Innovation has become an overused, throw—away term to define the next great thing. But what is innovation really—and how does it actually happen?

In this episode, we chat with Mike Zani, CEO of The Predictive Index about an often overlooked area of innovation, talent strategy. Given that talent is the foundation for any business, it makes sense to think about how to build teams, how to motivate teams and what are some strategies from other industries that we can learn from. Dig in with us to learn more. Mike Zani is CEO of The Predictive Index, an award-winning talent optimization platform that aligns business strategy with people strategy for optimal business results. Sixty years of proven science, software, and a robust curriculum of insightful management workshops make PI the solution for any company looking to design great teams and culture, make objective hiring decisions, and inspire greatness in their people anywhere in the world. Prior to The Predictive Index, Mike was CEO of ShapeUp, a social SaaS wellness platform that was sold to Virgin Pulse in 2014. An avid sailor, Mike began his career in marketing and sales with Vanguard Sailboats and was a coach for the 1996 U.S. Olympic Sailing Team. He holds a B.S from Brown University and an MBA from Harvard.

In this episode of Beyond Innovation, I speak with Vic Nunes, Founder and CEO of QMed Innovations about how innovation can take unexpected forms, why deep experience in a category can unlock new ideas and how age can be an advantage when it comes to new ventures. Vic has spent over 30 years in the orthopedic industry as an executive responsible for two global operations and supply chain organizations, among them Depuy Synthes, a Johnson and Johnson company.Vic heads the technical and marketing efforts at QMed as well as the launch of Quest. He also oversees investor relations and fundraising.

In this episode, we speak with Chris Varley, Principal, Goodyear Ventures about the value and role of Corporate Venture in the startup eco-system. We discuss the distinction between open innovation and corporate ventures, how startups can leverage corporate ventures to accelerate growth and why teams often matter more than technology.

In this episode, Michael Pereira and I discuss the importance of integrating external partners into the innovation process, the role of trust within an organization and with external partners and working both sides of the innovation table.

In this episode, we speak with Sachin Mathur, EMEA Region Director, Software & Control Business Segment of Rockwell Automation. We explore importance of translating technology and innovation into relevant story telling for local audiences, how cultural differences influence go-to-market strategies and why localization is impactful to growth and engagement.

In this episode, we sit down with Nick Scappaticci, founder of Big Dreams Studio. Join us as we discuss experiential prototypes, necessary disruptors and how companies can eliminate doubt and inspire innovation with storytelling to test your assumptions about today. As the founder of Big Dreams, Nick leads corporations, governments and brands through high-level operational and strategic change. He leads a staff of strategists, designers and technologists, that explore the complex challenges of our time by crafting imaginative narratives to accelerate a more equitable and sustainable future. Prior to Big Dreams, Nick was founder of Tellart, an award winning globally recognized experiential design firm. Nick serves as President of the Design xRI Board and as an adjunct professor at RISD.

In this episode, we speak with one of the leading experts on entrepreneurship and long time collaborator, Danny Warshay, author of "See, Solve, Scale - How Anyone Can Turn an Unsolved Problem into a Breakthrough Success". We discuss the finer points of problem solving, why an entrepreneurial mindset is valuable beyond business and why we should all find our ikigai.

In this episode, we speak with Richard Heggie, Investor and Founder CEO of H Catalyst. We discuss the evolution of the corporate view and engagement with startups through accelerators and open innovation platforms and why now might be a great time to partner with a large corporate.

In this episode we speak with Joe Gordon, VP of Innovation at Veranex. We discuss the dynamic landscape of MedTech, what makes a valuable external partner and my annoyance with the term human-centered design.

In this episode we speak with Darren Abrams, Lead Director Corporate Strategy at Bose. Darren is one of the best strategists we've had the pleasure of working with. In this episode we explore the genesis of innovation, the value and dangers of corporate rabble rousers, and strategy as the ultimate bias buster. You'll walk away with a better understanding of how strategy and innovation inform each other and how you can apply it and engage with it in your own work life.

Join host, Justin Sirotin with special guests Josh Brumberger and Marissa Hummon, the CEO and CTO of Utilidata. Utilidata is on a mission to ensure that one of our most important infrastructures, the energy grid, can support our changing needs. We discuss the inherent challenges of change and innovation in a highly regulated legacy system, the importance of knowing your stakeholders and what it means to build an outstanding team.

Join host, Justin Sirotin and Aidan Petrie, Founding Partner of NEMIC (New England Medical Innovation Center) as they discuss navigating the Valley of Death in MedTech, the value of customer-led innovation and the changing landscape of software as a medical device.

Join host, Justin Sirotin and Milan Kocic, Senior Director of Sixth Sense Open Innovation Platform as they discuss customer-led innovation and moving mature companies towards leading edge innovation. Milan has over 20 years of experience delivering engaging experiences and creating transformational products and services with highly technical companies. We’ve had the pleasure of working with Milan on many projects and initiatives, delivering game changing technologies into a mature industry.