At the 2023 FlexPO+ (now incorporated into the ADI Forum), Vikram Gopal, SVP & CTO, Ascend Performance Materials, joined the innovation panel and discussed innovation strategies in private equity-funded chemical companies, emphasizing market needs, customer collaboration in R&D, and structured short/medium/long-term approaches. He highlighted key drivers of innovation in the chemical industry, stating that innovation in private equity-backed chemical companies was market-driven, addressing customer problems and future needs.
Success hinged on showing a clear “pathway” to returns, blending incremental improvements with long-term, step-change polymer development. This structured approach allowed for both immediate market solutions and sustained R&D. Gopal said that material development was reliant less on vast, in-house teams. Instead, it used this multi-tiered strategy where product teams handled current needs and platform teams focus on new polymers over a longer horizon. This model, backed by an industry-savvy private equity firm, was crucial for fostering long-term material innovation.
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ADI is a prestigious, boutique consulting firm specializing in oil and gas, energy transition, and chemicals since 2009. We bring deep expertise in a broad range of markets where we support Fortune 500, mid-sized and early-stage companies, and investors with consulting services, research reports, and data and analytics, with the goal of delivering actionable outcomes to help our clients achieve tangible results.
We also host the ADI Forum that brings c-suite executives together for meaningful dialogue and strategic insights across the oil & gas, energy transition, and chemicals value chains. Learn more about the ADI Forum.
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