Within a large company, an innovation project has just been launched. Within a start-up, the co-founders join forces to convert R&D results into a solution for the market. Should sales force be involved? The answer is ‘yes, of course’ in start-ups. It tends to be ‘no’ in big companies. This contrast raises questions about the […]
How can salesforce help innovation projects? Read Post »
As the founder of a Deeptech start-up, or the head of a technological innovation project, at a family gathering or a cocktail party, you sometimes tell about your professional activity. Haven’t you noticed the variety of reactions: curiosity, enthusiasm, admiration, or incomprehension, disinterest, scepticism. You will face likewise a diversity of attitudes when you launch
Deeptech: Will your scientific & technical selling points be enough to succeed? Read Post »
You run a business a market that is doomed to disappear, whether due to regulation, climate change, a geopolitical event, or because new solutions are rendering your offering obsolete. What can you do? Once the initial stages of grief have passed, two options emerge: • the traditional option, guided by financial criteria, • the entrepreneurial
The market is doomed : How to keep your company afloat? Read Post »
In an article issued in January 2026, strategy professor Philippe Silberzahn calls for ‘developing a true culture of uncertainty’ in organisations. In a post published shortly afterwards, he points to management’s inadequate reactions to uncertainty, trying to protect teams by increasing control and centralising decisions. He advises showing ‘vulnerability […] to better connect with reality’.
Embracing a culture of uncertainty, … really? Read Post »
Neo home robot The AI models you use will soon expand into the physical world, thanks to the down-scaling of AI computing processors, smooth real-time communication with humans in natural language, and a multimodal perception of the environment. This includes text and 3D images, as well as sounds, vibrations, colours, smells, force feedback when grasping,
Physical AI, humanoid robotics: What are the keys to success? Read Post »
Promoting the country’s economic and technological sovereignty is not the job of governments only. And the job goes far beyond financing start-ups and businesses. Sovereignty is all too often invoked to secure tax breaks, subsidies, non-dilutive financing and other assistance from public authorities. Yet in many countries the states are highly indebted, and their political
The economic sovereignty of a country relies on the sovereignty of its companies Read Post »
To innovative and ambitious teams, the quest for competitiveness paves the way for success. Really? The quest starts at the very beginning, when the first business plan is drawn up, by making sure that price assumptions are based on robust research. Setting the target selling price is an even trickier stage, as the project team
Innovators: Set as soon as possible your target selling price ! Read Post »
Your company has just completed the development of a promising technological innovation: manufacturing process, high performance material, algorithm, sensor, energy production or storage device, etc. This building block has many potential uses across a broad span of activities. Congratulations! The hiccup is that your resources are limited. How do you pick the best use case?
Technological innovation: How to pick the best use case? Read Post »
Intangible assets account for 48% of the value of listed European companies. They include three key elements: Intellectual property, the company’s reputation, and its trademarks. All are long-term assets: a brand or reputation is built up over many years. A patent can be exploited for twenty years. Are they managed in a coordinated way? Generally
Your brand equity is a key card to innovate! Read Post »
Innovation competitions and calls for innovation projects have proliferated since the beginning of the 21st century. They allow the most innovative proposals to be selected and funded within a limited timeframe. While they offer significant efficiency benefits to the organisers, they are often disconnected from the heart of the company operations and from the real-life
Launch your own Customer Problem Beauty Contest! Read Post »
Before launching your innovation on a BtoB market, you ask yourself what the fine line is between the ambition to transform it, and the clear-sightedness to take it as it is. You pay heed to what start-ups, consultants and innovation experts say about the power of creativity, the need to change the rules of the
BtoB innovation: disrupt, or fit the mould? Read Post »
One of the editors of this article recently decided to change the blade on a gardening tool rather than replace the whole thing. The manufacturer offers a life warranty, and the spare part is available in the catalogue… perfect! Yet it turned out that after two months, a visit by car to a shop, a
Leaders, get to grips with industrial design and rise above your competitors! Read Post »
Deeptech start-ups and innovative industrial companies are increasingly using the TRL (Technology Readiness Level) scale of technological maturity. It facilitates dialogue with partners and funders. The TRL ranges from level 1, for an idea, to level 9, for a technology that has been proven in an operational environment. The early 2020s saw the emergence of
Balance the technological maturity and the commercial maturity! Read Post »
CEOs willing to make their company more innovative come up often to the conclusion: “We need to improve our innovation culture!” Alas culture is a fuzzy concept . It’s time to put some meat around this bone! We propose here a systemic approach to characterise your innovation culture, which combines1- soft skills,2- the content of
Invest in your innovation culture and transform smoothly your company! Read Post »
Deeptech startups are tackling tomorrow’s challenges through disruptive technological innovation based on scientific research. This is why Deeptech investors are willing to take greater risks and wait longer. Moreover, one of the main reasons why startups fail is that their offering does not meet a market need. Alignment with market needs is a basic principle
Deeptech startups need a deep marketing Read Post »
In companies that invest in innovation, the asymmetry of knowledge between R&D and marketing teams is striking: On the one hand, R&D teams are made up of experts who have often been in their positions for many years, who have accumulated decades of knowledge and experience in specific fields, and established long-term collaborative relationships with
Three rules for a winning relationship between R&D and marketing Read Post »
The decision to stop an innovation project is an uncomfortable one. What is at stake goes beyond the rationale for the decision and the consequences for project team members. And, if it is a major project, it may impact the company’s history. This decision is much more than a one-off judgement developed by management. It
Stopping an innovation project is still innovation! Read Post »
Nothing is simpler than pressing a push-button, or activating a manual control. Does this elementary and barely conscious act deserve the attention of innovators? Why not relegate these objects to the vintage catalogue of 20th century technologies, when each of us carries a touch screen in the pocket? When the metaverse industry is preparing a
Even push-button manufacturers will never stop innovating ! Read Post »
A marketing career in industry has given me many opportunities to deep-dive into the customer experience. And I have also been lucky to team up with systems engineering practitioners. I have discovered the decisive competitive advantage a company can gain from bringing together user experience and systems engineering practitioners, especially for innovative design. In this
How to make system engineers and customer experience experts work together? Read Post »
Communication is an integral part of the innovation process. Those of us who have worked with both R&D and communication teams may be surprised by this assertion. The profile of communication teams is obviously different from that of R&D teams. Communication teams are usually involved well after the development and testing phases of R&D. A
No Innovation without Communication! Read Post »
With order intake below expectations, the market launch of the innovation has been disappointing. The oncoming review meeting with senior management will be difficult. Yes, it will be necessary to admit that repeated weak signals had hinted at difficulties. Yes, some decisions should have been better prepared, some assumptions should have been requestioned from the
Getting my innovation adopted by the market:What is the winning strategy? Read Post »