Program Spotlight – IGNITE
Drumrolls! We are excited to introduce our new Program Spotlight series, offering an inside look at our recently launched programs and how they positively impact Arcadians’ career growth. In this first edition, we are shining the spotlight on IGNITE, a program designed to build the skills of innovators within Arcadis.
Talented Arcadians and program leads, Mar Zumaquero and Pia Soetebier, have shared invaluable insights below on how the program equips participants with essential tools to thrive and succeed as innovators. It’s well worth a read!
“At the Lovinklaan Foundation, we empower Arcadians to reach their full potential through programs such as IGNITE. By investing in the development of intrapreneurs, we foster a culture of innovation that creates long-term value for both Arcadians and the communities we serve.” – Marc Kefford, Board Member, The Lovinklaan Foundation
The dual-stage journey of IGNITE
Launched in 2024, IGNITE was designed by and for intrapreneurs, to help upskill both aspiring as well as experienced innovators across Arcadis. Through IGNITE, we are improving an already strong innovation culture and increasing the capability of innovation practice across the business. We have also partnered with Strategyzer, a global leader in corporate innovation, to leverage their extensive network of coaches.
The program in its current form comprises of two stages. The first fully virtual stage aims to establish a common language and support innovators in using cross-industry leading innovation tools and methodologies. During this stage, participants work through case studies that are closely aligned with the key pillars of Arcadis’ strategy.
IGNITE promotes a client-focused culture for innovation at Arcadis. Innovators are trained on best practice methodologies; they learn how the most critical aspect of successful innovation lies in the deep understanding of clients’ needs, paired with capability to deliver innovative solutions in a profitable and sustainable manner. The virtual stage is then followed by an in-person masterclass for participants who demonstrate the potential for impact beyond individual contributions.
What do participants have to say?
The IGNITE program has seen impressive engagement, with nearly 500 Arcadians upskilled in 2024 alone. We set ambitious goals for participation and impact—and exceeded them, with a satisfaction score of 8.7/10 and a 96%+ completion rate.
To measure the true impact of an innovation program, we went beyond the numbers and focused on qualitative feedback from participants.
Participants have praised the quality of learning materials, coaching sessions, and practical tools like the business model canvas, which helped shape ideas and foster teamwork. They also appreciated cross-industry examples and Arcadis-focused case studies, making their new skills immediately applicable.
IGNITE can help Arcadians find new roles: An example
Federico Pigliapoco, previously Design Manager and BIM Lead, based in the Arcadis Barcelona office in Spain, completed the IGNITE virtual experience as part of the second cohort. An Arcadian since 2018, Fede has always been a keen innovator. IGNITE helped him better understand how to go from ideas to client value. While completing IGNITE, he applied for a position in the Global Innovation and Ecosystems team, starting his role as Global Innovation Manager in October 2024. The best part? Fede will now be using the learnings from IGNITE to help Arcadians navigate the innovation process and coach them towards providing value to our clients through innovative solutions.
Many of our participants have previously or simultaneously completed Expedition DNA – a program that was accelerated by the Lovinklaan Foundation and is now a core part of the Arcadis learning and development offering. While Expedition DNA and other programs like Citizen Development upskilling have a strong digital component, IGNITE complements this offering by focusing on the more human aspect of innovation.
Concerned about billability? Make the most of self-paced learning!
Most Arcadians have client work they need to prioritize, and billability is the driver of our current business model. We understand that program participation requires time and dedication, and it can sometimes be a challenge to complete programs. With that in mind, self-paced learning elements on IGNITE have been designed to require just one hour weekly for synchronous coaching sessions.
Furthermore, we have learned from feedback that more time with the coaches would be welcome. This is something we are exploring with Strategyzer for future cohorts. There is a desire from many participants to continue their innovation upskilling journey by putting IGNITE skills into practice, and this too will be discussed closely with the Lovinklaan Foundation and Arcadis to improve and potentially even expand the scope of the IGNITE program.
What’s in store: masterclasses and more…
Following the initial five cohorts of the virtual experience, we are excited about evaluating how we can improve this part of the program for 2025 and beyond. Participants have indicated that they would welcome additional time and training on testing their ideas, which is something we believe we can support through the Lovinklaan Foundation and the Arcadis Global Innovation and Ecosystems team.
Later in 2024 we will also announce the first IGNITE masterclass, open for application to those who completed the virtual stage this year and aimed at taking their innovation skills a step further working through different scenarios.
Everyone has a role to play in client-focused innovation. This is about learning new ways to test our assumptions with clients so that we can continue to provide value for them while growing our business. No matter if this is your first experience with innovation or you are a seasoned innovator, IGNITE will be a rewarding experience full of practical tips you can put into practice straightaway!
