What if innovation emerged where you least expect it at a pharmaceutical contract manufacturer? Clémentine Caqueret, host of the InnoSphère podcast, welcomed Éric Goupil, CEO of Unither, and Nathalie Masson, Director of Innovation & Development. Together, they shared their vision of innovation, company culture, concrete projects, lessons from failure, and tips for staying creative. About the CEO Éric Goupil has been leading Unither Pharmaceuticals for 24 years. Specialized in single-dose units, it is a pharmaceutical contract manufacturer that produces medicines for major laboratories. The main goal: make patients’ lives easier. Innovation is at the core of the company’s product development strategy. Innovation in Three Words For Éric: naivety, failure, transformation Naivety: approaching an idea with a fresh perspective, like the rolling suitcase. Failure: embracing mistakes as an essential step. Transformation: turning an idea into a concrete product. For Nathalie: unexpected, genetic, differentiating Unexpected: innovation can surprise, even in a contract manufacturing setting. Genetic: innovation is embedded in Unither’s DNA. Differentiating: few competitors innovate as much, making Unither unique. Why Innovation Matters Éric clarifies that not every company needs to create innovation. But for a growing mid-sized company like Unither, it drives growth and ensures long-term sustainability. Tangible Innovation at Unither From projects like Euroject®, investments in start-ups such as Curecall and Biophta, to clinical studies on specific products, innovation is part of daily operations. Two Types of Innovation Product Innovation: creating a product that fundamentally changes the market. Process Innovation: improving industrial efficiency by more than 30%, beyond continuous improvement. Building an Innovation Culture Nathalie’s role is to foster a fertile environment for innovation: encouraging ideas, promoting cross-functional collaboration, and supporting expression. A concrete example: in 2024, Unither launched a network of Innovactors, employees who help formalize, assess, and elevate ideas. The company also strengthens partnerships with start-ups, incubators, and regional organizations to cross-fertilize ideas. Idea evaluation follows a multi-step process: employees first rate ideas internally, then a cross-functional committee assesses feasibility, sustainability, and economic viability. Learning from Failure Failure is part of innovation. For example, a Gannat facility dedicated to a new product line didn’t find its market. Rather than giving up, Unither shifted production to single-dose saline, which succeeded and allowed the facility to thrive. Tips for Innovating Éric: “Innovation must come from the gut, not the head.” Nathalie: “Dare to take risks. The best innovations often come from seemingly impossible ideas.” Practice: advocate for the angel, defending a seemingly absurd idea to explore its potential. Next Steps Unither recently acquired a portfolio of products from Marinomed, including sterile nasal sprays and an ophthalmic product, aiming to distribute them through clients and gradually internalize production. Inspiration & Creativity Éric: ideas often come at unexpected moments. Curiosity, naivety, and observation are essential. Nathalie: she draws inspiration from less regulated sectors like food and cosmetics. Train journeys are also a prime moment for creative thinking. 💡 Discover the full episode and explore the untold stories behind innovation at Unither! 🎧 Listen now on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts, and don’t miss the next episode coming end of November: InnoSphère – Listen on YouTube, Spotify – Linktree
