A Division of the National Association of Manufacturers
“IT DOESN’T MATTER WHAT BUSINESS YOU’RE IN, THE CHALLENGES SEEM TO BE THE SAME FOR INNOVATION. THE IRI’S ANNUAL SELECTION OF INNOVATION GROWTH DRIVERS DEFINES THOSE CHALLENGES AS WELL AS ASPIRATIONS. THEY HELP US FOCUS, EXCHANGE IDEAS AND BEST PRACTICES, LEARN FROM EACH OTHER, AND IMPROVE OUR ORGANIZATIONS.”
—R&D Director, global chemical company
Each year, our organization identifies key innovation growth drivers, reflecting the most relevant topics for our work.
The selection process begins in May at the Innovators Summit, where members discuss emerging trends and technological
breakthroughs. Insights from these discussions as well as member feedback, key themes from IRI’s Quarterly Trends Analyzer,
and distilled information from member company annual reports are presented to the Board of Advisors, who, in a facilitated
session, draft the following year’s themes. Members then provide feedback on the draft themes via check in calls and surveys
and the Board ratifies the final version in October. This process ensures our focus remains aligned with industry advancements,
fostering continuous innovation and growth
Driving the innovation pipeline for impact
- Breaking siloes to accelerate the pipeline
- Getting the right mix of projects – and measuring it
- Powering growth through open and co-innovation
- Scaling from platform innovations
Building a future-ready workforce
- Developing cross-functional teams that thrive with AI and disruption
- Next generation upskilling, knowledge capture and distribution
Harnessing AI for real-world impact
- AI as an innovation accelerant
- Building talent, structure, and infrastructure foundations
- Unlocking the potential of agentic AI
Creating value through sustainability
- Designing sustainability through the whole life cycle of a product
- Navigating regulatory shifts and uncertainty
Thriving amid disruption
- Anticipating transformation within industry and beyond
- Balancing bold innovation with the need for certainty
Ready to connect and collaborate with innovation experts and peers on these critical issues
and more? Visit iriweb.org/membership to explore IRI membership. Already a member?
Email iri@nam.org, to get help finding the IRI resources that will most benefit
your business this year.
“IRI MEMBERS DEFINE FOCUS POINTS FOR THE YEAR. THAT MEANS THE CONTENT AND EVENTS ALWAYS HAVE INSIGHTS AND TOOLS THAT ARE RELEVANT TO ME, AND THE PEOPLE I ENCOUNTER ARE DEALING WITH THE SAME ISSUES I’M DEALING WITH.”
—VP of Innovation, large construction products company
“THE IRI’S CRITICAL ISSUES AGENDA REALLY SETS THEM APART FROM OTHER PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS. I CAN KNOW INSTANTLY THAT CONVERSATIONS WILL BE MORE IN-DEPTH, THE PEOPLE I MEET ARE FACING SIMILAR CHALLENGES, AND WE’RE ALL WORKING TOWARDS COMMON GOALS TO BETTER OUR BUSINESSES AND THE INDUSTRY.”
—VP of Innovation, large construction products company