Ep. 147 - Innovation Leader’s Scott Kirsner on Corporate Innovation Tools & Trends

Scott Kirsner is the CEO and Editor-in-Chief of Innovation Leader. As a journalist, Scott spent his career covering how ideas in companies get commercialized. Five years ago, Scott launched Innovation Leader, a company focused on how innovation happens in big companies. Brian Ardinger, Inside Outside Innovation founder, spoke with Scott about emerging issues in corporate innovation.

What innovation issues are tops for companies? - Innovation Leader Survey 
- Solving bureaucracy and How to Tap Employee Ideas - Highest areas of Internal innovation interest
- Startup engagement meaningful, but companies have only started their collaboration experiences.

Why did corporates jump in and now are reassessing?
- Corporates need results near term.
- Successful companies focus on white space areas. Scout areas where startups can address problems areas.
- Develop strategies to set up a proof of concept. 
- Jet Ventures - Doing corporate VC. Need to be in it for 7-10 years 

What toolset is being used at startups, that could be used in corporations?
- Slack, GitHub, 3-D printer, landing tables, quick websites, Airtable, Coda, crowdfunding, etc. 

How can the rise of new tech play out in corporate innovation?
- Companies are becoming aware of how business can apply new tech. Creating comic books, videos of vision, etc.
- Have more conversations and lunch and learns in your company to explain emerging tech and how the company can apply. Ask for engagement and put dots on the radar screen.
- Innovation teams shouldn’t be only ones tracking new innovations. Spread far and wide in company.
- Challenge of Innovation officer - change culture and training or build stuff and prototype. Execute the ideas. 

What are you most excited about?
- New events, research reports, magazine covering top cities around the world for corporate innovation, and awareness of best practices in big companies. 
- Don’t need to start with a white paper. Lots of innovation resources available - Inside Outside Innovation podcast, Harvard podcast, Innovation Answered podcast.

For more Information
For more information or to connect with Scott, check out Innovationleader.com, on Twitter see @innolead and listen to Innovation Leader's Innovation Answered podcast. 

If you enjoyed this podcast, you might also enjoy: 

Ep. 128 – Aaron Proietti, Author of Today’s Innovator & Transamerica Innovation Champion
Ep. 120 – Digital Intent’s Sean Johnson talks Corporate Innovation Strategies
Ep. 118 – ExxonMobil’s Christopher Bailey and Kim Bullock on Corporate Innovation

Find this episode of Inside Outside Innovation at insideoutside.io. You can also listen on Acast, iTunes, Sticher, Spotify, and Google Play.
 
FREE INNOVATION NEWSLETTER
Get the latest episodes of the Inside Outside Innovation podcast, in addition to thought leadership in the form of blogs, innovation resources, videos, and invitations to exclusive events. SUBSCRIBE HERE For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy

Show Notes

Scott Kirsner is the CEO and Editor-in-Chief of Innovation Leader. As a journalist, Scott spent his career covering how ideas in companies get commercialized. Five years ago, Scott launched Innovation Leader, a company focused on how innovation happens in big companies. 

Brian Ardinger, Inside Outside Innovation founder, spoke with Scott about emerging issues in corporate innovation. 

What innovation issues are tops for companies? 
- Innovation Leader Survey  
- Solving bureaucracy and How to Tap Employee Ideas 
- Highest areas of Internal innovation interest 
- Startup engagement meaningful, but companies have only started their collaboration experiences. 

Why did corporates jump in and now are reassessing? 
- Corporates need results near term. 
- Successful companies focus on white space areas. 

Scout areas where startups can address problems areas. 
- Develop strategies to set up a proof of concept.  
- Jet Ventures 
- Doing corporate VC. 

Need to be in it for 7-10 years  What toolset is being used at startups, that could be used in corporations? 
- Slack, GitHub, 3-D printer, landing tables, quick websites, Airtable, Coda, crowdfunding, etc.  

How can the rise of new tech play out in corporate innovation? 
- Companies are becoming aware of how business can apply new tech. Creating comic books, videos of vision, etc. 
- Have more conversations and lunch and learns in your company to explain emerging tech and how the company can apply. 

Ask for engagement and put dots on the radar screen. 
- Innovation teams shouldn’t be only ones tracking new innovations. Spread far and wide in company. 
- Challenge of Innovation officer 
- change culture and training or build stuff and prototype. 

Execute the ideas.  What are you most excited about? 
- New events, research reports, magazine covering top cities around the world for corporate innovation, and awareness of best practices in big companies.  
- Don’t need to start with a white paper. Lots of innovation resources available 
- Inside Outside Innovation podcast, Harvard podcast, Innovation Answered podcast. 

For more Information 

For more information or to connect with Scott, check out Innovationleader.com, on Twitter see @innolead and listen to Innovation Leader's Innovation Answered podcast.  

If you enjoyed this podcast, you might also enjoy:  
Ep. 128 – Aaron Proietti, Author of Today’s Innovator & Transamerica Innovation Champion 
Ep. 120 – Digital Intent’s Sean Johnson talks Corporate Innovation Strategies 
Ep. 118 – ExxonMobil’s Christopher Bailey and Kim Bullock on Corporate Innovation 

Find this episode of Inside Outside Innovation at insideoutside.io. You can also listen on Acast, iTunes, Sticher, Spotify, and Google Play.   

FREE INNOVATION NEWSLETTER 
Get the latest episodes of the Inside Outside Innovation podcast, in addition to thought leadership in the form of blogs, innovation resources, videos, and invitations to exclusive events. 

What is Inside Outside Innovation?

Inside Outside Innovation explores the ins and outs of innovation with raw stories, real insights, and tactical advice from the best and brightest in startups & corporate innovation.

Each week we bring you the latest thinking on talent, technology, and the future of innovation. Join our community of movers, shakers, makers, founders, builders, and creators to help speed up your knowledge, skills, and network.

Previous guests include thought leaders such as Brad Feld, Arlan Hamilton, Jason Calacanis, David Bland, Janice Fraser, and Diana Kander, plus insights from amazing companies including Nike, Cisco, ExxonMobil, Gatorade, Orlando Magic, GE, Samsung, and others.

This podcast is available on all podcast platforms and InsideOutside.io. Sign up for the weekly innovation newsletter at http://bit.ly/ionewsletter. Follow Brian on Twitter at @ardinger or @theiopodcast or Email [e-mail]