Three Innovation Distinctions (part 1): Challenges not Ideas

Last week I was with a group of extremely successful entrepreneurs in Las Vegas. I was a bit of an outlier as my background is mainly with large, multi-billion dollar businesses. Everyone else in the room came from the start-up world. Also, nearly everyone in the room worked exclusively with speakers and authors. Although I […]

Video of My TEDx NASA Speech

For those of you who asked, here is the video of my six minute speech at the TEDx NASA conference. Click the bottom right button on the video player to watch in full screen. Enjoy. Click here to watch the video on YouTube

Hand Dryer or Paper Towels / Collaboration or Competition

At the Open Innovation Summit last week, I had a lively conversation with a few individuals. The debate was about which model of open innovation is most effective – competitive or collaborative. Kevin Boudreau and Karim Lakhani wrote an excellent article earlier this year in the MIT Sloane Management Review on this very topic. They […]

Toothpaste Innovations

I never really thought much about toothpaste.  But at the last two innovation conferences where I spoke, toothpaste was one of the hot topics. At the FT Innovate conference in London, Unilever discussed their “Signal White Now” (and other brands) toothpaste.  Instead of using harsh bleaches and abrasives, they borrowed an optical-effect technology from their […]

Innovation @ TEDx NASA

This past Friday I had 6 minutes to share a message about innovation with the world at TEDx NASA.  It was a fantastic event with 29 speakers, authors, musicians, aerospace engineers, a neuroscientist and more.  1,700 people were in attendance and it is reported that nearly 100,000 people watched via video streaming on the internet. […]

TEDx NASA

I am now in Newport News, Virginia preparing for my speech tomorrow at TEDx NASA.  There will be 1700 aerospace engineers and scientists in the audience. My topics is titled “Innovation is in the Space.” I have only 6 minutes for my presentation.  This may prove to be my most challenging speech yet!  Blaise Pascal […]

FT Innovation Conference Highlights – Part 1

I just returned from a week in London where, amongst other things, I spoke at the FT Innovate conference. There was an impressive line-up of speakers including the CEOs of Jaguar, EMI and Best Buy. This is the first of two blog entries with conference highlights. Jaguar Land Rover David Smith, CEO, Jaguar Land Rover, […]

London FT Innovate Conference

My schedule has been crazy lately!  My work with InnoCentive, my speeches all over the planet, and a manuscript due in a few weeks.  My blogging has become the victim of this.  But that will change. This week I am one of the speakers at the FT Innovate conference in London.  I will also be […]

Content is No Longer King….Long Live the King (Part 1)

We often hear that content is king.  But I wonder if this is still true. Let’s take some very simple examples. I am sure most of you know that the iPod was not a revolutionary invention.  It was merely a new spin on the already existing MP3 player.  The real innovation was the integration of […]

GCLS Quotes – Day 1

I am in NYC participating as a delegate in the Global Creative Leadership Summit led by the Louis Blouin Foundation. Attending are 100 fascinating people ranging from Prime Ministers to business leaders. Over the course of 3 days there are a number of conversations on topics related to improving the world. Here are some of […]