Nippon Sanso is one of the leading companies in the industrial and medical gases business in Europe. Serving over 150,000 customers and 350,000 patients across 14 countries, we offer a comprehensive range of gas-based solutions tailored to sectors including healthcare, food, electronics, manufacturing, chemicals, electronics, and energy among many others.
The Innovation Manager Europe will be based in our headquarters in Madrid, reporting to Innovation Program Director, and is responsible for strengthening the European innovation and Development pipeline by identifying, evaluating, and accelerating new technologies, business models, partnerships, and application opportunities that create measurable business value. The role acts as a central connector between European business units, R&D; teams, global innovation and R&D; functions, customers, universities, research institutes, start‑ups, accelerators, incubators, and external technology ecosystems.
Lead Front End Innovation activities across Europe by collecting, structuring, and evaluating early-stage ideas, unmet customer needs, technology trends, and emerging business opportunities.
Establish and maintain a structured scouting process for technologies, start‑ups, universities, research institutes, industrial partners, and innovation ecosystems relevant to European strategic focus areas.
Monitor start‑up landscapes and emerging ventures in priority domains such as sustainability, industrial transformation, electronics, healthcare, food and beverage, water, aquaculture, automation, digitalization, and advanced manufacturing.
Build relationships with accelerators, incubators, venture networks, technology hubs, public funding bodies, and innovation platforms to identify collaboration opportunities and strengthen the external innovation pipeline.
Translate promising ideas into clear opportunity briefs, pre‑studies, feasibility proposals,



business hypotheses, and pilot project recommendations.
Support the European innovation and development roadmap by identifying gaps, white spaces, technology trends, and potential partnerships aligned with medium‑term strategic priorities.
Coordinate innovation workshops, ideation sessions, start‑up challenge formats, technology scouting campaigns, and cross‑functional evaluation meetings.
Maintain an innovation funnel and reporting dashboard covering scouted opportunities, start‑up contacts, ecosystem interactions, active evaluations, pre‑studies, and recommended next steps.
Support the design and continuous improvement of innovation governance, including stage-gate criteria, prioritization logic, decision templates, and handover processes to project owners.
Represent the European innovation function in selected external events, conferences, accelerator demo days, start‑up meetings, university engagements, and internal innovation forums.
Bachelor's degree in engineering, chemistry, industrial technology, business administration, innovation management, entrepreneurship, or a related field; an advanced degree or MBA is a plus.
At least 8 years' experience in innovation management, business development, R&D;, strategy, technology scouting, corporate venturing, start‑up collaboration, or industrial partnerships.
Good understanding of industrial markets, technology-driven business models, and customer‑centric solution development; experience in industrial gases, chemicals, energy,



electronics, healthcare, food and beverage, water, or manufacturing would be a plus.
Experience with accelerator or incubator ecosystems, start‑up evaluation, partnership models, and open innovation approaches is highly desirable.
Fluent English is required; Innovation mindset: Strong ability to identify relevant trends, technologies, start‑ups, research groups, and ecosystem players and assess their strategic relevance.
Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to connect business units, R&D; teams, regional experts, customers, external partners, and senior stakeholders.
Project shaping: At Nippon Sanso, we're a reliable partner for key industries, combining general expertise with a local touch to make a real difference. Guided by our commitment to sustainability, we drive innovation through cutting‑edge technology and a strong R&D; network. Here, you'll have the autonomy to own your career, with the chance to work on projects that impact communities and shape a carbon‑neutral future.
At Nippon Sanso, our technologies support countless essential processes - often behind the scenes - that keep food fresh, enhance electronic chip production, purify water, and provide critical respiratory treatments. With a solid, diversified presence across Europe, we're a reliable and stable company dedicated to constant innovation and to creating a healthier, more sustainable future.
In addition, we have a wide range of benefits as a company, you can choose what suits you best: childcare, transport card, pension plan, sports package, health insurance, etc.
Home Office Policy : With our hybrid work plan, you can enjoy working from the comfort of your home.
In the past two decades, we have been honored 17 times as the safest company in Europe by the Industrial Gases Association (EIGA).
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📌 Innovation manager. (Madrid)
🏢 Nippon Sanso Europe
📍 Madrid