Innovation Services – Competencies & Approach

Consulting

What we offer

Business Model Innovations

We help you generate completely new business models or transform existing ones

Projects are tailored to your needs — if you wish we can support you from creating a new vision/strategy to measuring the success of the newly introduced business model
Our approach combines methods and tools from Design Thinking and the world of digital start-ups with those of classic Strategic Management
We consider organizational aspects of implementation in all of our projects (transformation and change)
We can manage the innovation process no matter which industry you are in; in addition, we can bring in best practices from selected industries

Improvement of innovation capabilities

Analysis of strengths and weaknesses with our proprietary Business Model Waves framework

Start with a free test on this website
More detailed health check available, if needed by including a larger part of the organization
Comprehensive innovation program: root cause analysis, optimization approach, implementation (organizational structure, processes & culture)
Coaching of your management team with respect to innovation culture and Design Thinking
Possible for all industries — the framework is generally applicable and we will work closely together with your experts

Digital transformation

Strategy development and business model innovation based on digital technologies

Identification of relevant industry trends, e.g. mobile, smart manufacturing, big data, internet of things, personalization, etc.
Analysis of digital capabilities and assets of the firm
Development of the firm's digital vision and strategy
Exploration of new, innovative possibilities for satisfying customer needs
Translation into digital business models
Organizational set-up for the digital transformation

Design Sprints

From a rough idea to a tested prototype in five days

Execution of classic Design Sprints (5 days) with your team
Extensions possible: prior exploration of customer needs, involvement of external experts, linking the solution with business models
Design Sprints also possible for challenges beyond product development (processes, strategies, org design, ...)

Scenario Sprints

Customized scenarios for your organization / department within a few days

Translation of relevant trends and uncertainties into “learning scenarios“
Massively accelerated process via sprint logic (scenarios possible in one week)
Starting point for strategy development, future-inspired innovations, early trend detection or thought leadership in the ecosystem
More information and sample scenarios: www.scenario-sprint.com

Technology Accelerator

Bringing a technological solution to market with co-creation

Together with your engineers and researchers, we turn promising technologies into market successes
Like in a startup, our joint team validates the market opportunity, tests prototypes and designs the business model
If desired, we also support with a spin-off
Background information with project example: link

Sustainability Innovation

We make sustainability happen, fast.

GREEN VALUE SPRINT: Turn your sustainability targets into concrete results with a sprint-based approach
GREEN IDEATOR: Dream up ways to combine sustainability and business benefits
GREEN ACCELERATOR: Establish green innovation systematically within your organization
GREEN BUSINESS MODELS: Navigate the complexities of sustainability and respective value chain challenges

Academy

What we teach

Innovation skills

Test drive leading innovation methods in one of our training sessions

SCENARIO THINKING: Create innovations for the future based on key trends and uncertainties
DESIGN THINKING: Build empathy for your target group and develop user-centric ideas
VALUE PROPOSITION & BUSINESS MODEL: Make sure to create, deliver and capture the value of your idea
DESIGN SPRINT: Learn how to get from your rough idea to a tested prototype in five days

Enabling innovation

Learn how to speed up and improve the innovation output of your organization

LEADING INNOVATION: Become a leader that makes innovation thrive in your organization
INNOVATION NUDGING: Support innovative behavior and decision-making
INNOVATION EXECUTION: Pave the way to make an innovation successful and realize its benefits
PITCHING INNOVATION: Design and deliver pitches that create crucial buy-in for your ideas

Approach

How we work

Our Principles

If innovation was our religion, these would be our six commandments

Innovation is for everyone.
Sometimes, however, creativity is buried deep down in the organization. But it's there somewhere, always. Leave the shovel in the shed, we'll bring the excavator.
Innovation only flourishes on customer needs.
Understanding your customer is key. True customer insight starts with smart questions, not smart answers. Only your customer is allowed to play the wise guy.
Innovation requires heart and mind.
Creativity and intuition are as important as hard facts and analyses. If one is missing, the pretty butterfly will stay a caterpillar forever.
Innovation works systematically.
It is not possible to predict if and when a true innovation will emerge. Yet, managing the innovation process in a professional way is possible indeed. Everyone makes mistakes, but a pro makes that same mistake only once.
Innovation is a team sport.
The brilliant idea of an individual does not turn into a real innovation until many others devote their creativity and energy to it. We make your team to become the star.
Innovation needs to be anchored.
Internal decision-making processes and organizational barriers almost always represent a challenge to the success of innovation efforts. We help you to tear down walls or lift you over the fence should you be in a hurry.

Our methods and tools

Magic is just a form of craft

The best out of three worlds — We were lucky enough to get to know methods and tools from many different domains, and have selected the most useful ones for our purpose.

Design Thinking:
Design Thinking is a management approach that puts the needs of the customer at center stage, integrates clients into the innovation process, and accelerates it through rapid iterations. Solutions are generated in multidisciplinary teams in an iterative way, testing and improving them as fast as possible based on customer feedback.
Methods from the domain of digital start-ups:
Should you not be familiar with concepts like "Pivoting" and "A/B Testing" we will explain them to you — if they are relevant. We will also help you tailor respective tools to your specific needs and implement them within your organization.
Methods from classic Strategic Management:
Despite the ever increasing speed of economic change, strategic issues are of no less importance than they used to be — they just need to be addressed much faster nowadays. This makes it even more essential to use respective tools in a professional way.

Your benefits

How you benefit from the fact that we do things a little differently

Accelerated innovation process
Our iterative approach with early testing of prototypes reduces the time to market.
Higher chances of success
Systematic concept validation increases the probability of success in the marketplace later on. The innovation process is facilitated by various battle-tested tools.
Lower financial and strategic risks:
Das Vorgehen reduziert zugleich die finanziellen Risiken, da die Bedürfnisse der Kunden lange vor dem eigentlichen Marktstart bestätigt und mit (technischer) Machbarkeit und Wirtschaftlichkeit in Einklang gebracht werden. Strategische Risiken können wir durch unsere umfangreiche Projekterfahrung in der Strategieberatung frühzeitig erkennen und vermeiden.
Smooth introduction of the business model:
When decision makers are actively involved in the innovation process, moving from the concept stage to execution becomes much easier. In addition, we make sure to overcome organizational barriers by checking for warning signs from the very beginning of the project.
Honest advice, always:
If something makes no sense, we will tell you. If we make a mistake, we will admit it. Conversely, we ask all of our clients for honest feedback.

References

Who we work with

Selected examples of our customers:

B. Braun, Melsungen
Industry: Medical and pharmaceutical devices

BASF, Ludgwigshafen
Industry: chemicals

Bayer AG, Leverkusen
Industry: chemicals, pharmaceuticals

Boehringer Ingelheim, Ingelheim am Rhein
Industry: pharmaceuticals

Drees & Sommer SE, Stuttgart
Industry: real estate

Heidelberg Startup Partners e.V., Heidelberg
Industry: supporting startups

Klimastiftung für Bürger, Sinsheim
Industry: Non-governmental organization
Video

SCHOTT AG, Mainz
Industry: specialty glass and glass ceramics

Tchibo GmbH, Hamburg
Industry: retail, consumer goods

Wacker Chemie AG, München
Industry: chemicals

ZF Friedrichshafen AG, Friedrichshafen
Industry: automotive

In addition to the organizations mentioned above, our list of clients includes other companies, e.g. from the consumer goods, industrial goods and financial sectors. As part of our innovation analyses, we have carried out a holistic assessment of the innovative strength of countless companies, including a third of all DAX companies.