Cosmetics brand owner Beiersdorf AG has launched an international campaign designed to increase external knowledge exchange to help enhance product and packaging R&D. The Open Innovation Initiative, also known as Pearlfinder involves Beiersdorf researchers and employees from the packaging department publishing open briefings and calling for external partners to offer solutions via a confidential web platform: http://pearlfinder.Beiersdorf.com.

According to Beiersdorf, the company has a history of being open to innovative external ideas; the concept of using burdock root as an anti-ageing ingredient in its Nivea Pure & Natural was based on a suggestion from a farmer living in Saxony-Anhalt, while successful test runs of Pearlfinder have already been conducted.

Beiersdorf has also signed a research agreement with topical antimicrobial innovations specialist Syntopix to establish and validate screening assays to improve topical antimicrobial efficacy. Under the terms of the agreement, Syntopix will develop new lab-based assays to help examine the effective delivery of active ingredients in order to maximise their bioavailability on skin.