Tired because has been taking a lot of pictures in Paris, and doesn’t know where to post them: Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook…?
Every week brings a new app, a new trend… Wants to think differently about technology.
Has spent the last several years studying tech that disrupts markets.
Either the next 10 years are going to happen to us, or because of us.
LeWeb is full of people trying to change the world.
Saw a headline recently about the lack of innovation. But VCs are paying attention to Europe now: what is Europe going to do with this opportunity?
Disrupting is something that happens because of what we do. We need to be inspired but also think about a new approach. The future of innovation starts with empathy, seeing things through the eyes of somebody else. See things differently and have the courage to try it.
Some of the best traits in innovative companies follow.
Innovation introduces us to something new, changes behaviour. So obsessed with raising money and reading Mashable that we lose sight of that. Changing behaviour.
Innovative companies apply some variety of design thinking or systems thinking to their approach.
Generation C, the connected generation. Face in our screens. This is the world where we have to either feed complacency or change behaviour to be more productive.
Teenagers can focus on homework for 6 minutes before they need to turn to a device or an app.
Can you read long articles like you did before? Or do you find yourself looking at pictures of cats? steph-note: all the time!
This is the person we need to inspire. How do you invoke empathy for a group that seems to lack empathy?
Creative destruction. Ideas that will make the leader in a market lose its place. Uber, AirBnB. You know you’re onto a good idea when the government tries to shut you down.
Good ideas sound ridiculous at the beginning. The first mouse doesn’t get the cheese, but the second one does.
Bread, once it became sliced, became a platform that created markets for sliced meats, spreads, a company providing you with your dinner. Created an entire market. steph-note: Switzerland doesn’t really have sliced bread… or at least it’s second-rate bread.
Followers outperform pioneers. Benefits of second-movers.
“Does anyone in the audience have the new Samsung smartwatch?” — nobody moves. “Exactly! How many of you will have the Apple iWatch when it comes out?” Apple applies design thinking to their stuff.
Inspiring book: The Innovator’s Dilemma.
What’s the problem? What’s the opportunity? Disrupt the market because you solved a real problem and created a solution for it.
The best companies out there have all applied this model.
Start with Why, not What and How. Why = motivation, How = process, What = product. Start with Why. Apple believes that they can challenge invention, shake the status quo, and do that by thinking differently. Computers that are beautifully designed, with great user experience. When you start with why you’re already empathetic.
Empathy — Context — Creativity — Rationality
Characteristics of innovators
Wonderful paper by Google: 8 pillars of innovation (head over and look at them).
Starting with Why, empathy and context, that is more powerful than you imagine. Design and systems thinking is key, not technology.
New York lit up by electricity. Needed a power plant, needed to be built!
Nike don’t just make shoes now. They’re a technology company, services company, data, platform.
Tesla don’t just make electric cars. They’re the second mouse. They figured they needed a complete ecosystem to support that car. A platform. Not just about how the car looked and drove. Built a new model to sell cars, because they wanted a great experience throughout.
They’re building a whole electrical infrastructure around key points in the US so people can feel safe about having a full battery. => best car that’s come out in a long time.
Two ways to influence human behaviour: manipulate or inspire.
The future is a blank slate. Yours to define.