Resilience: The New Growth Agenda

HOW COMPANIES CAN UNLOCK NEW REVENUE STREAMS IN VOLATILE TIMES

Uncertainty is no longer an exception. It is the new context in which companies must grow. According to the World Economic Forum, 50% of surveyed decision-makers expect a turbulent or stormy global environment over the next two years. Over a ten-year horizon, this figure rises to as much as 57%, based on assessments from more than 1,300 experts worldwide.

Volatile markets, geopolitical shifts, accelerating technological dynamics, increasing cyber, climate and environmental risks, and intensifying competitive pressure are changing the rules of the game. Traditional efficiency and resilience programmes help companies control costs, absorb risks and stabilise structures.

But they rarely create tomorrow’s revenue streams.

That is precisely why resilience needs to be viewed differently today. It is not only a protective mechanism against risk, but a strategic starting point for attractive growth.

Reframing existing strengths

Many companies already possess valuable assets: strong customer relationships, deep market understanding, established products and services, operational excellence, or profound technological expertise. The decisive lever often does not lie in something entirely new, but in using these assets and existing capabilities in a different way.

New opportunities are often closer to the core business than they initially appear: in complementary products and services, data-driven offerings, new strategic partnerships, or technology-enabled extensions of existing services.

A mechanical engineering company, for example, can translate its existing equipment expertise into predictive service and availability models — and market them specifically to existing customers and partners. This can generate recurring service revenues, stronger customer loyalty, better utilisation of the service business and clearer differentiation from competitors.

An industrial company can use its application expertise to build digital services as value-added offerings for both new and existing customers.

Retail or consumer goods companies can develop new platform or service offerings from their customer access, data understanding and partner networks — offerings that can secure the revenue streams of tomorrow.

This creates additional revenue fields, stronger customer loyalty and greater independence from individual products, markets or sales channels.

From stability to growth

Companies that understand resilience merely as protection remain reactive. Strategically understood, resilience goes further: it creates the ability to detect change early, adapt business models with agility and translate new opportunities into market-ready initiatives faster.

Resilient companies are not only more stable in times of crisis. They can also emerge stronger from periods of uncertainty because they create financial and strategic room to manoeuvre, prioritise faster and redeploy their capabilities more deliberately.

Resilience thus becomes a driver of growth. It not only protects the existing business, but opens up strategic options for the future.

Speed is decisive

Relevance emerges where market need, economic logic and feasibility come together. New revenue fields are created in dynamic market environments. The decisive factor is therefore not the number of ideas, but the ability to evaluate relevant opportunities quickly and translate them into pilot-ready initiatives.

Often, a focused starting point is enough: testing a new service offering with selected key customers as lead users and developing it directly from the market. Involving suitable technology partners for a clearly defined pilot case. Or extending an existing product portfolio with a recurring revenue model.

Ideas alone do not change a business. New value potential only emerges when opportunities are prioritised, tested and translated into market-ready offerings.

How EARLY BRANDS supports resilient business development

EARLY BRANDS helps companies identify concrete opportunity fields for new revenue streams, position them strategically and translate them into robust initiatives. The focus is on new business model and service approaches, relevant growth fields, suitable innovation and technology partners, and market-oriented pilot initiatives with clear economic relevance.

We start with what is already strong within the company — and focus on opportunities for new revenue and growth initiatives. What matters is what is economically viable, relevant to customers, strengthens resilience and fits the organisation. Relevant approaches are validated with the market, customers and partners, and then translated into concrete initiatives.

In our 8-week sprint for growth and resilience, decision-ready initiatives are developed — including a 90-day plan, responsibilities and concrete pilot options. We also bring in targeted technology partners and customer access where relevant.

Today, growth emerges where companies rethink the capabilities they already have. Resilience therefore becomes more than an answer to uncertainty. It becomes a strategic framework for innovation, new revenue streams and future viability.

This is what we stand for — together.

Catch the Future…!

From stability programme to performance attribute

Resilience has long been a topic for risk management, IT security, supply chains and business continuity. Today, the perspective is shifting. Customers, regulators and markets increasingly expect companies not only to safeguard availability, security, transparency and adaptability internally, but to make them visible in their products and services.

This turns resilience into a strategic offering question — as an opportunity to differentiate from competitors, gain access to new customer groups or strengthen loyalty in existing customer relationships. It does not begin only when a crisis occurs, but already in the development of new services and products, business models and partner ecosystems.

The decisive difference: this is not only about unlocking new revenue streams from uncertainty. It is about making resilience itself part of the value proposition — as a product feature, service promise, compliance advantage or trust factor.

Companies that take this step do more than build more robust structures. They develop value propositions that become more relevant in uncertain markets.

Why resilience is becoming part of the offering logic

The risk landscape is becoming broader and more interconnected. Geopolitical tensions, environmental risks, technological dynamics and cyber threats are just some of the many factors increasing volatility for companies.

A digital product must be secure, continuously updateable and easy to use. A service must remain available and safe even in the event of disruption. A supply chain must be transparent — end to end. An infrastructure offering must combine security, energy efficiency and operational continuity — simultaneously.

Regulatory developments are reinforcing these expectations. NIS2, the Cyber Resilience Act and DORA make one thing clear: resilience is no longer only an internal obligation. It is increasingly becoming a criterion for market access and competitiveness.

Resilience as a performance attribute — concrete examples

#1 Industry and mechanical engineering In mechanical and plant engineering, resilience is increasingly created through digital services. Examples include predictive maintenance, remote monitoring, spare parts forecasting, retrofit offerings or data-based availability models. A physical product becomes a performance promise: less downtime, better planning reliability and higher process security — from planning through to operation. What we repeatedly observe: the decisive factor is not collecting as much data as possible. The decisive factor is translating machine data into practical customer value. When is a failure likely to occur? Which component needs to be prioritised? Which service reduces risk and cost in a measurable way? Where does real added value emerge? Relevant starting points on the customer side can be made transparent by involving customers directly — through insight conversations and early feedback on potentially relevant product and service extensions. The same applies to the question of where existing customers or new target groups demonstrate willingness to pay.

#2 Consumer goods and production In food and agricultural value chains, the key issues are availability, quality, traceability and resource efficiency. Sensor technology, automation and AI become enablers when it comes to securing quality despite raw material and energy volatility, reducing waste or building end-to-end transparency. Here, resilience does not emerge from reporting alone. It emerges when data improves operational decisions — in quality control, energy use, production planning or the safeguarding of supply capability.

#3 Financial services and insurance For banks, insurers and financial service providers, resilience is directly linked to trust. Digital availability, cybersecurity and robust ICT processes are not only regulatory requirements, but core elements of the customer experience. This creates new service opportunities: resilience KPIs, cyber-readiness offerings for corporate clients, business continuity services or financing solutions for resilience technologies. Regulation is therefore not simply processed as a compliance requirement. It is translated into market-relevant customer offerings — from retail to corporate clients.

#4 Data centres and critical infrastructure Data centres operate at the intersection of AI and cloud growth, energy demand, availability, sustainability and security. Resilience becomes visible here through intelligent monitoring, predictive risk detection, battery storage, sustainable cooling, waste heat utilisation or premium services for availability and compliance. A data centre is not future-ready simply because it provides capacity. It becomes future-ready when it systematically connects availability, energy efficiency, security levels and customer value.

#5 Construction, real estate and building technology In construction, real estate and building technology, resilience emerges through predictable projects, energy-efficient operating models, digital building data and smart services. Particularly in HVAC systems, maintenance efficiency, energy optimisation, retrofit-related business models and smart building solutions offer relevant starting points. A central lever lies in the lifecycle: planning, construction, operation, maintenance, energy consumption, user comfort and value preservation have to be considered together. Resilience thus becomes not only a technical feature, but part of the economic quality of the asset.

How resilience becomes a buying-relevant performance attribute

Resilience becomes strategically valuable where it is visible and usable for customers. Companies that integrate availability, security, transparency and adaptability into their offerings create trust in markets where predictability is becoming scarcer.

The next step is therefore not only more resilience within the company. The next step is resilience in the product, in the service and in the customer promise.

Customer value: Where do stability, security, transparency or availability become relevant purchasing criteria for customers — and how can they be translated into concrete product and service features?

Products and services: Where can resilience be integrated as a product feature, service, premium offering or digital add-on along the customer journey?

Targeted use of technology: What specific role do AI, sensor technology, automation, platforms or cybersecurity play in creating customer value — and where does concrete added value emerge?

Early validation of economic viability: Which approaches can be tested quickly with lead users, technology partners or pilot customers?

How EARLY BRANDS translates resilience into market-relevant initiatives

EARLY BRANDS supports companies in translating resilience into market-relevant products, services and business models — with a clear focus on customer value, economic viability and feasibility.

We identify where availability, security, transparency, adaptability or operational continuity truly become relevant for customers. From this, we develop concrete product, service and business model approaches, assess market attractiveness, technical feasibility, business case and partner requirements — and selectively bring in suitable technology, startup and ecosystem partners.

In our 8-week sprint, decision-ready initiatives are developed — economically viable, market-validated and internally connectable. The result is a concrete 90-day action plan with responsibilities, pilot options and suitable technology or implementation partners.

Catch the Future…!

What innovations and hip-hop Jazz have in common

An interview with MC Simon

In our dynamic age, the creation and implementation of innovations within long, rigid innovation processes no longer makes sense. Rather, creative “outside the box thinking”, speed and the combination of different creative people are required to create innovations that suit customers and markets – innovation jam!

In this EARLY BRANDS Insight interview Simon being a passionate freestyle Hip-Hop and Jazz musician and Innovation & Technology Consultant gives us insights what innovations and Jazz Hip-Hop have in common – let’s get it on.

EARLY BRANDS Insights: Simon, you and your band „Pecco Billo” have already performed at many concerts. What are “magic moments” for you when you come together as a band and make music?

MC Simon: What is most impressive for us at Pecco Billo is that we always reinvent ourselfes. We have known each other for a very long time now, roughly like “from the inside out.” Nevertheless no rehearsal, no concert and no jam session is like the other. We focus on “continious improvement“. Even our evergreens are constantly being developed. We always challenge the “status quo”. Thus, we spontaneously create and embed creative new input. Without any limits. Everyone in our band has the freedom to focus on their personal skills and preferences. And that is a good thing: influences from classical and electronic music to African beats come together in our common “Billo cooking pot”. Our individual “Pecco Billo DNA” – creativity that you can hear and feel.

This always inspires me to throw the ball further – also concerning innovation. Borders should flow. Gain inspiration from a variety of branches and playgrounds. Approach new things across markets and industries. Be open, stay open. If you put this in the right context with passion and a strong team, it becomes thrilling song or successful innovation.

EARLY BRANDS Insights: From your point of view as a musician and innovator – are there recipes for success of freestyle jazz, hip-hop production that are equally useful for successful innovation development?

MC Simon: Yes, a lot. One principle from jazz that can be translated 1 to 1 into successful innovation development is that there are no “false tones”. Or as Miles Davis describes it beautifully: “When you hit a wrong note, it’s the next one that makes it good or bad.” This is exactly the spirit we celebrate at EARLY BRANDS. There is no “right” or “wrong” in our case. It depends on what you can make of it and learn from it.

This view is essential for successful innovation. It needs an environment that motivates you to try new things and to take new paths + beak through boundaries. This is how great innovations or the next earworm are created. And if something does not go as planned, then you should try something different – just like with the build-measure-learn loop or as with impro in a jam session. You have a certain idea in your head and perform it together in a team. If this does not fit, then it will be changed at the next run or design sprint – open to results, trial-and-error. This is how you create the next innovation hit together. But it’s important to start and try it out. Otherwise you step on the spot and play the same song for the umpteenth time.

Another parallel between jazz/hip-hop and innovation development is that it is enriched by the diversity of different minds. Music and innovation flourish through the creative combination of various skills and instruments. Whether saxophone + drums or programming language + empathy. The only thing that has to be there is passion and a common goal: create something new. In this way, boundaries are broken and horizons are broadened. Several people are reached and the most diverse stages are played. Whether at a jazz prize, an electric festival or an innovation jam. Diversity in total reaches and unites people.

And people are always at the heart of music and innovation. The musicians and the innovation team are the beginning. But a concert or a new business opportunity can only be successfully realized if the listener, the customer, is the focus. Music thrives on the mutual interaction of people. It is the same with innovations. A new solution can still be good in theory: if it is not possible to interact with and inspire people, it is the same as an unused sheet of music – a simple piece of paper…

EARLY BRANDS Insights: Have you ever been able to contribute experiences from your involvement as a jazz and hip-hop saxophonist in your band in the development of digital business models at EARLY BRANDS?

MC Simon: I guess you can say…! I am surprised by myself nearly everyday how my experience with Pecco Billo and music enriches and supports my work around innovative business models.

An example: The wheel does not always have to be reinvented. There is already so much exciting out there that we can use and build on. Traditional jam sessions are based on so-called jazz standards. You use a template, which is then creatively reinvented together. As we built on strong foundations, we can better explore (musical) possibilities and opportunities.

Also, it is super-exciting how inspiration from different music genres, e.g. from electronic music, can be found and integrated into jazzy beats. This is very fascinating. Two supposedly different styles. We also use this approach at EARLY BRANDS with our cross-market and cross-industry innovation & technology scouting. We always have a look at what we can learn and adapt from a wide range of industries and markets. This makes us faster, more agile and helps us to continuously broaden our horizons.

“Listening” is also very important in music and my work as an Innovation & Technology Consultant. Jam sessions thrive on playing creatively together and not passing each other. You take up beats and ideas of others and shape them with your own energy. We do the same at EARLY BRANDS. In team sessions with colleagues, partners and also customers, we work together strongly and quickly to develop and “freestyle” innovative business models. Like an “Innovation Jam Session”. Through this teaming the best is extracted from different minds and experts. And we make 1+1 = 3.

Music and innovations are enriched by creative exchange and combination of different instruments and skills. It needs courage, setbacks and failures + an open, agile mindset to create something new . There are many “mantras” around innovation that manifest the importance of failure: “fail fast, fail often” or ” success is 99% failure“. At Pecco Billo we have dedicated our own song to this topic – Pechvögel (unlucky birds). We illustrate the statement that a “mistake” is important for the success of new ideas as follows:

“LUCKY DEVILS GROW FIRMLY, UNLUCKY BIRDS FLY!”

EARLY BRANDS Insights: Last but not least: what is on your personal playlist for innovation jam sessions? For creativity, jam feeling and a successful team play?

MC Simon: Oh, that’s hard – I try to reduce it to my favorite five:

• For creative jam sessions with the EARLY BRANDS team: Stevie Wonder – I Wish
• For creative design sprints and to suggest that users see innovations and ideas in a completely different way than we do: Bullfrog & Kid Koala – Reverse Psychology
• As an energizer and to bring even more power to sessions: Earth, Wind and Fire – September
• As a reminder that mistakes are essential for innovation: Pecco Billo – Pechvögel

And for the days you realize that you have been rocking creative innovations until midnight: Roman Flügel – Pattern 16

Catch the Future…!

From A gility to Z ero stress

Our toolkit for agile innovation tools

AGILE MANIFEST 1. People and interaction are more important than processes, tools and methods. 2. Functioning solutions stand above a detailed documentation. 3. Cooperation with customers and partners is more important than contract negotiations. 4. Responding quickly to challenges is much more important than creating rigid plans down to the last detail.

BUSINESS CASES Initial assessments of the value potentials behind a business opportunity are essential in the agile design of new business ideas. How high are potential revenues? What are expected revenue streams? Business cases  make new opportunities tangible so that innovation ideas are evaluated and prioritized very quickly.

CUSTOMER JOURNEY Nothing is more important than making customers happy customers. That is why constantly improving the customer journey is essential. The Customer Journey is a very helpful tool to detect pain points and white spots early + to find creative solutions for them. Whether digital or analogue, slip into the customer’s shoes.

DESIGN THINKING as a method creates innovations and new business ideas that are closely oriented towards the user and their needs. Agility in six iterative steps – understand – observe – define – find ideas – prototype – test. The aim is not to create everything detail, but to experiment and collect new insights – in order to place the user and his needs at the center.

EMPATHY Innovations are not only made by people, they are also wanted by people. That’s why empathy is a super important factor for the success of innovations and new technologies.

FACE 2 FACE INTERACTION: Whether with users, partners or employees. Face2Face interaction generates very valuable qualitative feedback. This makes it possible to understand needs – and to integrate them into the design of innovations and new business opportunities at an early stage. This ensures customer and market relevance right from the start.

GREAT BUSINESS MODELS CANVAS: A very helpful tool to make the cornerstones of the business model tangible at an early stage. It allows you to illuminate different perspectives of your business / innovation idea. From target groups, key performance indicators to value proposition, WOW-factors and much more…

HYBRIDE PROJECT MANAGEMENT Have you ever heard of Scrumban? Agile innovation tools also include to agilely combine them. Whether with elements from the “classic project management” or “agile + agile”. It is important to use these methods and tools that are most appropriate for the individual team and the the individual project.

INSPIRATION & IMPULSES are the starting point for agile innovations. Thus, a cross-market and cross-industry view + plenty of room for creativity and “thinking outside the box” is needed. Leave comfort zones and start to creatively “recombine” ideas and impulses. For example; spin the Cross Industry Jackpot, take a look at what people are currently working on or be inspired by cross-market scouting impulses.

JAM SESSION Innovations need creativity and openness for new ideas. For this purpose, workshops in different formats and interdisciplinary teams are very valuable. “Innovation Jam Sessions” bring together a wide range of actors to develop creative solutions for specific questions.

KANBAN Knowing what activities are coming up this week, today or ad hoc or what progress is done so far is super valuable, especially when working in teams. Transparency and open communication are advantages that the KANBAN offers – whether with Post Its or with the help of cool tools for digital kanban boards.

LEAN STARTUP is one of the most known agile innovation tools. It is a continuous, iterative feedback loop in the sense of “build-measure-learn“. Here, business opportunities and innovation ideas are designed (build) so that feedback can be quickly collected (measure) and evaluated (learn). In this way, innovations are implemented quickly and in-line with the market without high cost and time expenditures – but with the voice of the customer.

MINIMUM VIABLE PRODUCT / SOLUTION: The nuts and bolts in our dynamic age: speed and agility. Therefore: quickly design a “functional product / service” instead of creating all functions and features down to the smallest detail. Then generate feedback and develop products / services iteratively and close to the market. And thus maximize the chances of success.

NEW HORIZON Our New Horizon Program combines a wide range of agile tools. Thus, we are able to design market-relevant concepts very quickly – to proactively expand success in the digital age: from worldwide innovation & technology scouting, to use cases, business models and innovation business cases to the agile realization of Test & Learn pilots.

ORGANIZATION No tool but very important: organization and culture. Only those who anchor agility in the, not only live it, but anticipate it, will be successful in the long-run. The best tools are useless if an agile mindset is missing…

PERSONA “Tim Test” or “Pia Pilot AG” are not real people. But very helpful deputies. What are the attitudes, values and goals of the target group? What are interests, abilities and characteristics? Where or how is the product / service been used? The needs, requirements and wishes of the user personas are continuously incorporated into the features and functions of new products / services.

QUICK-WIN Agility also describes the ability to adapt existing solutions + not always wanting to reinvent the wheel. That is why it is important to work with strong partners, existing solutions, and field-proven services, rather than reinventing everything in long development loops.

RETROSPECTIVE as a joint review strengthens teaming and creates common ground. What worked well? What did not worked well? What can we try to do it better? And how (measures)?

STOP THINKING START DOING The high innovation dynamics of the digital age requires that we no longer spend time with long strategy and innovation processes, but look proactively forward: The proof of the pudding is in the eating

TEAM There are many cool tools and methods to drive innovation agilely. However, these are unsuccessful without the most important factor: people. Agile innovating requires smart, creative minds and different perspectives – a strong team that shapes the future together.

USER STORIES describe requirements for a product / service from the user’s point of view. It is primarily about describing a users expectations without designing the “HOW”. This is super helpful to slip into the shoes of the users when creating new solutions.

VALUE PROPOSITION DESIGN The Value Proposition is a short, clear description of the value of a product / service to the user – from the user’s point of view. Which Pain Point is solved and how? What is the added value? 

WIREFRAMING makes it possible to make digital services touchable in a very simple way. The main goal is to define information hierarchies, to structure content and thus, to outline the layout of a digital service. This enables to understand how users interact with the service – a great starting point for first prototypes and MVP’s.

XPERIENCE The best product, the most innovative service, the coolest technology are unsuccessful without outstanding user experiences. Customers’ expectations are high – and are getting higher and higher. That is why it is essential to design things from the customer point of view + in the customers interests – because pricing ist no more the “number one decision criterion”.

YOGA, DAILY STAND UPS OR LUNCH are “agile innovation tools” that help to promote creativity, openness and team spirit. “Keep focus on agile inovation tools” but also “keep focus on peoples’ happiness”. This is the only way to motivate and successfully create and realize innovations that rock.

ZERO STRESS Innovations and new business ideas do not fall out of the sky – it is an iterative process. Take time for creativity and new ideas – reflect them and build measure learn instead of pushing innovation ideas from zero to 100. Thereby create innovations with an open mind and do not expect too much too quickly.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST NEVER FORGET TO:

Catch the Future…!

How to successfully discover innovation opportunities and partners

Innovation Hub: keep a finger on the pulse of time

Innovation Hubs are on everyone’s lips. Companies strive for new innovation playing fields, cooperation and out-of-the-box thinking. With a strong need for agility, and to keep a finger on the pulse of time. How can innovation hubs discover attractive innovation opportunities? How can they support business success? Here are some fresh answers from our innovation consulting and supporting corporate innovation hubs.

EB Insight: What does „innovation hub“ mean to you?

Alexander: A hub is always a central point within a broader space. An innovation hub can be seen as a further innovation pillar in which varied ideas, players and technologies come together – to be combined in synergy. The most popular innovation hub is a geographical: The Silicon Valley. Here, startups, established companies and academics live and work collaboratively in the tightest of space. Hubs from companies are platforms by which new technologies, innovation opportunities and collaboration partners are captured, evaluated and utilized.

EB Insight: What types of innovation hubs are out there?

Alexander: We see innovation hubs within companies, public institutions, associations and sciences. Even the European Union is engaged and networks via innovation hubs. Concerning corporate innovation hubs, there are many different types: from single innovation hub events for creative networking through to long-time strategic corporate innovation hub initiatives with worldwide locations. Some German examples: Lufthansa Innovation Hub, InsureTechHub. It is all about ambition, priority and willingness to invest.

EB Insight: Why do more and more companies and associations build innovation hubs or get involved in existing ones?

Alexander: Our age is full of innovations and new ideas – with high-speed hyper-competition. Thus, new valuable innovation playing fields cannot be created with old school techniques like planning in minute detail, wargaming, portfolio-strategies or stage-gate-processes. Without a continuous inflow of external innovation and technology impulses including cross-industry and cross-market perspectives + without an open, creative network, companies won’t have a successful future today.

EB Insight: Why is the early identification of innovation and technology developments, startups and tech partners important?

Alexander: An innovation hub needs continuous input. For collaboration and innovation. That requires a continuous inflow of fresh impulses. The hub needs to keep its finger on the pulse of time. What innovation and technology developments emerge in adjacent categories and markets? Which startups and tech companies are potential creative and technology network partners? Out-of-the-box fuel of new impulses related to own hot-topics are needed. Google + startup databases are not enough today. Some corporations still assume that startups and tech partners will approach to them. Or it might be enough that employees attend startup conferences and networking events. That is a great starting point. But to create successful partnerships and innovations much more is needed.

EB Insight: How can innovation and technology impulses be incorporated in innovation hubs?

Alexander: A powerful Scouting that focuses individual and continuously changing topics as well as cross-market and cross-industry impulses is needed. Databases and network events are static. Complexity of information and innovation speed is high. Thus, an innovation hub should enable to see the forest for the trees. To discover new plants and exciting animals. In doing so, creative exchange is needed. To filter most important developments for your business. It is all about involving employees and innovation partners with their ideas and topics of interest. Also into the scouting. It is essential to exchange experiences and network from day 1.

EB Insight: How can innovation and technology collaboration partners be attracted and embedded by the hub?

Alexander: An innovation hub is a separate ecosystem. It evolves naturally. Step by step due to innovation and networking activities. To keep a filter in mind but at the same time let creativity and networking flow, is very helpful for that. For example: a wide partner screening with virtual speed dating events to co-creation workshops to partnerships that create success from Design Sprint to pilot implementation. In doing so: slip into the shoes of your customers. Involve market and customer perspectives prematurely and continuously. Integrate employees, executives and chairmen. Whether the innovation hub is a program idea or a long-term initiative – this is how engagement, motivation and identification arise.

EB Insight: What is your experience a hub can do to succeed in collaboration?

Alexander: In our innovation consulting, we support innovation hubs especially with tailored innovation and technology scouting and the creation of a strong partner ecosystem. For the hub in general and for particular innovation activities. From many projects we know: you are successful, when collaborating together in interdisciplinary teams. When startups and tech partners are on the same level. That means: not David & Goliath but more Bonny & Clyde. And SPRAY & PRAY.

Catch the Future…!

How to successfully discover innovation opportunities and partners

Innovation Hub: keep a finger on the pulse of time

Innovation Hubs are on everyone’s lips. Companies strive for new innovation playing fields, cooperation and out-of-the-box thinking. With a strong need for agility, and to keep a finger on the pulse of time. How can innovation hubs discover attractive innovation opportunities? How can they support business success? Here are some fresh answers from our innovation consulting and supporting corporate innovation hubs.

EB Insight: What does „innovation hub“ mean to you?

Alexander: A hub is always a central point within a broader space. An innovation hub can be seen as a further innovation pillar in which varied ideas, players and technologies come together – to be combined in synergy. The most popular innovation hub is a geographical: The Silicon Valley. Here, startups, established companies and academics live and work collaboratively in the tightest of space. Hubs from companies are platforms by which new technologies, innovation opportunities and collaboration partners are captured, evaluated and utilized.

EB Insight: What types of innovation hubs are out there?

Alexander: We see innovation hubs within companies, public institutions, associations and sciences. Even the European Union is engaged and networks via innovation hubs. Concerning corporate innovation hubs, there are many different types: from single innovation hub events for creative networking through to long-time strategic corporate innovation hub initiatives with worldwide locations. Some German examples: Lufthansa Innovation Hub, InsureTechHub. It is all about ambition, priority and willingness to invest.

EB Insight: Why do more and more companies and associations build innovation hubs or get involved in existing ones?

Alexander: Our age is full of innovations and new ideas – with high-speed hyper-competition. Thus, new valuable innovation playing fields cannot be created with old school techniques like planning in minute detail, wargaming, portfolio-strategies or stage-gate-processes. Without a continuous inflow of external innovation and technology impulses including cross-industry and cross-market perspectives + without an open, creative network, companies won’t have a successful future today.

EB Insight: Why is the early identification of innovation and technology developments, startups and tech partners important?

Alexander: An innovation hub needs continuous input. For collaboration and innovation. That requires a continuous inflow of fresh impulses. The hub needs to keep its finger on the pulse of time. What innovation and technology developments emerge in adjacent categories and markets? Which startups and tech companies are potential creative and technology network partners? Out-of-the-box fuel of new impulses related to own hot-topics are needed. Google + startup databases are not enough today. Some corporations still assume that startups and tech partners will approach to them. Or it might be enough that employees attend startup conferences and networking events. That is a great starting point. But to create successful partnerships and innovations much more is needed.

EB Insight: How can innovation and technology impulses be incorporated in innovation hubs?

Alexander: A powerful Scouting that focuses individual and continuously changing topics as well as cross-market and cross-industry impulses is needed. Databases and network events are static. Complexity of information and innovation speed is high. Thus, an innovation hub should enable to see the forest for the trees. To discover new plants and exciting animals. In doing so, creative exchange is needed. To filter most important developments for your business. It is all about involving employees and innovation partners with their ideas and topics of interest. Also into the scouting. It is essential to exchange experiences and network from day 1.

EB Insight: How can innovation and technology collaboration partners be attracted and embedded by the hub?

Alexander: An innovation hub is a separate ecosystem. It evolves naturally. Step by step due to innovation and networking activities. To keep a filter in mind but at the same time let creativity and networking flow, is very helpful for that. For example: a wide partner screening with virtual speed dating events to co-creation workshops to partnerships that create success from Design Sprint to pilot implementation. In doing so: slip into the shoes of your customers. Involve market and customer perspectives prematurely and continuously. Integrate employees, executives and chairmen. Whether the innovation hub is a program idea or a long-term initiative – this is how engagement, motivation and identification arise.

EB Insight: What is your experience a hub can do to succeed in collaboration?

Alexander: In our innovation consulting, we support innovation hubs especially with tailored innovation and technology scouting and the creation of a strong partner ecosystem. For the hub in general and for particular innovation activities. From many projects we know: you are successful, when collaborating together in interdisciplinary teams. When startups and tech partners are on the same level. That means: not David & Goliath but more Bonny & Clyde. And Spray & Pray.

Catch the Future…!

PROTOTYPES: THE AGILE GUINEA PIGS

Whether paperboards, 3D-models or click-dummies: prototypes support successful realization

In a nutshell: prototypes are the first creative execution of an idea. The initial realization of a new product or service in a very simple way. It is not a “perfect version”. But a rude one, that makes the values of a new idea visually and physically come to live. How do users experience functions and features? Does the idea and its functionalities meet user requirements and demands? Is added value created?

Main focus is to make ideas experienceable for users – quickly and agilely. That means: visualize main functions. Create and shape basic features commonly with users. Express services and unique features. Quickly conduct tests in relevant markets + continuously, iteratively improve prototypes.

Without huge planning efforts or high costs. By prototypes, innovations are based on user demands from the beginning. From idea to realization stages of a new product or service. Thus, prospects of success are maximized. Because: opinions of relevant target groups are implied from day one. Questions and inconsistencies are clarified directly. Requirements are further developed continuously – step by step. Problems and errors are eliminated before huge costs arise. Thus, prototyping is also positive for trust and team spirit of all stakeholders. Transparency and direct honest feedback from scratch. A picture is worth a thousand words – a prototype is worth a 1.000 pictures…

How does a prototype of an idea come to live? Whenever an idea and it’s basic features are created, you can start to develop a prototype. First, it is useful to bring essentials to paper – simple sketches, brainstorming’s + external impulses. To bring sketches to live, there are many different prototyping methods and tools. It does not matter whether you use pen & paper, cardboards, Lego, 3D-printing or one of the many prototyping tools like Balsamiq or Invision. What matter is a good idea. Creativity. Courage. Functionality. Clearness. And a good preparation.

Our experience from EARLY BRANDS: the most promising prototype is not the one with the straightest lines or the most perfect design. A perfect and detailed design is not the alpha and omega. Functionality is much more important. Thus: the most promising prototype is the one that enables to answer questions. That visualizes and illustrates ideas simply and comprehensively. A prototype, that challenges, optimizes and aligns ideas to the user. And thus bring ideas to the next level. Tests are made with real user + a build-measure-learn attitude.

To make a long story short: prototypes are experiments. Fast, agile and creative tests. Whether cardboards, styrofoam or virtual click dummies: costs are kept low. Ideas are developed iteratively, in line with the market and put into implementation stages quickly and agilely. Thus, success is ensured from the beginning.

Catch the Future…!

CUSTOMER VALUE PROPOSITIONS FOR SUCCESS

Value proposition: Why WOW!-factors are so important today

Short and sweet: value propositions are the promise of value to be delivered to your target groups by new products or services. Functions, features and arguments that create value. And ideally generate uniqueness. Make things better. And thus, leads to buying decisions. Value propositions enable to stand out from the high noise level of the fast-moving digital age. And thereby, convince customers in a trustworthy way – for repurchase and loyalty.

A value propositions is not a kind of a slogan or claim. But a strategic and unique promise of value, developed and tested with real users. Thus, it’s helpful to ask yourself the following questions: How does my offers improve customers’ live? How do customers feel when using my products or services? How does the unique, specific benefit look like? Why are customers willing to use my products or service – although they might have thousands of options?

These are key questions a good value proposition must answer – in a short, simple and specific way. For your company, your products and services.

Starting points are specific problems of your customers and target groups. The needs and demands + benefits your product or service can offer to solve problems. Thus: generate insights. Analyze customer needs. Identify specific problems to be solved. And then: Find solutions. Also, important: a specific and transparent communication. Thereby, use customer language – explain value propositions with focus on your customer.

To create your value proposition there are many different tools and methods. There is no formula for success or the “one and only tool”. We from EARLY BRANDS know: value proposition design is always specific and individual – depending on companies as well as customers. What really matters: people + empathy. Thus: slip into your customers shoes. Make use of persona, who will use your product or service. Generate insights. Detect WOW!-factors.

Maybe it is a unique, customer-orientated online service. Maybe an exclusive product design. Perhaps you can convince your customers with an extraordinary quality or an unbeatable price. Maybe your product or services gives customers superpowers. Or solves the unsolvable. A value proposition can literally be anything. What matters is customer relevance + values. Features like one-day-deliveries, free shipping or 2-for-1 offers are great arguments BUT: definitely not unique. Thus, you won’t be more successful as your competitors only having these arguments in your pocket.

So: take time for value proposition design. An unambiguous, specific and differentiating statement, which communicates the values of your offers easily and as plain as can be, is a critical success factor today. It will become more and more important for business success as number of innovative products and services continuously increase.

To keep a long story short: focus on your customers. A value proposition developed with and for your target groups, is a value proposition that secures market relevance + enthusiasm of different stakeholders. From customer, employees to partners.

Catch the Future…!

Our ABC for successful innovation in the digital age

Innovation from A gility to Z ickzaggery

A GILE and customer-centric. Be always one step ahead – be flexibly responsive to markets and customer needs. Anticipate changes quickly and innovatively. That is most important in the dynamics of our digital age.

B UILD-MEASURE-LEARN and do not waste your time to dot the i’s and cross the t’s. Quickly test and step-by-step explore innovation ideas together with your customers and partners.

C ULTURE eats strategy for breakfast. Innovation and creativity need a culture characterized by openness and sense of cohesiveness – live innovations instead of only talking about them.

D ISRUPTION is all around you. Thus: identify and utilize innovation and technology opportunities as early as possible.

E COSYSTEM and partners enable speed and multiply innovation success. Create innovations collectively rather than always focusing competition.

F INANCES and resources: times of steel and concrete is over. Our creative age needs a shift of resources towards creativity and innovation.

G UARANTEE is non-existent.

H ORIZONS must be big and bold. Leave your comfort zone. Think above your core business and proactively, creatively shape innovation in different categories: from service, to product through to completely new business models.

I NTERACTION is king. Whether employee, partner or customer:  innovation success is created and accelerated by people.

J OINTLY create. Innovation do not need single-players. Do not only think in internal innovations but also consider cooperation, partnerships and strategic investments.

K EEP FOCUS and do not postpone innovation to next year. 

L EAN STARTUP test ideas for innovation quickly – with least capital expenditures + valuable customer feedback. Further develop your idea in markets step-by-step.

M ARKET RELEVANCE and customer enthusiasm – that’s what it’s all about!

N OISE LEVEL is high. Our markets are characterized by high volatility, uncertainty, and complexity. Be prepared for the challenges of tomorrow and proactively raise awareness for innovation.

O UT-Of-THE-BOX thinking and acting! Wake up: there are so many innovation and technology opportunities around you!

P ROTOTYPE whether paper, dough or 3D-printed: build prototypes for your idea as early as possible. Make it vivid and descriptive for you and your customers!

Q UANTIFY and estimate business potentials of your innovation idea. Build innovation business cases and explore potentials for multiplication and scalability.

R ECOMBINE the best of existing solutions and creatively shape new path of success. Thus, often 1+1 is 3.

S OURCES whether intern or extern. Whether fair, online desk research or professional innovation and technology scouting. Whether tech partner, customer or supplier: valuable market information snooze all around you.

T RANSFORMATION is ubiquitous. Markets of tomorrow already challenge solutions of today and give rise to new innovations day by day.

U SE CASES are useful to see innovation ideas from a customer perspective. Get into your customers shoes and evaluate value propositions, WOW-factors and features.

V ALUES are varied. New income streams? Customer loyalty? Efficiency and productivity gains? Cost savings? Sustainability? …

W ORKSHOPS are more than just creative meetings. Whether ideation, conception or design sprints – you commonly develop valuable insights and outcomes in a short period of time while creating a common understanding, engagement and motivation for innovation.

X PERIENCE matters. Even in our digital age the customer is the king. Thus, focus on customer added-values and services that create enthusiasm and differentiation.

Y ES we can! Passion, enthusiasm and joy should be constant companions for successful innovation in the dynamics of our digital age.

Z ICKZAGGERY … successful innovation do not follow a straight course. Thus, agilely test your ideas with real customers today rather than wasting time with innovation processes regulated down to the last detail.

Catch the Future…!

Open and agile into the future

5 things startups do differently

Startups create new markets. They find answers for questions that no one else asks. They have the potential to turn industries upside down and reorganize them completely. Flexible, quick and highly motivated. What can we learn and adapt?

OPTIMISM  & COURAGE : Open-minded, positive and adaptable in approaching an idea. Focus on opportunities and putting risks on ice. This “nothing is impossible mentality” creates a common spirit, courage and openness – for quick success.

SPEED : Because of this openness + Startups often have short decision-making paths, decisions and changes are much faster than in large companies. Long loops and “what-if-or-what-not” do not happen. Speed and agility are the result – a clear advantage in the dynamics of our age.

TRIAL & ERROR : Young companies often lack the financials to plan, design and execute everything down to the smallest detail. This leads in the need for a fast working product / service instead of the 10th design loop. This results in quickly introducing the product / services and receiving user feedback very fast. That has a big advantage, because only products / services that are designed in line with customer needs are successful.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP & TEAM  SPIRIT : Achieve goals jointly. No “silo thinking”, because organizational units are very small or not there yet. Management levels do not play a role. There is no ivory tower and everyone stands for the same thing. Pushing business in the same direction to make an idea a success. As one team, with creative people and above all: with the customers.

ADAPTABILITY : Speed and the constant uncertainty of how markets react to an idea, lead to extraordinary high adaptability and agility of Startups. There is constant reflection and reaction. Standing still is not an option.

At EARLY BRANDS, we live day by day in this positive “Startup Spirit”, in our office in Bremen. Whether internal, with partners or with users. This is how innovative business models and services are created fast, agile and always with its finger on the pulse of the time. High benefits and economic attractiveness are exactly what makes us and our clients successful. To face the dynamics of our world with courage and openness, to anticipate the new and quickly implement innovations.

Catch the Future…!