Categories Book Review

Book Review : The Lean Startup by Eric Ries


Eric Ries - author of The Lean Startup

What makes lean startups lean? In his groundbreaking book, Eric Ries begins by showing that startups are different from traditional companies. The Lean Startup and the traditional approach to innovation While incumbents can look at their past to guess what the future may hold in terms of market dynamics, customer behavior, distribution channels and product development, and resource allocation, startups are out in the Unknown. In…

Lars Montelius - Director General - International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory

In what way is nanotechnology changing our world? Why is it that nanotechnology has numerous applications across many different industries? And in what way is it fueling exponential technologies ? What’s the difference between linear progress and exponential improvements? I address these matters with Lars Montelius, Director General of the Iberian International Nanotechnology Laboratory. A short bio of Lars Montelius A scientist and a…

building marketplace business models

How to build a successful marketplace based startup? And why would one want to focus on building such a startup in the first place? What are the most promising segments in the space today? To tackle these questions, I draw on: A recent conversation with the world’s top seed investor and expert in marketplaces, Fabrice Grinda A recent conversation with Romain Serman, Head of BPI…

Categories Innovation readers

Customer centricity and the question of Truth


Björn Segerblom - Customer centriciy and the Moment of Truth

If one were to advise the CEO on innovation, what would one suggest? In other words, what are the most promising innovation use cases out today? What role does customer centricity play in making resources allocation decisions? Following my conversation with Gérard de Bourbon, I tackle this matter with Board member of many innovation organizations in Europe including Hexicon, a world leader in floating windmills…

Fabrice Grinda - Generating superior returns and capital efficiency

Fabrice Grinda, the world’s top seed investor, is developing an efficient investment strategy and achieving a steady 68% realized Internal Rate of Returns since 2009 across 540 startup investments by following a specific investment guide. Fabrice is following an investment philosophy much different from most Venture Capitalists:  1/ Many VCs are spending their time in low return startups while Fabrice, independent of LPs for capital,…

Categories Innovation readers

Evolving to a growth mindset


Javier Cedillo Espin - Evolving to a Growth Mindset

What books have played the most in one’s life and career? What idea stuck with the reader? How have the readings change his or her understanding of our place in the world and the meaning of our own existence? And have these readings help them acquire skills and innovation? Having touched upon this with digital transformation expert Gérard de Bourbon and indian-born serial entrepreneur Ambuj…

Categories Digital Transformation

Evolving from CTO role to a CEO one


Evolving from CTO to CEO - readings of a technical cofounder

How do our readings affect our careers? What role does business, sales, innovation, and entrepreneurial books play in shaping our career and personal growth? Can reading help one evolve from a CTO role to a CEO one? Founder of process automation started that Zappy.ai and winner of many innovation awards, Ambuj Agrawal, and myself, address these questions in a recent conversation. Introducing Ambuj Agrawal,…

Categories money

Roll is building the world’s first social money


Digital currency and social money

We’re all familiar with dollars, euros, and pounds. And yet, user-generated content represents a new form of economy from which one could build a digital currency, also known as a “social money”. Social money is pricing an individual’s value based on his/her choices as such, as opposed to traditional money pricing products or services. You find the idea strange and perhaps difficult to understand?…

Categories Financing Innovation

Revenue generation simulation


Business Model Simulation in Real Estate

How could investors reduce risks and ensure profitability? How could they get a clear understanding of future revenue? In what way could real estate investors benefit from a revenue generation simulation solution? Founder of Airbtics, Jae Seok An and myself addressed some of these questions in a recent conversation. Introducing Jae Seok An, Founder of Airbtics, a revenue generation simulation solution Brought up in South Korea,…

Digital transformation needs a vision

How to successfully conduct digital transformation projects in large organizations? Why is it that over two thirds of digital transformation projects fail? Expert in digital transformation leadership with board member experience and CEO know-how, Gérard de Bourbon, and myself addressed these questions recently. Introducing Gérard de Bourbon Sitting on multiple boards of innovative organizations, Gérard de Bourbon has gained experience in conducting digital transformation projects as well…