Innovation Trip: Lessons Learned

Leading the first Federal Innovation Award campaign was just the beginning for the Nido team. In 2023, we literally explored new horizons by organizing an inspiration trip for the winning teams to the region of Copenhagen . This endeavour was not about exploring just a new destination; it was a transformative experience for our team, pushing us to embrace new roles and leverage our collective talents. We wanted the delegation to have an unforgettable trip with a justifiable budget of 30k that would even make those back home jealous afterwards.

With the invaluable support of visionaries like @NickThijs from @OECD, @Lene, and @Ola, we employed our networking prowess to carefully select a destination and possible stops. Casting aside timidity, we ventured into uncharted territory, knocking on doors to compile an inspiring program. One question always came unanswered. Danes don’t know what they do to be innovative, they just do.

So, we launched ourselves in this new adventure making it seem that we had everything under control. With a lot of curiosity, an open attitude, and a big smile every meeting became a success. Together with the various winning teams from the Belgian delegation, we collectively delved into innovative approaches discovering what was interesting for our public organisations. The challenge of bringing different teams together went smoothly thanks to the enthusiasm, spontaneity, and humour of our fellow travellers. Together, we became a lively coalition of the willing.

Amidst the exploration, we forged connections with passionate organisations and innovators, expanding our network and sharing insights. As a token of appreciation, we extend our thanks to all those who made this journey memorable. Beyond the indulgence of Belgian chocolates, we consider it the bare minimum to express our gratitude with this report. Not highlighting design thinking, these insights are what Denmark (and the region of Copenhagen and Malmö) make a place where innovation in the public sector also flourishes. Looking ahead, we envision reciprocating the hospitality in 2030 by inviting you to an innovation trip to Belgium. As you will read in the report, we will have by that time, one of the most innovative public sectors in Europe 😊.

The report detailing the insights from our inspiration journey is now available in English.

We invite you to delve into its pages, enjoy the read, and share your thoughts. Here is to continuous innovation and the exciting possibilities that lie ahead! 🚀