CGI applies an idea-to-solution framework to accelerate innovation. This framework is a lifecycle management approach for digital accelerators, applications and other business solutions.

The framework encompasses solution co-creation with clients. It includes the CGI Innovations Program where our consultants and professionals submit their innovative ideas for potential investment to develop repeatable solutions. It also covers business solutions that come into CGI through mergers.

Co-creating solutions with clients

At CGI, innovation begins as part of our work on client projects. We co-create with clients to enhance their operations, innovate new capabilities, and optimize existing ones. We also provide innovation management consulting to help clients move beyond prototypes and scale their ideas to achieve fast and lasting results.

Our “everyday innovation” approach enables us to continuously bring forward actionable insights that support clients’ ROI-led digitization priorities. Through our client satisfaction program, we regularly assess the degree to which clients find that CGI introduced applicable innovation to their engagements, including through our ideas, processes, tools and offerings. 

9.2 / 10
Client satisfaction with the degree CGI introduced applicable innovation to their engagements

Project-based concepts and solutions are enhanced within our innovation centers, labs and emerging technology practices.

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Innovation centers

Our global network of collaborative innovation centers and labs is supported and informed by clients and our emerging technology practices.

Explore our innovation centers

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Emerging technology practices

Through nearly 50 practices across 14 countries, our client proximity teams focus their innovation efforts on local client priorities, while sharing innovations across our global network.

Innovation ideas are scaled through our intellectual property (IP) solution teams
and the CGI Innovations Program.

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CGI Innovations Program

We help internal teams and individuals develop innovative ideas into scalable, repeatable business solutions. We offer financial support and professional workshops, and facilitate interaction among participants through forums, our innovation management platform, and collaboration tools. Key program elements include:

  • Idea Challenges: Anyone in the company may submit their innovative ideas designed to support clients or internal CGI operations. Selected participants are invited to present a live idea pitch to a panel of experts. The highest rated ideas receive further support to move from idea to solution.
  • Professional workshops: To help Idea Challenge participants progress their ideas to the next level, we provide workshops on topics such as: Pitch Training, Client Use Cases, Developing Your Value Proposition, Early-Stage Sales and Marketing, and Solution Naming.
  • Innovations showcase: Selected Idea Challenge participants share their pitches or demonstrate their solutions at these showcases. All at CGI may attend to learn about, provide feedback and vote on the ideas.

We also accelerate innovation through:

  • CGI’s Unicorn Academy - We help startups develop innovative capabilities that meet specific uses cases for our clients, supplementing our own solution portfolio.
  • Mergers – We have completed more than 105 mergers since going public in 1986. Many have added innovative IP business solutions to our portfolio.
  • Alliances ecosystem – We work with over 150 technology companies to dynamically bring clients best-of-breed technology, to help deliver today’s business outcomes, and build future-ready digital solutions together.
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CGI’s intellectual property (IP) portfolio

Our 200+ IP business solutions capture industry advances and best practices, building innovation into our clients’ operations. This includes the systematic application of AI.

Browse CGI’s business solutions by industry and topic.

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Responsible innovation

We are trusted to help clients responsibly transition from exploration to implementation of new technologies while accelerating time to value.

Learn about our commitment to responsible innovation.