Apec's three-pillar approach to power innovation in support of employment

As a leading public employment organization, Apec is committed to making innovation a practical driver of its mission.  

To do so, it has built its strategy around three complementary initiatives: fostering internal innovation, supporting entrepreneurs, and advancing social innovation.

The challenge was to run these very different programs (each with its own audience, objectives, and operating model) while providing a consistent experience and a unified governance framework. Apec needed a single approach that could connect every initiative without compromising their individual purpose.

To bring this strategy to life, Apec relies on Yumana’s platform to manage multiple innovation programs through a single foundation.

The goal is to provide a shared framework for initiatives with different audiences, objectives, and workflows, while maintaining centralized governance and a tailored experience for each program.

Internally, the Innovation Awards are designed to surface and recognize the best ideas from across the organization. With regional selection rounds followed by a national final, the program showcases the most promising projects, celebrates employees, and helps embed a lasting culture of innovation throughout Apec.

Through Startup Shaker, Apec supports entrepreneurship with a nine-month acceleration program for innovative startups. Workshops, networking opportunities, recruitment support, and connections to the Apec ecosystem help young companies grow while advancing Apec’s public mission of supporting small businesses and employment.

Novapec extends this approach to social innovation by running calls for projects that fund and promote initiatives focused on professional integration and social impact. More than €4 million is allocated every year to projects that make a meaningful difference.

Together, these programs enable Apec to pursue a unified innovation strategy while preserving the unique purpose, audience, and operating model of each initiative.

By relying on shared engagement, community, and program management capabilities, Apec keeps its innovation initiatives active and maximizes their impact across the entire innovation lifecycle:

Yumana enables Apec to tailor journeys, workflows, and user experiences to the specific needs of each audience while managing all programs from a single platform:

1. Fostering and celebrating internal innovation‍
   Through the Innovation Awards, employees submit initiatives around a shared theme focused on customer experience and operational excellence.
   
   Projects progress through regional and national selection rounds before reaching a final event where the most promising ideas are presented through live pitches, interactive voting on the Yumana platform, and award ceremonies.
   
   This approach helps Apec recognize internal talent, strengthen its innovation culture, and give high-potential projects visibility across the organization.
2. Supporting the growth of innovative startups
   With Startup Shaker, startups apply online to join a nine-month local acceleration program.
   
   The initiative combines workshops, mentoring, networking opportunities, recruitment support, and connections with the Apec ecosystem to help young companies grow and succeed.
   
   Apec manages applications, selects each cohort, tracks progress throughout the program, and nurtures an active entrepreneurial community.
3. Advancing social innovation and impact
   Through Novapec, nonprofits and organizations driving social innovation submit projects through a dedicated application portal.
   
   The platform supports the entire process, from launching calls for projects and collecting applications to evaluating submissions and selecting funded initiatives. It also serves as a showcase that increases the visibility and recognition of the projects it supports.