Category: Innovation Examples & Lessons

The Most Innovative Large Companies in Europe

It is clear that Europe lags the USA in producing high growth innovative large companies. Europe does not have rivals to Amazon, Alphabet, Apple, Nvidia, Netflix, Meta, Microsoft and Tesla. However, there are many small companies that are doing surprisingly well and some large ones which are more innovative than you might think. Identifying the “most innovative” large companies in... Read More--

Experts can often be Sceptics and Wrong

There are several notable historical examples where a large number of scientists opposed an idea that later turned out to be true. Here are some instances: The Theory of Special Relativity was put forward by Albert Einstein in 1905. It contained revolutionary ideas about light, energy and space-time. Many scientists rejected Einstein’s work for decades. In 1931 a book was published entitled,... Read More--

Lateral Thinking in Business Strategy

How can you differentiate your business from the competition? Let’s look at some examples of lateral thinking in business strategy and innovation. Nintendo Wii’s Motion Controls: What radical feature can we add? Nintendo introduced a major innovation with motion controls in the Wii gaming console, revolutionizing the gaming industry. This approach was creative and unexpected,... Read More--

Barbie the Innovator

Margot Robbie as Barbie in the 2023 Film directed by Greta Gerwig Barbie, the iconic fashion doll created by Ruth Handler and launched by the American toy company Mattel in 1959, was highly novel when launched and the brand has continued to innovate in many ways since then. Adult-Like Appearance: At a time when most dolls were babies or infants, Barbie displayed an adult appearance as... Read More--

Customer Complaint Videos can Trigger Ideas

BUPA is a leading international provider of private healthcare and insurance. It is headquartered in the UK and has 82000 staff serving some 38 million customers. After customer interactions such as enquiries, procedures or complaints the company asks for feedback and tracks NPS, Net Promoter Score. Customers who give a low NPS are contacted and asked to give further details by audio or video.... Read More--

Dating Apps love Innovation

Today some 40% of heterosexual couples and 60% of same-sex couples meet online according to a survey by sociologists Michael Rosenfeld and Sonia Hausen of Stanford University.[i]  Dating apps have become the preferred way to meet for people wanting relationships. Computer dating started in 1965 when a group of Harvard students created Operation Match, a mainframe programme which asked... Read More--

Trust the Customers, Not the Experts

Rob Law and Trunki Rob Law studied Product Design at Northumbria University.  One of his course assignments in 1997 was to come up with a new design for luggage.  He did some research by going to a local department store.  He wandered around the suitcase section and found no inspiration but when he went into the toy department, he had a brainwave.  Why not make a piece of luggage which was also... Read More--

Where do Innovative Ideas Come From?

  Cities around the world suffer from a common problem – a shortage of affordable, decent quality housing.  Cutworks Studio, a design company based in Paris and Amsterdam has developed an approach called PolyBlocs – modularly constructed residential sites consisting of individual block rooms which can be stacked in different ways to create an array of sizes and shapes.   The basic... Read More--

Gamification can Boost Fitness and Save Carbon

How can government action encourage a healthier lifestyle, reduce obesity and at the same time lower carbon emissions?  One idea that seems to work is gamification.  Beat the Street is a game which rewards behaviour change for people who become more active. The game is promoted by schools, local authorities, community organisations, hospitals and doctors.  Adults and chilren can win prizes and raise... Read More--

Find a Local Solution to a Local Problem

  Arunachalam Muruganantham Arunachalam Muruganantham was born in 1961 in Coimbatore, India. His parents were poor hand-loom weavers. The family was pushed into penury when his father was killed in a road accident.  At 14, Muruga (as he is known), dropped out of school. To support the family, he took various jobs including working as a farm labourer and a welder. In 1998, he married Shanthi.... Read More--