Affordable healthcare, conservation of resources and nature, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, affordable and sustainable energy. These are just a small sample of the many social challenges we face today. Innovative solutions are needed to take targeted action. But how do we develop these solutions and ensure the right societal impact? That's where key methodologies, or KEMs, are needed. KEMs (Key Enabling Methodologies) are methods, strategies, tools and practices that give you tools to realize innovations. KEMs are relevant to anyone working on a complex, societal puzzle: business, education/knowledge institutions, thinkers, makers, policy makers, consultants, clients, nonprofit organizations and civic initiatives.

Further development

The nine (unofficially 10) top sectors have developed several Knowledge and Innovation Agendas together with the business community. These indicate what the Netherlands will be working on in the coming years in terms of societal challenges and its solutions. One agenda is the "Knowledge and Innovation Agenda Key Technologies 2020-2023". To achieve goals of this agenda, it is necessary to further develop key methodologies. That is what the 'KEM agenda' is for. Through this we increase and disseminate knowledge about KEMs, and continue to develop and improve key methodologies.

The origin of KEMs lies in the (Mission-Driven) Innovation Policy. With this, the government wants to further develop the innovation power of the Netherlands to be able to tackle societal challenges jointly and thoroughly. The term KEMs stands for the groups of tools and methods that play a crucial role in this.

For this reason CLICKNL, in close cooperation with the creative industry and knowledge world, has drawn up the Agenda Key Enabling Methodologies. This 'research agenda' was created on the one hand to improve our knowledge about KEMs and to stimulate their development. On the other hand, the agenda aims to increase general understanding and awareness of KEMs.