Collaborative generation of knowledge and high efficiency information flow allow for diversity, increased resilience, reliability and stability within an organization. Through participatory research, stakeholders can make full use of the resulting innovation and invention, by transferring findings relevant to the sector in which they are positioned. A designer’s increased awareness through shared industry knowledge enhances profitability and policy.

• The inventor, the product champion, the entrepreneur

• The inventor as a product champion and/or entrepreneur

• A multidisciplinary approach to innovation

• Roles of the product champion and entrepreneur in the innovation of products and systems

• Reasons why inventors often take the role of product champion and/or entrepreneur

• The advantages and disadvantages of multidisciplinary teams

On occasion, the inventor needs to act as both entrepreneur and product champion. The adoption of these additional roles requires a significant amount of learning to take an idea from the mind, realize it and then diffuse it successfully into the marketplace.