ISPIM - the International Society for Professional Innovation Management - is a community of members from research, industry, consulting and the public sector, all sharing a passion for innovation management - how to successfully create new products, processes and services from ideas to stimulate economic growth and well-being. Formed in Norway in 1983, ISPIM is the oldest, largest and most active truly international innovation network.
The ISPIM Board
Iain Bitran
Executive DirectorSteffen Conn
Operations DirectorEelko Huizingh
Scientific Affairs DirectorJoanne Hyland
Association Development DirectorMarko Torkkeli
Publications DirectorBruno Woeran
Projects DirectorSupport Staff
Lucija Barisic
Senior CoordinatorAnna Bessant
Manager of Teaching & Coaching ProgrammesChris Gernreich
Scientific CoordinatorMichelle Heber
Community CoordinatorBram Roosens
Communication CoordinatorISPIM Fellows
John Bessant
United Kingdom2016
José Carlos Caldeira
Portugal2016
Urs Daellenbach
New Zealand2017
Sally Davenport
New Zealand2012
Csaba Deák
Hungary2015
Michael Dell
Austria2017
Kazuyoshi Ishii
Japan2010
Tim Jones
United Kingdom2016
Jens Leker
Germany2018
Richard Marsh
USA2008-2014†
Kevin McFarthing
United Kingdom2018
Desai Narasimhalu
Singapore2012
Markku Tuominen
Finland2010
The Knut Holt Award
Named after the founder of ISPIM, this award is made to the overall best paper at the annual ISPIM Innovation Conference.
The Alex Gofman Award
Named after our former Advisory Board Member who was passionate about teaching innovation, this award is made to the student with the best paper at the annual ISPIM Innovation Conference.
The Dick Marsh Award
Introduced in 2017, and named after our former Board Member, this award is for the paper at an ISPIM Connects conference that demonstrates the best overall innovation management impact.
A Brief History of ISPIM
Knut Holt in 1983
ISPIM has its origins in an initiative taken by Prof. Knut Holt at the University of Trondheim in 1973. He started and organised a programme of comparative cross cultural studies on Needs Assessment and Information Behaviour: the NAIB Program. The objective was to present an array of tools and guidelines for their practical application for the assessment of user needs in the product innovation processes.