Since 2007 we have built up a mass of experience, stories and friendships. The companies we have mentored and developed have gone on to export goods and services across the globe, from digital tools to life sciences, to fintech to…
We’ve long understood the concept of ‘crossing the chasm’. The task of established start-ups who have found the repeatable business model, but can’t get to that next step – the step of scaling up. Great products, cool brand, nice looking…
Business innovation in startups and small businesses is often high risk and cost intensive. In many countries, governments put in policies to support technology innovation. If you are actively carrying out business innovation projects you need to invest some time…
Engaging an audience and looking for support for your business idea is easy, but gaining funding or a green light to take your idea forward is the challenge in which so many fail to achieve. Good slides, nice numbers, and…
We’ve put together 10 innovation initiatives to take look at. 1. External Startup Accelerator. An external startup accelerator is a company initiative to support, grow and evaluate external startups over a defined period of time (say 3-12 months). The aim…
Business innovation managers and startup entrepreneurs beware, the following 26 pieces of jargon are here with us to stay. Enjoy. My first experience of business jargon was back in the early 1990s, where I was asked to run an idea…
Finding a product/market fit is the most important task a new business idea has. Forget branding, marketing, selling, or getting press coverage - that means you are simply spending money and time you cant afford to. A central part of…
Ideas are things that come and go too often. Without a framework to capture and develop ideas in your business you are possibly losing out on potential new products or new ways of operating. The really great ideas usually spring…
Ideation is the creative process of generating, developing, and communicating new ideas, where an idea is understood as a basic element of thought that can be either visual, concrete, or abstract. Ideation comprises all stages of a thought cycle, from…
What’s the key advantage that start-ups consistently hold over big businesses when it comes to innovation? We take a look at 6 ways startups innovate, and see what they can teach big companies. 1. Agility. Start-ups have to be agile…
Incubator, accelerator, and co-working space are three common terms in the startup world. However, if like me you have ever felt you don’t really understand the difference between them, then we are not alone. The difference is not always as clear…
At the very early stage of entrepreneurship, there is a real gap between the first-time entrepreneur—who lacks the experience to steer their business in what will be choppy waters—and the usually inexperienced friends and family who offer 90% of the…
There has never been more avenues to secure grant funding from regional and national state bodies. Yet they are not simple to get. Your startup business might be entitled to apply for a grant if it carries out eligible projects or…
Eight out of ten entrepreneurs who start businesses fail within the first 18 months, accounting for an incredible 80% failure rate. But why is this the case? Why do startups fail at such a high rate? The number one reason…