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The Corporate Startup: How established companies can develop successful innovation ecosystems
A key reading for leaders that outlines how to effectively innovate for the future and boost growth, while running the core business. - Alex Osterwalder, Co-author of Business Model Generation.
Winner of the 2018 CMI Management Book of the Year Award for Innovation and Entrepeneurship
The Corporate Startup is a practical guide for established companies that aspire to develop and sustain their innovation capabilities. - The world around us is changing rapidly. There is now more pressure on established companies to innovate. - The challenge most companies face is how to develop new products for new markets, while managing their core business at the same time. - The principles and practices outlined in this book provide companies with a blueprint of how to manage innovation while they execute on their core business. - The Corporate Startup provides frameworks, visualizations, templates, tools and methods that can be easily applied to develop new products and business models.
This book helps organisations of all sizes to manage innovation. This playbook uses illustrated step-by- step guides to lead the reader through the processes to create an ecosystem that nurtures innovation at every level in a business. - Jury CMI Management Book of the Year.
Big companies need to innovate or die. The question is how. Companies need a playbook; a process by which they can start the process of transforming their organizations into innovation engines. The Corporate Startup is that playbook. It provides a proven methodology --applying Lean Startup principles and more-- for building a culture of innovation. - Ben Yoskovitz, Co-Author of Lean Analytics and Founding Partner at Highline BETA.
Winner of the 2018 CMI Management Book of the Year Award for Innovation and Entrepeneurship
The Corporate Startup is a practical guide for established companies that aspire to develop and sustain their innovation capabilities. - The world around us is changing rapidly. There is now more pressure on established companies to innovate. - The challenge most companies face is how to develop new products for new markets, while managing their core business at the same time. - The principles and practices outlined in this book provide companies with a blueprint of how to manage innovation while they execute on their core business. - The Corporate Startup provides frameworks, visualizations, templates, tools and methods that can be easily applied to develop new products and business models.
This book helps organisations of all sizes to manage innovation. This playbook uses illustrated step-by- step guides to lead the reader through the processes to create an ecosystem that nurtures innovation at every level in a business. - Jury CMI Management Book of the Year.
Big companies need to innovate or die. The question is how. Companies need a playbook; a process by which they can start the process of transforming their organizations into innovation engines. The Corporate Startup is that playbook. It provides a proven methodology --applying Lean Startup principles and more-- for building a culture of innovation. - Ben Yoskovitz, Co-Author of Lean Analytics and Founding Partner at Highline BETA.
300 pages, Paperback
Published March 1, 2019
175 people are currently reading
793 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
January 22, 2018
With so many large companies struggling to get anything out of their innovation efforts, kudos to the authors for their commitment to provide a holistic, systemic approach to corporate innovation, as well as the fantastic synthesis work done on all key ideas, tools, frameworks required for innovation in a corporate context. With innovation such a critical business imperative for sustainable growth the Corporate Startup is a must-read for all Executives in currently successful large organisations.
January 26, 2018
Practical tips for various steps on corporate innovation journey. Many tools, predefined (most make sense) criteria for innovation managers to apply. nearly 46 books and 25 articles referenced which will make your year to read.
If you are looking for a book to keep at your desk, this is most probably that book.
If you are looking for a book to keep at your desk, this is most probably that book.
April 28, 2021
Quick Take: Heavy read (like a textbook), but a ton of great info on creating innovation in your business.
Longer Take:
“The Corporate Startup” is a thorough explanation of the why and how to create an innovation ecosystem with an existing business.
Here is a summary of the key points the authors use to set the stage for the book:
• A forever competitive advantage is not real. Innovation is essential for any business to experience continued success.
• Current business success can lead to hubris and blind spots.
• The skills needed to execute your business model are not the same skills needed to create innovation.
• Innovation defined: Novel Idea = Creates value for customers + Profitable business model.
• Truly integrating innovation tools and processes into your business structure (An Innovation Ecosystem vs. a separate R&D lab) is essential to create continued innovation.
The balance of the book covers the tools and processes that can be used to create an “Innovation Ecosystem” within an existing business. The authors go into enough detail that a decision-maker could use this as a step-by-step guide. Most businesses would never be able to use all the tools described here but reading through them provides an extensive toolkit to help your business.
This book is great, but it took some effort to work through it. This really is a textbook as opposed to a popular non-fiction book. But, if you are looking to increase innovation in your business this will be incredibly helpful.
Some of My Favourite Quotes:
“…successful established companies often get trapped by their previous success in a manner that limits their capacity to innovate.”
“…there is no statistically significant relationship between R&D spending and sustained financial performance.”
“…the capacity to change has to already be in place within the company’s DNA. The company has to be strategically designed to be changing, in advance of that change becoming necessary for survival.”
“…the practices that are needed to protect current advantages often run counter to those that are necessary for innovation.”
“One of the reasons innovations fail is premature scaling. This is when a product is taken to scale before the business model is validated.”
Albert Einstein: “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”
“…because innovators are usually quite passionate about their ideas, there is a risk that they can take any signal they get as a sign that their idea is good.”
“Targeting the mass market with untested ideas is a recipe for failure, in public! The aspiration is for ideas to reach profitability or at least break even while still serving the early adopter market.”
“Corporate managers often talk about creating a culture of innovation. But what is often put in place are artificial practices that have no real impact on the culture of the company (i.e. innovation theater). … Executives are often frustrated by the lack of innovation in their company. And yet they cling onto old management practices…”
Druid’s Top Entrepreneurship Lesson: Innovation is essential for continued success, but the tools you need to successfully run your business are not the same tools you need to pump innovation into it.
Longer Take:
“The Corporate Startup” is a thorough explanation of the why and how to create an innovation ecosystem with an existing business.
Here is a summary of the key points the authors use to set the stage for the book:
• A forever competitive advantage is not real. Innovation is essential for any business to experience continued success.
• Current business success can lead to hubris and blind spots.
• The skills needed to execute your business model are not the same skills needed to create innovation.
• Innovation defined: Novel Idea = Creates value for customers + Profitable business model.
• Truly integrating innovation tools and processes into your business structure (An Innovation Ecosystem vs. a separate R&D lab) is essential to create continued innovation.
The balance of the book covers the tools and processes that can be used to create an “Innovation Ecosystem” within an existing business. The authors go into enough detail that a decision-maker could use this as a step-by-step guide. Most businesses would never be able to use all the tools described here but reading through them provides an extensive toolkit to help your business.
This book is great, but it took some effort to work through it. This really is a textbook as opposed to a popular non-fiction book. But, if you are looking to increase innovation in your business this will be incredibly helpful.
Some of My Favourite Quotes:
“…successful established companies often get trapped by their previous success in a manner that limits their capacity to innovate.”
“…there is no statistically significant relationship between R&D spending and sustained financial performance.”
“…the capacity to change has to already be in place within the company’s DNA. The company has to be strategically designed to be changing, in advance of that change becoming necessary for survival.”
“…the practices that are needed to protect current advantages often run counter to those that are necessary for innovation.”
“One of the reasons innovations fail is premature scaling. This is when a product is taken to scale before the business model is validated.”
Albert Einstein: “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”
“…because innovators are usually quite passionate about their ideas, there is a risk that they can take any signal they get as a sign that their idea is good.”
“Targeting the mass market with untested ideas is a recipe for failure, in public! The aspiration is for ideas to reach profitability or at least break even while still serving the early adopter market.”
“Corporate managers often talk about creating a culture of innovation. But what is often put in place are artificial practices that have no real impact on the culture of the company (i.e. innovation theater). … Executives are often frustrated by the lack of innovation in their company. And yet they cling onto old management practices…”
Druid’s Top Entrepreneurship Lesson: Innovation is essential for continued success, but the tools you need to successfully run your business are not the same tools you need to pump innovation into it.
February 10, 2019
The Corporate Start-up is a beautiful and content rich book providing detailed information on how established organisations can approach innovation. The book is targeted at managers in medium to large sized organisations.
The authors describe how successful companies often get trapped by their previous success in a manner that limits their capacity to innovate. Established companies have to find a way to search for new opportunities while they are executing their current business models.
The failure rate of start-ups is well documented with the Lean Startup movement arose from a need for startups to stop failing so much. The authors have examined those startups that have succeeded, extracting lessons for other organisations who are uncertain as to the way ahead.
Large organisations need to appreciate that they are more than one business model. Every business needs a balance of cash flow and new products that are searching for a profitable business model. Existing products are typically managed through traditional measures such as ROI, ARR and NPV while new products require design thinking, customer development and experimentation.
This book addresses questions such as:
What are the principles for developing a corporate innovation ecosystem?
How can established businesses develop startups within the same organisation?
What is the role of strategy and how can companies develop and apply an innovation thesis?
What are the best frameworks for innovation portfolio management?
How can large companies manage their investments in innovation in a manner than is similar to modern startup ecosystems?
What are the right metrics and KPIS to track for different types of innovation?
How can large organisations apply Lean Startup, Business Model Design, Customer Development and Design thinking?
How can companies begin creating their innovation ecosystems?
If you’re interested in this book I recommend buying the physical book rather than the ebook. Much easier to flip through. Great tables and models you’ll want to refer to as you help your organisation to build their innovation ecosystem.
The authors describe how successful companies often get trapped by their previous success in a manner that limits their capacity to innovate. Established companies have to find a way to search for new opportunities while they are executing their current business models.
The failure rate of start-ups is well documented with the Lean Startup movement arose from a need for startups to stop failing so much. The authors have examined those startups that have succeeded, extracting lessons for other organisations who are uncertain as to the way ahead.
Large organisations need to appreciate that they are more than one business model. Every business needs a balance of cash flow and new products that are searching for a profitable business model. Existing products are typically managed through traditional measures such as ROI, ARR and NPV while new products require design thinking, customer development and experimentation.
This book addresses questions such as:
What are the principles for developing a corporate innovation ecosystem?
How can established businesses develop startups within the same organisation?
What is the role of strategy and how can companies develop and apply an innovation thesis?
What are the best frameworks for innovation portfolio management?
How can large companies manage their investments in innovation in a manner than is similar to modern startup ecosystems?
What are the right metrics and KPIS to track for different types of innovation?
How can large organisations apply Lean Startup, Business Model Design, Customer Development and Design thinking?
How can companies begin creating their innovation ecosystems?
If you’re interested in this book I recommend buying the physical book rather than the ebook. Much easier to flip through. Great tables and models you’ll want to refer to as you help your organisation to build their innovation ecosystem.
December 22, 2020
This is a great book that provides lots of practical advice and tools for creating an innovation ecosystem in an already established and successful enterprise.
It covers strategic alignment, governance and accounting and many other aspects of an innovation engine in a playbook format.
I’m sure I shall be returning to it many times in the next few months and beyond.
If you are already aware why your organisation needs to be more innovative and are contemplating how it can be, this book is a fantastic place to start.
It covers strategic alignment, governance and accounting and many other aspects of an innovation engine in a playbook format.
I’m sure I shall be returning to it many times in the next few months and beyond.
If you are already aware why your organisation needs to be more innovative and are contemplating how it can be, this book is a fantastic place to start.
December 12, 2018
One of the most comprehensive, detailed and inspiring book on corporate innovation. It covers everything from how to design an innovation ecosystem in your organization to how to create, test and scale innovation.
It contains survey questions for customers, business model canvases, success metrics, plenty of examples of use cases for you and your organization to DIY your own innovation initiative.
It contains survey questions for customers, business model canvases, success metrics, plenty of examples of use cases for you and your organization to DIY your own innovation initiative.
May 14, 2019
This is one of two books that I know of that deal with doing innovation inside an established organization. I've been living that life for almost 20 years, and working to develop a methodology for doing it repeatably and reliably for the last 5, and this book is the real deal.
The hand-drawn illustrations are just perfect.
The hand-drawn illustrations are just perfect.
September 18, 2018
Great overview and roadmap to get started innovating within a company
Pragmatic helpful guidance on getting started innovating within a company. I think it summarized all existing literature out there on innovation in one simple easy to understand guide.
Pragmatic helpful guidance on getting started innovating within a company. I think it summarized all existing literature out there on innovation in one simple easy to understand guide.
January 22, 2022
I found the book to be a clear guide to innovation management in companies.
Although the target audience is managers of established companies but startups and growing companies can benefit from the guidelines too.
Although the target audience is managers of established companies but startups and growing companies can benefit from the guidelines too.
November 20, 2023
Fantastic resource on navigating innovation at an established company. Tendayi, Dan and Esther translate popular start up frameworks to work in an enterprise context. Essential reading for anyone with Innovation in their job title
August 24, 2019
Brilliant - I need say no more!
May 2, 2022
Best book Ive read on corporate innovation
November 10, 2019
Excellent book for Corporate Innovators
I wish I’d had this book when I established my first Corporate Lab. It would have save me a few pivots! Well written and insightful. A playbook for anyone starting a Corporate Innovation function.
I wish I’d had this book when I established my first Corporate Lab. It would have save me a few pivots! Well written and insightful. A playbook for anyone starting a Corporate Innovation function.
Read
May 3, 2019The book presents a very interesting approach to innovation in large companies. The idea of facing a company as an ecosystem of products and classifying each product as Core, Adjacent and Transformational seems very interesting. This, in my opinion, brings a very refreshing view of how big companies may be structured.
Besides that, when specifying each part of the Corporate Innovation Framework, it presents the surrounding arguments in a very clear and practical way. Topics such as Design Thinking, Customer Discovery/Development and Lean Startup are presented very well and helps to improve the book quality.
Besides that, when specifying each part of the Corporate Innovation Framework, it presents the surrounding arguments in a very clear and practical way. Topics such as Design Thinking, Customer Discovery/Development and Lean Startup are presented very well and helps to improve the book quality.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews