The challenges shaping our times, from geopolitical fragmentation and resource scarcity to climate urgency and exponential technological change, demand that we fundamentally rethink how we innovate.
A perfect match
Open innovation combines the internal capabilities of organizations with external knowledge from startups, universities, citizens, and governments, and for many, it has become the answer to some of industries' most pressing challenges.
80% of corporates now consider open innovation as mission-critical, up from 67% in 2023. This is not a suprising change, as organizations with dedicated open innovation structures achieve 73% success rates compared to just 51% without them.
Hospitality is uniquely positioned to lead this change. The industry's DNA of empathy, anticipation, human-centric thinking is a natural fit with open innovation principles.
The age of solitary genius and closed research silos is over. The future belongs to those who can turn collaboration into their greatest competitive advantage.
EHL Open Innovation Summit 2025
In May 2025, we brought together 400+ participants from 20 countries to prove that open innovation has moved beyond theory, and produces real and impactful results.
Organizations like Discover Collection and Canton de Vaud brought their toughest innovation challenges to the table. Within hours, participants presented solutions that internal teams had struggled with for months.
The Open Innovation in Hospitality Report 2026 captures the key insights that emerged from the approach.
What's inside?
This report draws from live innovation challenges at the EHL Open Innovation Summit 2025, highlighting key learnings from:
- Canton de Vaud: Preserving heritage while enabling transformation in Lavaux
- NVH Studios: Making luxury truly circular
- Four Seasons: Reimagining luxury in the age of AI
- Discover Collection: Embedding regeneration in legacy resorts
- BachserMärt, ZVF, and more: Sustainable food systems at scale
You'll get breakthrough insights, actionable frameworks, and practical approaches for implementing open innovation in your organization from a human-centered approach to AI integration and destination management to circular economy and regenerative business models.
Get the full report
Get access to all key learnings, detailed case studies, breakthrough insights, and actionable frameworks for implementing open innovation in your organization.
The EHL HumanX Summit 2026
The 2026 EHL HumanX Summit returns May 19-20 in Lausanne.
Ready to bring your toughest challenge to the table or participate in solving them?