Simone Ahuja
Dr. Simone Bhan Ahuja is an innovation expert and founder of Blood Orange, a global innovation and strategy firm headquartered in Minneapolis, USA. She is co-author of the international bestseller, Jugaad Innovation, called “the most comprehensive book yet on the subject” of frugal innovation by the Economist. Her latest book, Disrupt-It-Yourself: Eight Ways to Hack a Better Business—Before the Competition Does(HarperCollins Leadership), examines how large organizations can unleash the power of the passionate and purpose-driven “intrapreneurs” on the inside of their organizations to drive innovation, engagement, and sustainable growth.
Read MoreSimone is a certified ExO instructor who works with large firms to help them leverage accelerating technologies to solve problems for current and future end-users . She serves as an advisor to MIT’s Practical Impact Alliance and has served as an advisor to the Centre for India & Global Business at Judge Business School, University of Cambridge. Simone provides innovation and strategy advisory and consulting services to organizations including 3M, Procter & Gamble, Target Corp, Stanley Black & Decker, and the World Economic Forum. She is a regular contributor to the Harvard Business Review online.
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Disrupt-It-Yourself: Why Revolution Is an Inside Job
40 percent of the S & P 500 will be replaced in 10 years. Only 14 percent of new grads want to work for a large company. Consumers are demanding higher value at a lower cost, and accessible technology allows lone entrepreneurs to complete with industry giants. How will the large organization remain competitive and disrupt itself, before a competitor does? By engaging the power of its intrapreneurs – entrepreneurs that already exist on the inside of your organization. In this engaging talk, Dr. Ahuja shares inspiring stories and a practical primer outlining how large firms can disrupt themselves by behaving more like start-ups, while leveraging the scale, distribution, and talent they already have.
Frugal Innovation: Solving Massive Problems with Almost Nothing
Companies are increasingly challenged by a global economy characterized by volatility, complexity, and resource scarcity. This challenging environment, coupled with consumers who demand higher value at a lower cost, is creating an urgency for companies to innovative faster, better, and cheaper. Enter jugaad (frugal) innovation – a frugal, flexible and inclusive approach to innovation most prevalent in emerging markets — with high relevance for firms in developed economies. Frugal innovation occurs at the intersection of business, design, and social innovation – and results in the creation of affordable, sustainable, and accessible solutions.
Innovation Therapy: Barriers and Solutions to Internal Intrapreneurship
As senior leaders and managers, we’re tasked with driving innovation every day, but our organizations weren’t necessary built for change. Do you want to learn how others are managing roadblocks and supporting the “intrapreneurs” inside of their organizations to harness more innovation? In this interactive, practical, and fast-paced keynote and workshop that’s part playbook, part case studies, and part innovation therapy, Dr. Ahuja will share top intraprenerial challenges, and map out strategies to effectively navigate them. Real-world examples from Dr. Ahuja’s research and from session attendees will illuminate these barriers – and the incentives that can help keep intrapreneurs afloat. Whether you’re leading others, or an intrapreneur yourself, this session will give you actionable insights to accelerate your pathway to success.
Articles
Harvard Business Review
Why Innovation Labs Fail, and How to Ensure Yours Doesn’t »
Harvard Business Review
What It Takes to Innovate Within Large Corporations »
Podcast: The Leadership Hacker Podcast
The Innovative Leader with Dr Simone Ahuja »
Testimonials
“We have utilized Simone’s ideas to help us define our approach to intrapreneurship and innovation, and catalyze the transformation within our company.”
Videos of Simone
Books
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