rigidity can stifle innovation. Learn about Milliken’s journey to strike that balance—resulting in a harmonized NPD framework that maintains core process elements across the organization while allowing tailored approaches for different types of product development. The harmonized system not only supports a vibrant innovation culture but also generates valuable data for assessing future portfolio value. It enables leaders to evaluate pipeline sufficiency and empowers individual project teams to adapt the process for maximum effectiveness.

IS 26 Session: Forces Shaping the Next Era

Explore the global forces reshaping industry, technology, and innovation, and what they mean for organizations navigating rapid change. Gain perspective on how you can anticipate disruption, build resilience, and position your enterprise for long-term impact.

Thought Leader Interview: AI at the Frontier of Scientific Innovation: From Algorithms in Nature to Digitizing Smell

Join Saket Navlakha, Associate Professor at the Simons Center for Quantitative Biology at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, for a fascinating discussion on how artificial intelligence is reshaping scientific research and innovation. From his pioneering work on “algorithms in nature” to co-founding Knose.AI—a start-up digitizing smell—Navlakha shares how AI has accelerated discovery, transformed the innovation process, and fostered new partnerships. Explore the opportunities, challenges, and long-term implications of AI for research institutions and the future of science.