This document discusses Communitech, a not-for-profit organization founded in 1997 to help tech companies in Canada start and grow. It provides insights into how large, established companies can foster innovation through a portfolio approach that balances executing current business models, experimenting on new ideas, and disrupting existing models. It emphasizes that innovation succeeds through discipline, not just ideas, and stresses the importance of identifying different types of employees - those focused on execution, experimentation, and disruption - and engaging them in appropriate ways to rapidly translate ideas into action.

1. We help tech companies start, grow & succeed
communitech.ca/innovation @communitech @craighaney

2. In 1956, the
dream was to
play scrabble
in the car

3. Autonomous (Driver less) Vehicles
Car and Ride sharing services
Smart (Driver assisted) Cars
In 2016, Google has driven 1.8 Million miles, Tesla,
Apple, Uber and every major automotive firm are
investing billions to figure this out

4. Spock carried around a tricorder in Star Trek

5. WE HAVE A TRICORDER

6. Disruption is coming
…like it or not

7. WHAT IS COMMUNITECH?
Not-for-profit
Founded by entrepreneurs
in 1997
Specific mandate to help start
& grow tech companies
Known as global leaders in the
innovation game
Ecosystem

8. WHAT IS COMMUNITECH?
We’re doing more to help
startups, mid-size and
enterprise companies with
their specific challenges

9. WHAT IS A LARGE, ESTABLISHED COMPANY?
It is an organization that is really
good at executing a known business
model. The best organizations
constantly look to get better at
delivering this model
What are they good at?
• Scale
• Process
• Customers
• Channels
• Brand

10. WHAT IS A START-UP?
It is a temporary organization in
search of that business model.
What are they good at?
• Experiments
• Testing
• Learning from failures
• Talking to customers
• 100% focused on
innovation

11. Start-Up = Small Big Company
Big Company = Big Start-Up

12. NIMBLE HIPPO

13. BIG – They operate at scale
SMART – Leverage what they have,
change what they need to
CURIOUS – Seek to learn what they
don’t know
PARTNER – Look to engage
ecosystems different than they are
COOL – Talent magnet
NIMBLE HIPPO COMPANY

14. GOT IT. BUT HOW?
• If you’re not experimenting, you’re guessing
• Get really good at identifying problems
• Be Ambidextrous: Execute and Experiment
• Get the right people do the right things

15. FACT.
Innovation fails because of a lack
of discipline, not a lack of ideas.

16. Process Improvements
Existing business model
refinements
Existing business model
to new customers
New business model to
existing customers
NOW 18 – 36
months
3 – 5+
years
Disruptive business
models
Disruptive products
Horizon 1
LEARNING
Horizon 2
EXPERIMENTING
Horizon 3
DISRUPTING
McKinsey’s 3 Horizons

17. A PORTFOLIO APPROACH
Company A 85% 15%
Company B 60% 30% 10%
Company C 30% 50% 20%
Horizon 1 Horizon 2 Horizon 3
Now 3-5 years18-36 months
Confidential, Communitech 2016
Learn
Execute
Disrupt

18. *The majority of your people*
• Not risk takers
• Process focused
• Executers
*High energy, lots of questions*
• Close to the customer
• A lot of ideas
• Move fast
*Small # of shit disturbers*
• Typically don’t fit in
• Think different
• Always challenging*
Horizon 1 Horizon 2 Horizon 3
PEOPLE

19. HOW DO I FIND THESE PEOPLE?
• Identify those Horizon 2 people
• Keep them engaged
• Keep the ideas flowing
• Show progress
• Identify those Horizon 3 people
• Give them space & don’t over manage
• Let them build stuff

20. A NEW WAY TO LOOK AT INNOVATION CULTURE
INNOVATION READINESS
EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT
INNOVATION QUOTIENT

22. FACT.
A company’s ability to rapidly
translate ideas into action is the
ultimate competitive advantage.

23.  Begin to identify your people differently
 Look for your employee’s currency – what motivates them
 Eliminate your vampires
 Get the right people doing the right things
 Go fast and keep going
WHAT DO YOU NEED TO DO TOMORROW?

24. communitech.ca/innovate @communitech @craighaney