On innovation, scale, and profitability

I recently took a deep dive into corporate innovation, managing innovation at scale, and generating attractive returns with Florian Haufe of the Business Unbound podcast. We discussed a number of topics:

• the difference between innovation theater and genuine enterprise innovation capability;
• vertical-slice governance and why innovation boards should stay lean, direct, and cross-functional;
• stage gates, evidence thresholds, and what leaders should look for before releasing the next tranche of support;
• core, adjacent, and transformational portfolios as a way to map innovation risk and strategic balance;
• bureaucracy as organizational defense against trauma, especially in regulated industries;
• the distinction between R&D, innovation, and corporate venture investing as separate organizational functions; and
• AI, optionality, and why enterprises should remain pragmatic while staying alert to structural change.

You can listen to the episode here or using the player below:

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