Innovation Exercise

• Act of Insight ( penicillin )

  • A "Eureka movement" when an inventive solution comes to mind (often due to observation)
  • CSPC Pharmaceuticals Group Ltd.
  • Penicillin was discovered by Alexander Fleming when he noticed moldy fungi killing bacteria. He turned that mold into penicillin.


• Adaptation ( touch id )

  • When a solution to a certain problem in one field is used to solve the problem in the other sector.
  • AuthenTec
  • Originally fingerprints were used as the identification of a person. Later, people developed fingerprint scanners to restrict the access to certain information ( military and government) from where it was borrowed by the IT industry to protect private data.


• Technology Transfer ( Thermographic camera)

  • When a technology, manufacturing process or material is moved from one field to another to in order to provide new methods for inventors.
  • American Infrared
  • Originally this technology was developed in 1800 and served for thermal measurements. However, in 1929 thermal cameras were used in military sector for anti-aircraft defense in Britain.

• Analogy ( exoskeleton )

  • When based on observation ( ex. nature) a new solution to a certain problem is developed
  • SuitX
  • The technology was borrowed from animals ( to provide support and , in some cases, protection for humans.

• Chance ( X-Ray machines )

  • Unexpected discovery that allows to create a solution for various problems.
  • Fujifilm Holdings
  • Originally X - ray waves were discovered accidentally by Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen and only after a detailed research were applied in healthcare.

Figure 5

• Technology Push ( Maglev )

  • When an idea is born by an individual who has the knowledge, imagination and the practical skills to transform the idea into the invention.
  • U.S. - JAPAN MAGLEV, LLC
  • When American scientists Robert Goddard and Emile Bachelet first conceived of frictionless trains they gave a birth to a new discovery that took almost 100 years to be implemented.

Figure 6

• Market Pull ( solar panels )

  • The solution is developed in order to satisfy the societal need ( market segment need) in solving a problem .
  • Auxin Solar - San Jose, CA
  • When people accepted the pollution as a problem they started searching for alternative energy resources. Thus, they have created a demand ( market opportunity) that resulted in the invention of solar panels.