This document discusses how established enterprises are failing at innovation compared to startups, and proposes some hypotheses for why. It suggests that we have entered a new era of innovation where startups have many advantages over large companies, including easy access to funding, resources through incubators and accelerators, and a diverse range of entrepreneurs. It argues that large companies struggle with innovation due to challenges like rigid business models, risk aversion, and slow organizational processes. The document concludes that established companies need a new "innovation DNA" that embraces approaches like incubating at scale, pursuing multiple business models in parallel, and prioritizing ecosystem dominance over short-term financial returns.
1. Innovate Differently: Rethinking the
"How“ of Enterprise Innovation
Silicon Valley Thought Leadership Series
alex.blanter@atkearney.com
@AlexBlanter
October 15, 2015
2. Over 70,000
books written
on innovation
– 1,500 new
books just in
the past 3
months
46 Innovation
conferences
just in 2015
14,776
LinkedIn
Groups on
topic of
Innovation
99,000
Facebook
posts on
Innovation
50 TED Talks
on Innovation
5,740,000
YouTube
videos on
Innovation this
year
I know you all came here to hear some answers…
… but let me start with a few facts and a question
So, the question is:
Do we need another discussion on innovation?
Source: A.T. Kearney analysis
3. The sad truth is: established public enterprises are failing at
innovation by the only measure that matters – Value Creation
Public Companies
$2,828B $465B $895B $200B
5% 54% 54% 274%
9% 51% 36% 135%
Top 20
Largest
Top 20
Fastest Growing
Top 20
Most Innovative
Top 20
Startups
Startups
Total Absolute
Valuation
Average
Valuation Growth
Median Valuation
Growth
ShortTermLongTerm
Return on Assets Down by 75%
Tenure on the S&P500 Down by 80%
Reach $1B valuation
3x faster
Source: A.T. Kearney/Forbes: Innovation Premium; WSJ: Billion Dollar Startups Global Startup Ecosystem Ranking 2015
4. Why is it happening?
The honest answer: Nobody Knows…
Established
Enterprises
Startups
New
innovation era
1
2
3
4
New startup
environment
Incumbency
curse
IPO
discontinuity
however, we have some Hypotheses
Source: A.T. Kearney analysis
5. We are at the start of a new innovation era
Innovation
Approach
Innovation
Actors
Past Future
Random Action
Magic
(often black)
Individuals
Bespoke Efforts
Art
Select Companies
Rigorous
Methodology
Science
Select Industries
Winning
Formula
Tribal leadership
(or death)
Industry leadership Economic growthInnovation
Outcomes
Rapid
Experimentation
Culture
Ecosystem
Right to continue
to innovate
TODAY
1
Source: A.T. Kearney analysis
6. We are in a new startup environment: Easy money that last
2
At the same time, the costs of starting a new high tech start up have decreased
10x to 100x in just the last several years
Source: A.T. Kearney/NVCA Yearbook 2015; PwC-NVCA MoneyTree™ ReportCorporate Venture Investment by Year 2011 – 2014
7. We are in a new startup environment: Not only easy money…
also early money
2
Source: A.T. Kearney/NVCA Yearbook 2015
8. Accelerator Incubator Service Provider
Services
• Funding, expertise, networks,
curriculum, community, support
• Sometimes small amount of seed
funding
• Work space
• Opportunities to network and mentor
with academic and industry experts
• Invitations to startup competitions
• Funding, strategic advice, back office
services, benchmarking, technology
• Execution, growth and milestone
focused
• Advising and mentoring by industry
experts
• Support with rapid prototyping
• Direct services
• Fee-based facilities usage
• Pay per desk, hour or month
• A la carte pricing on support services
(e.g., legal advice, meeting rooms,
video conferencing)
• Opportunity to network with other
startups in a casual environment
Sponsors • Universities, VC funds, Independent • Universities, VC funds, Independent • Independent
Cost
Structure
• Equity, Fee, Free • Equity, Fee, Free • Fee, Free
Duration • Fixed short term (weeks) • Variable medium term (months) • Unlimited
We are in a new startup environment:
The proverbial startup garage is now a full service valet parking…
2
Source: A.T. Kearney analysis
9. … that comes in many different stripes – e.g. Incubators galore
Local Economic
Development Incubators
Academic and Scientific
Incubators
Corporate Incubators
Private Investors’
Incubators
Business
Model
• Non-profit • Non-profit • For profit • For profit
Objectives
• Job creation
• Economic development
• Development of SMEs and local
clusters of capabilities
• Commercialization of
technologies
• Civic responsibility
• New sources of finance
• Keeping talent
• Access to new technologies,
business models, and markets
• Profits
• Profits
Targets • Small service and manufacturing
companies
• Projects internal to institution
prior to company creation
• External projects
• Internal and external projects,
generally related to the activity of
the company
• Start-ups
Offering
• Hosting and shared services
• Administrative assistance
• Coaching, training, networking
• Access to financing
• Concept testing and technical
support
• Intellectual property help
• Seed capital
• Management & strategy advice
• Access to investors & networks
• Financial resources
• Prototype and testing
• Access to markets
• Long-term partnership
• Access to competencies
• Management & strategy advice
• Several types of financing
• Personal networks
• Support services
2
Source: A.T. Kearney analysis
10. We are in a new startup environment:
Entrepreneurs are everywhere and are ever more diverse
Silicon Valley
Tel Aviv
Los Angeles
Seattle
New York City
Boston
London
Toronto
Vancouver
Chicago
Paris
Sydney
Sao Paulo
Moscow
Berlin
Waterloo
Singapore
Melbourne
Bangalore
Santiago
Rank
(high to
low)
• By race:
non-white – 41%,
a 78% increase
• By age:
> 45 – 52%,
a 37% increase
• By education: college
grads – 33%,
a 38% increase
Entrepreneur
demographics
2
Source: A.T. Kearney/Kaufman Foundation; PitchBook Venture Capital Monthly Report (August/September 2014); Startup Genome Startup
Ecosystem Report
11. Becoming a public company seems to result in reduced
innovation performance, in spite of longer time-to-IPO
Average in Years at IPO 2000 – 2014Biggest IPOs (High Tech)
IPO Valuation $193B $104B $14.2B $7B $12.5B
IPO Date
Sep
2014
May
2012
Nov
2013
Dec
2011
Nov
2011
One-year
return
-30% -31% -9% -74% -85%
Nasdaq return +7% +26% +20% +19% +12%
3
3.2
4.9 5.3
7.7
2000 2005 2010 2014
Average Years
+143%
Source: A.T. Kearney analysis; USA Today Research, 30 Sept 2015; NVCA Yearbook 2015
12. The incumbency curse is real: Large public enterprises face
many challenges in being repeatable innovators
• Stable – and somewhat frozen – business models
• Complex regulatory environment – and resulting risk aversion
Addressing these challenges one by one is a losing proposition –
A Change in DNA is Required
4
• Legacy infrastructure and processes – and significant costs to re-platform
• Accumulated complexity – in markets, channels, infrastructure, products and services
• Culture of a large organization – with its premium on current performance and business
stability
• Complex organizational structure – with multiple operating companies, P&L owners, decision-
makers, and interfaces
• Organizational clock speed measured in months and quarters – rather than in days and weeks
Source: A.T. Kearney analysis
13. The old innovation methods will deliver the old innovation
results – The new innovation DNA is required
Incubate with gusto at scale
– don’t just play… do
Venture wildly – for a meaningful
place in the ecosystem
Run multiple business
models in parallel
Establish real constraints…
couple with real rewards
Drive for ecosystem dominance
first, financial returns second
Play the long
game, but fast
Innovate deliberately,
with clear strategy
Source: A.T. Kearney analysis
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Distribution, quotations, duplication, and excerpts are not permitted without A.T.
Kearney’s prior written consent. The content compiled in this report is for
presentation only and does not represent the complete findings or total
documentation on the topic represented.