Juniper Networks made it to the number 42 spot on Forbes’ Most Innovative Companies list, and in interview chief executive Kevin Johnson explained what he credits this success to. According to him it boils down to three main aspects, starting with investment in R&D.

Johnson highlighted that it is important for his company to not only invest sufficiently in R&D, but also approach it as a venture capital portfolio. That means that only the top five or so projects that prove to have more potential than the others Juniper has been working get funded each year.

After highlighting this aspect, Johnson moved on talk about creating a “culture of innovation built on a diverse workforce.”

“Don’t get the wrong idea. By diversity, Johnson does not mean rigid quotas on race and gender. He means a diversity of talents: nerds, geeks, promoters, dreamers, extroverts, introverts, team players, solo stars, hunters, farmers, and so on. It’s a rainbow of talent, and Juniper treats its people well.”

Lastly, the CEO highlighted how his cooperation with founder and CTO Pradeep Sindhu is also a very important aspect of his company’s innovation strategy.  It’s the CTO’s office that chooses the five projects or ideas mentioned above, among other things.

SiliconAngle has been covering Juniper very closely.  Most recently, theCube attended the press conference where the company launched its Mobile Security Suite for Junos Pulse, with live commentary.

Juniper is putting a very clear emphasis on innovation; something that will have to continue now that the industry is getting more competitive by the day. Cisco has laid of several thousand employees and sold its set-top plant in Juarez, Mexico to Foxconn as a part of its refocus on its core networking business. Intel has also gotten itself deeper into the game with the acquisition of ulcrum Microsystems , a company that designs chip for Ethernet switches.

image credit: Forbes