Challenge
Traditional approaches to new product development, R&D, and technology commercialization have a number of problems. Unlike traditional approaches, Innovation Cartography is a blended or iterative approach that is technology- or competency-driven, yet customer-centric.
Process
Innovation Cartography is a structured exploratory process which follows a technology commercialization roadmap. Participating teams move through a series of divergent and convergent phases to identify and select commercialization routes for given technologies or specific competencies.
Outcomes
The Innovation Cartography approach is designed to transform the thinking of participants, help highlight new opportunities, create cross-disciplinary dialogue, facilitate networking and open innovation approaches, and increase the efficiency and impact of R&D efforts.
Testimonials
“Perhaps one of the most important ideas I took from school.” – MBA Graduate working in Silicon Valley
“At first I really did not like the questions that I was being asked… later I realized the importance of those questions. The process dramatically changed the way I thought about the format and go-to-market strategy for my invention.” – MD PhD research faculty now working in a biotech startup
“Provided a great venue for inventors to interact early on with successful members of the entrepreneurial community… spurred inventors to consider more expansively a variety of applications of their inventions, any one of which may result in real-world and possibly patentable ‘reductions-to-practice.’” – IP attorney and partner
“Highly complementary to our company’s approach to IP strategy & technology road-mapping and can significantly enhance our approach to exploring our technologies” – Corporate R&D manager
“More structured and impactful than the process we have been through at multiple accelerators” – Serial Entrepreneur
“The diverse group that I worked with encouraged me to consider different applications of my invention, particularly skin diseases because the development was easier and products could be brought to market more quickly. After that shift in direction I was able to secure funding from a pharmaceutical company and a new startup was created to commercialize that novel application.” – MD research faculty
In the near future we will be launching the Challenge features of the website which will allow individuals and organizations to run online Innovation Cartography Challenges. This will provide the same multi-stage structured approach that is provided during in person workshops in our digital environment. Challenges can be undertaken in a closed and secure environment that is only open to specific individuals or groups or can be created in an Open Innovation format that engages the Community for fresh ideas and new insights.
Networking, Sharing Best Practices and Lessons Learned, Encouraging Diversity of Perspectives – all are critical to enabling more innovation and to assuring the best outcomes via Innovation Cartography. We will soon be enabling the community and social networking features of our Innovation Cartography site. For now you can sign-up to hear updates and news about Innovation Cartography and our TechConnect workshops.