Mentorwell.com, EMC2 and London's TechCity hosted researchers from around Europe for a startup mentoring day. Dr Kevin Byron provided some foundation. How does innovation happen and what does it have to do with the history of high jump techniques? How can researchers turn their work into business? What are the IP issues for researchers in University? Brainstorming with impact. Kevin Byron considers all these issues in the talk he gave at the MentorWell EMC2 Research to Entrepreneurship event.
How to make create innovation decision making new product development process...
Kevin byron researcher_as_entrepreneur
1. From Research to Entrepreneurship
Researcher as Entrepreneur!
K.C.Byron
Enterprise and Research Skills Adviser
2. Researcher as Entrepreneur!
• Introduction
• How Research and Business Progress
• The Enterprise Cycle
• Entrepreneurial Skills
• Better Brainstorming /Idea-Generation
• What Next?
3. Introduction to Terms
Creativity: Ideas that are original and useful. A novel and appropriate response to an
open-ended challenge or problem.
Imagination
Intuition
The thinking associated with:
Ingenuity
Insight
Inspiration
Innovation: A connected process in which many activities from research through to
support are coupled together in an integrated way for a common goal.
An Entrepreneur: “Searches for change, responds to it and exploits opportunities.
Innovation is a specific tool of an entrepreneur hence an effective
entrepreneur converts a source into a resource.”
“Most of what you hear about entrepreneurship is all wrong. It’s not magic, it’s
not mysterious, it’s a discipline, and like any discipline, it can be learnt.”
- Peter Drucker (business expert)
5. Researcher as Entrepreneur!
• Introduction
• How Research and Business Progress
• The Enterprise Cycle
• Entrepreneurial Skills
• Better Brainstorming /Idea-Generation
• What Next?
7. Progress – Research & Business
2 Sources:
Incubation (Creativity)
Management (Innovation)
Next Development
Progress
Maturity Creative Steps
Delays
Setbacks
Infancy Rapid
Development
Effort (Time)
8. How Research Progresses!
World High-Jump Record
Fosbury Flop
Progress
Straddle
Western Roll Periods of ‘Adaptive’
Research
Scissors
Time
9. Researcher as Entrepreneur!
• Introduction
• How Research and Business Progress
• The Enterprise Cycle
• Entrepreneurial Skills
• Better Brainstorming /Idea-Generation
• What Next?
10. The Enquiry Wheel
The Scientific
Community Observing
Communicating Defining the
the Findings Problem
Society
Reflecting on Forming the
the Findings Questions Question
Interpreting the Investigating
Results the Known
Carrying out Articulating the
the Study Expectation
Harwood, W.S., Reiff, R., & Phillipson, T.
Voices from the frontline: Scientists’ conceptions of scientific inquiry. J.Chem Edu (2004)
11. The Enterprise Cycle*
The Marketplace Observing
Defining the Problem
Launching the
or Challenge
Business
Transforming the
Reflecting on Questions Challenge with a
the Market & new Business Idea
response
Decisions
Testing the
Market Researching the Market
Developing the Articulating the
Business Business Proposition
More Innovation More Creativity
* The Enterprise Cycle was devised by K. Byron in 2009. See ‘The Enterprise Cycle', IEEC Conference, Cardiff, 2010.
12. CITY NEWS
I have to wait in a long
queue to purchase my Wouldn’t it be great if there
newspaper! Some people was a way to purchase my
walk out of the shop newspaper without queuing?
when they see the queue! Win-win: More customers,
no newspaper queue.
Observing
Defining the Problem
or Challenge
My idea is to have a
newspaper vending
Questions Transforming the machine which will
& Challengewith an
Enterprising Idea
accept a rail pass card
Decisions as well as cash.
Researching the Market
City News already tried an
Articulating the honesty box approach which
Expectation
Proposition
was withdrawn. They haven’t
Vision? - Maybe I could tried a vending machine
start a business based on (commonplace in the USA).
newspaper vending
machines?
13. Set up larger-scale business.
From Creativity to Innovation
Manufacture, offices, staff etc.
The Marketplace Observing
Analysis of data, benefits to Defining the Problem
Launching the
customers, viability. Report to Enterprise
or Challenge
primary customer. Proposal to scale
up business. Detailed business plan. Transforming the
Identify other customers. Seek
Reflecting on Questions Challenge with an
the Market &
response Enterprising Idea
funding. Decisions
Testing the
Free trials of prototype Market Researching the Market
dispensers in three shops.
Developing the Articulating the
Surveys with users & shop Enterprise Proposition
Expectation
managers.
Vision? - Maybe I could
Financials: Size of market? Cost to design and start a business based on
manufacture? Quantify benefits to all customers. newspaper vending
Viability? Existing competition? IPR? machines?
Funding sources? Outline business plan.
Relationship marketing! Business model?
14. Researcher as Entrepreneur!
• Introduction
• How Research and Business Progress
• The Enterprise Cycle
• Entrepreneurial Skills
• Better Brainstorming /Idea-Generation
• What Next?
15. The Skills and Specialist Knowledge Associated with Entrepreneurship
Specialised Knowledge Transferable Skills
and ‘Technical Skills’
Market Research Creativity/Critical Thinking
IPR & Confidentiality Personal Effectiveness
Business Model Innovation Influence
Business Plan Preparation Communication
Financials Negotiation
Setting up a Business Management/Leadership
Marketing and Sales Team Working
Project Management Networking
Distribution Customer Awareness
Exit Strategy
• The transferable skills are virtually the same as
those required for an effective researcher
17. Drivers of Innovation
“We must no longer wait for tomorrow - it has to be invented” - Gaston Berger
“Tomorrow is not what it used to be” - Paul Valery
• Relationship Marketing
• Rise of Global Competition
• Boom & Bust Cycles
• Accelerating Change
• The ‘Open’ World
6-32 15-20
1-5 1-5
19. Researcher as Entrepreneur!
• Introduction
• How Research and Business Progress
• The Enterprise Cycle
• Entrepreneurial Skills
• Better Brainstorming /Idea-Generation
• What Next?
20. Nominal Groups & Brainstorming Groups
Nominal Group Brainstorming Group
• All ideas pooled and repetitions
counted only once
21. Better Brainstorming!
Number and Quality of Ideas Drive Arousal
Self-Attention
Social Anxiety
Production Blocking
Social Loafing
} Productivity Gap
Skilled Facilitator
The Sucker Effect Regular Breaks
Shared Common Knowledge Guidelines
Gender Brain-writing
Culture Differences Idea-Generation Tools
Nominal Group Brainstorm Group
22. Brainstorming*
Divergent Guidelines Convergent Guidelines
• Suspend Judgement • Cluster Similar Ideas
• Quantity Breeds Quality • Be Decisive
• Combine and Improve • Check Your Objective
• Seek Wild Ideas • Seek Novelty
Diverge first and Converge only when there are sufficient ideas!
*These guidelines were originally devised by Alex Osborn and Sid Parnes in the 1950s.
23. Idea- Generation - Transformation
• Ask “What if?”
Substitute
Combine
Adapt
Modify
(Magnify/Minify/Multiply)
Put to other uses
Eliminate
Reverse
24. A ‘SCAMPER’ through the ‘New Scientist’ – 26th Sept’09
Substitute – ‘Virtual cop to run identity parades’
Combine – ‘Paralysed rats put on their running shoes’
Adapt – ‘Locust simulator aids flight of robobug’
Modify – ‘Virtual Rome built in a day’
Put to other uses – ‘Grow Nuclear’
Eliminate – ‘Mutant mice live the dieter’s dream’
Reverse – (i) ‘Drink saves sore heads’
(ii) ‘Free-will an illusion…..’
25. ENTRE: Creative Problem Solving
Statements that describe
the future vision of Idea-finding Tools
How is acceptance gained ?
challenges/problems. Association
What needs to be done ?
Tools: Diagnosing, Transformation
What resources are required ?
Abstracting Combination
Analogy
ENquire Transform REalise
Identify & Clarify Find Ideas
Plan for Action
the Challenge &
Evaluate
1. Identify Criteria to
One clear statement evaluate Ideas What needs to be
that gets to the heart 2. Evaluate best Ideas Done?
of a selected challenge by testing against How? & When?
criteria
27. Researcher as Entrepreneur!
• Introduction
• How Research and Business Progress
• The Enterprise Cycle
• Entrepreneurial Skills
• Better Brainstorming /Idea-Generation
• What Next?
28. Support to Entrepreneurs in Higher Education
Most Universities have a Business Unit:
Evaluation
Proof-of-concept
Licensing
Spin-out