2015 is a landmark year for BASF, as the chemical giant turns 150 years old. To celebrate, the company decided to implement a global co-creation program aiming to connect people and ideas to address challenges in the areas of energy, food and water, and urban living.

To spark the discussion, the company has launched an interactive platform called Creator Space where customers, scientists, the public and BASF experts are invited to exchange thoughts and ideas. Insights from the online conversation will form the basis for discussions at numerous live and virtual co-creation events around the world. Co-Society is already collaborating in this global program by leading some of these events.

Led by local, interdisciplinary, internal and external teams from areas such as architecture, art, design, science, government, technology, and sustainability, each city stop in the Creator Space tour will explore a locally relevant topic. The Creator Space tour will stop for one week each in six cities this year: Mumbai, Shanghai, New York, São Paulo, Barcelona and Ludwigshafen. Each stop concentrates on one challenge that is particularly important for that city or country and will provide space for workshops, conferences, idea competitions and cultural events.

First Creator Space tour stop took place last January in Mumbai, where more than 250 experts, business professionals, NGOs, academia and interested citizens with different perspectives and expertise discussed solutions challenges related to water. Ideas about how to improve water accessibility, water quality, and policy and behavior were developed in customer innovation workshops with employees and the public. Creator Space Mumbai also included:

•     A collaborative project with Save the Children, using the Empathic Design methodology to tackle water issues
•     An awards ceremony for the “Wat(er) is the matter?” short film competition and an inter-school drawing competition
•     Public and employee jam sessions on better ways to manage organic waste and save water through composting, and responsible water consumption.
•     An innovation workshop on industrial wastewater management with customers and additional stakeholders from industry and public administration
•     An R&D event designed to foster dialogue between young scientific talent and experienced researchers from academia and industry.

BASF Creator Space