WHAT CAN START UPS TEACH US ABOUT INNOVATION? INNOVATION – INSIGHT 18 History would suggest a high correlation between start-ups and innovation If there was ever a good reason (given that 80% fail) to launch a start-up is would be to introduce and commercialise new technology or some other inspiring innovation Indeed, one could argue […]

WHAT CAN START UPS TEACH US ABOUT INNOVATION? INNOVATION – INSIGHT 18 History would suggest a high correlation between start-ups and innovation If there was ever a good reason (given that 80% fail) to launch a start-up is would be to introduce and commercialise new technology or some other inspiring innovation Indeed, one could argue that a start-up represents the ideal vehicle for launching a disruptive innovation Guy Kawasaki a prominent American venture capitalist recently suggested that he was not interested in investing in a start-up that did not have an offering that was 85% plus different from its competitors Whilst this does not necessarily imply disruptive innovation, and setting aside how you might measure ‘different’, Kawasaki (who was previously a senior executive with Apple) understands start-ups and the importance of innovation in ensuring their success Clayton Christensen from the Harvard Business School and the father of the concept of…