{"id":8176,"date":"2026-03-11T12:13:38","date_gmt":"2026-03-11T11:13:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bicon.li\/?p=8176"},"modified":"2026-03-17T13:45:03","modified_gmt":"2026-03-17T12:45:03","slug":"innovation-beyond-rd-why-many-innovations-dont-start-in-laboratories","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/2026\/03\/11\/innovation-beyond-rd-why-many-innovations-dont-start-in-laboratories\/","title":{"rendered":"Innovation Beyond R&amp;D: Why Many Innovations Begin Outside Laboratories"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Innovation is often associated with laboratories, patents and scientific breakthroughs. Yet a growing share of innovation today emerges outside classical research and development activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A recent study on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sbfi.admin.ch\/en\/publication?id=tgORLW6YIxXW\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">New Innovation Models in Switzerland<\/a>, commissioned by the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation examines how companies innovate across different industries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One of the key insights is that innovation models vary significantly between sectors.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This shift highlights the increasing importance of non-R&amp;D innovation, particularly in sectors where digital technologies, data and new business models play a central role.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Innovation Models Differ Across Industries<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The study shows that industries such as pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, ICT and advanced manufacturing remain heavily R&amp;D-driven. These sectors frequently develop new technologies and introduce radical innovations, often supported by strong collaboration between science and industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In other sectors, however, innovation follows a different path.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Industries such as financial services, food production or parts of the medical technology sector rely more heavily on incremental improvements, service innovation and process innovation rather than large research programmes.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In these environments, innovation often emerges through the application and integration of existing technologies rather than through the invention of entirely new ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Innovation Does Not Necessarily Require an Invention<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This observation reflects an important distinction that is often overlooked in discussions about innovation: the difference between invention and innovation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As discussed in a previous BICon Insight on <a href=\"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/2020\/10\/15\/innovation\/\">innovation vs. invention<\/a>, an invention creates a new technical solution, while innovation refers to the successful introduction of a market novelty that creates value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>An <strong>invention <\/strong>creates a new technical solution.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>An <strong>innovation<\/strong>, by contrast, refers to the successful introduction of a market novelty that creates value.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Innovations therefore do not necessarily require a preceding invention. Frequently, innovation results from the creative combination of existing technologies, processes and organisational capabilities to address a market need.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A good illustration is the <a href=\"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/2025\/11\/24\/the-silent-margin-shift\/\">emergence of exchange-traded funds (ETFs), a major financial innovation<\/a> that emerged from the combination of existing elements such as passive investment mandates and electronic exchanges, addressing a significant market demand for low-cost diversified investment exposure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Many companies do not invent new technologies themselves. Instead, they innovate by applying and integrating existing technologies in new ways, embedding them into products, processes and operating models.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Non-R&amp;D Innovation in the Digital Economy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The growing importance of non-R&amp;D innovation becomes particularly visible in the digital economy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Technologies such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence and advanced analytics are typically not developed by the companies that ultimately generate economic value from them. Instead, innovation often occurs when these technologies are integrated into business processes and customer interactions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Examples include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Data-driven decision making<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Integration of AI into existing systems and workflows<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Automation of operational processes<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Personalization at scale<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Creation of new digital services<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Development of new business models<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A well-known example is ride-sharing platforms such as Uber, which combine smartphones, GPS, digital payments and platform software to create a new mobility service without inventing the underlying technologies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Another illustration is mass personalization in digital services. Platforms such as Netflix or Spotify combine data analytics, recommendation algorithms and cloud infrastructure to tailor content and services to millions of individual users simultaneously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A similar pattern can also be observed in financial markets. Electronic market makers such as Citadel Securities combine high-speed connectivity, automated trading algorithms, large-scale data processing and sophisticated risk management systems to provide liquidity across global markets. Their model interacts with retail broker platforms such as Robinhood, which route customer orders to these market makers. The arrangement is often enabled by payment-for-order-flow mechanisms, which allow brokers to offer commission-free trading while market makers monetize retail order flow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In such cases, the innovation lies not in the technology itself, but in how it is applied, combined and embedded into business processes and operating models.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Innovation Is Increasingly About Business Model Design<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The findings of the study therefore suggest a broader understanding of innovation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While research-driven invention remains essential in many industries, an increasing share of innovation today emerges from the application, integration and recombination of existing technologies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a digital economy, innovation therefore often happens less in laboratories and more in the design of business models, platforms and operating models.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Understanding this distinction is important for companies and policymakers alike \u2013 because supporting innovation increasingly requires not only scientific research, but also digital capabilities, organisational transformation and the the ability to integrate technologies into scalable operating models.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>This article was written with the support of AI (ChatGPT)<\/em><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Innovation is often associated with laboratories, patents and scientific breakthroughs. ... <\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more-container\"><a title=\"Innovation Beyond R&amp;D: Why Many Innovations Begin Outside Laboratories\" class=\"read-more button\" href=\"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/2026\/03\/11\/innovation-beyond-rd-why-many-innovations-dont-start-in-laboratories\/#more-8176\" aria-label=\"Read more about Innovation Beyond R&amp;D: Why Many Innovations Begin Outside Laboratories\">Read Article<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8174,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","ub_ctt_via":"","advgb_blocks_editor_width":"","advgb_blocks_columns_visual_guide":"","generate_page_header":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[32,23,54,16],"tags":[31,58],"class_list":["post-8176","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-digitaltransformation","category-innovation","category-operating-model","category-strategy","tag-english","tag-innovation-management-series","infinite-scroll-item","masonry-post","generate-columns","tablet-grid-50","mobile-grid-100","grid-parent","grid-50","no-featured-image-padding"],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bicon.li\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Innovation-vs-invention-in-motion.png?fit=1536%2C1024&ssl=1","author_info":{"display_name":"Volkmar Ritter","author_link":"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/author\/wm\/"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Innovation Beyond R&amp;D: Why Many Innovations Begin Outside Laboratories | BICon<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/2026\/03\/11\/innovation-beyond-rd-why-many-innovations-dont-start-in-laboratories\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Innovation Beyond R&amp;D: Why Many Innovations Begin Outside Laboratories | BICon\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Innovation is often associated with laboratories, patents and scientific breakthroughs. ... Artikel lesen\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/2026\/03\/11\/innovation-beyond-rd-why-many-innovations-dont-start-in-laboratories\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"BICon\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/BIConConsulting\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/volkmar.ritter\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-03-11T11:13:38+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-03-17T12:45:03+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bicon.li\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Innovation-vs-invention-in-motion.png?fit=1536%2C1024&ssl=1\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1536\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Volkmar Ritter\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@volkmarritter\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@BIConConsulting\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Volkmar Ritter\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bicon.li\\\/en\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/11\\\/innovation-beyond-rd-why-many-innovations-dont-start-in-laboratories\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bicon.li\\\/en\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/11\\\/innovation-beyond-rd-why-many-innovations-dont-start-in-laboratories\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Volkmar Ritter\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bicon.li\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/f87d7a4f4803d1bfc49d3214d82e2b20\"},\"headline\":\"Innovation Beyond R&amp;D: Why Many Innovations Begin Outside Laboratories\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-03-11T11:13:38+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-03-17T12:45:03+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bicon.li\\\/en\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/11\\\/innovation-beyond-rd-why-many-innovations-dont-start-in-laboratories\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":752,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bicon.li\\\/en\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bicon.li\\\/en\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/11\\\/innovation-beyond-rd-why-many-innovations-dont-start-in-laboratories\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/bicon.li\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/Innovation-vs-invention-in-motion.png?fit=1536%2C1024&ssl=1\",\"keywords\":[\"English\",\"Innovation Management Series\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Digitale Transformation\",\"Innovation\",\"Operating Model\",\"Strategie &amp; Zukunft\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bicon.li\\\/en\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/11\\\/innovation-beyond-rd-why-many-innovations-dont-start-in-laboratories\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bicon.li\\\/en\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/11\\\/innovation-beyond-rd-why-many-innovations-dont-start-in-laboratories\\\/\",\"name\":\"Innovation Beyond R&amp;D: Why Many Innovations Begin Outside Laboratories | BICon\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bicon.li\\\/en\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bicon.li\\\/en\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/11\\\/innovation-beyond-rd-why-many-innovations-dont-start-in-laboratories\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bicon.li\\\/en\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/11\\\/innovation-beyond-rd-why-many-innovations-dont-start-in-laboratories\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/bicon.li\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/Innovation-vs-invention-in-motion.png?fit=1536%2C1024&ssl=1\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-03-11T11:13:38+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-03-17T12:45:03+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bicon.li\\\/en\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/11\\\/innovation-beyond-rd-why-many-innovations-dont-start-in-laboratories\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/bicon.li\\\/en\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/11\\\/innovation-beyond-rd-why-many-innovations-dont-start-in-laboratories\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bicon.li\\\/en\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/11\\\/innovation-beyond-rd-why-many-innovations-dont-start-in-laboratories\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/bicon.li\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/Innovation-vs-invention-in-motion.png?fit=1536%2C1024&ssl=1\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/bicon.li\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/Innovation-vs-invention-in-motion.png?fit=1536%2C1024&ssl=1\",\"width\":1536,\"height\":1024},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bicon.li\\\/en\\\/2026\\\/03\\\/11\\\/innovation-beyond-rd-why-many-innovations-dont-start-in-laboratories\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bicon.li\\\/en\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Innovation Beyond R&amp;D: Why Many Innovations Begin Outside Laboratories\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bicon.li\\\/en\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bicon.li\\\/en\\\/\",\"name\":\"BICon\",\"description\":\"Business &amp; IT Consulting for the Financial Industry\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bicon.li\\\/en\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bicon.li\\\/en\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bicon.li\\\/en\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"BICon\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bicon.li\\\/en\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bicon.li\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/bicon.li\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2015\\\/08\\\/logo.png?fit=600%2C106&ssl=1\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/bicon.li\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2015\\\/08\\\/logo.png?fit=600%2C106&ssl=1\",\"width\":600,\"height\":106,\"caption\":\"BICon\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bicon.li\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/BIConConsulting\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/BIConConsulting\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/company\\\/7082461\\\/admin\\\/\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bicon.li\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/f87d7a4f4803d1bfc49d3214d82e2b20\",\"name\":\"Volkmar Ritter\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bicon.li\\\/wp-content\\\/litespeed\\\/avatar\\\/d2146d0239f250deff091ba5ec974d50.jpg?ver=1781256789\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bicon.li\\\/wp-content\\\/litespeed\\\/avatar\\\/d2146d0239f250deff091ba5ec974d50.jpg?ver=1781256789\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bicon.li\\\/wp-content\\\/litespeed\\\/avatar\\\/d2146d0239f250deff091ba5ec974d50.jpg?ver=1781256789\",\"caption\":\"Volkmar Ritter\"},\"sameAs\":[\"http:\\\/\\\/www.bicon.li\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/volkmar.ritter\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/in\\\/volkmarritter\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/volkmarritter\"],\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/bicon.li\\\/en\\\/author\\\/wm\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Innovation Beyond R&amp;D: Why Many Innovations Begin Outside Laboratories | BICon","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/2026\/03\/11\/innovation-beyond-rd-why-many-innovations-dont-start-in-laboratories\/","og_locale":"en_GB","og_type":"article","og_title":"Innovation Beyond R&amp;D: Why Many Innovations Begin Outside Laboratories | BICon","og_description":"Innovation is often associated with laboratories, patents and scientific breakthroughs. ... Artikel lesen","og_url":"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/2026\/03\/11\/innovation-beyond-rd-why-many-innovations-dont-start-in-laboratories\/","og_site_name":"BICon","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/BIConConsulting\/","article_author":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/volkmar.ritter","article_published_time":"2026-03-11T11:13:38+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-03-17T12:45:03+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1536,"height":1024,"url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bicon.li\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Innovation-vs-invention-in-motion.png?fit=1536%2C1024&ssl=1","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Volkmar Ritter","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@volkmarritter","twitter_site":"@BIConConsulting","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Volkmar Ritter","Estimated reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/2026\/03\/11\/innovation-beyond-rd-why-many-innovations-dont-start-in-laboratories\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/2026\/03\/11\/innovation-beyond-rd-why-many-innovations-dont-start-in-laboratories\/"},"author":{"name":"Volkmar Ritter","@id":"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/f87d7a4f4803d1bfc49d3214d82e2b20"},"headline":"Innovation Beyond R&amp;D: Why Many Innovations Begin Outside Laboratories","datePublished":"2026-03-11T11:13:38+00:00","dateModified":"2026-03-17T12:45:03+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/2026\/03\/11\/innovation-beyond-rd-why-many-innovations-dont-start-in-laboratories\/"},"wordCount":752,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/2026\/03\/11\/innovation-beyond-rd-why-many-innovations-dont-start-in-laboratories\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bicon.li\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Innovation-vs-invention-in-motion.png?fit=1536%2C1024&ssl=1","keywords":["English","Innovation Management Series"],"articleSection":["Digitale Transformation","Innovation","Operating Model","Strategie &amp; Zukunft"],"inLanguage":"en-GB"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/2026\/03\/11\/innovation-beyond-rd-why-many-innovations-dont-start-in-laboratories\/","url":"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/2026\/03\/11\/innovation-beyond-rd-why-many-innovations-dont-start-in-laboratories\/","name":"Innovation Beyond R&amp;D: Why Many Innovations Begin Outside Laboratories | BICon","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/2026\/03\/11\/innovation-beyond-rd-why-many-innovations-dont-start-in-laboratories\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/2026\/03\/11\/innovation-beyond-rd-why-many-innovations-dont-start-in-laboratories\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bicon.li\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Innovation-vs-invention-in-motion.png?fit=1536%2C1024&ssl=1","datePublished":"2026-03-11T11:13:38+00:00","dateModified":"2026-03-17T12:45:03+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/2026\/03\/11\/innovation-beyond-rd-why-many-innovations-dont-start-in-laboratories\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/2026\/03\/11\/innovation-beyond-rd-why-many-innovations-dont-start-in-laboratories\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/2026\/03\/11\/innovation-beyond-rd-why-many-innovations-dont-start-in-laboratories\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bicon.li\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Innovation-vs-invention-in-motion.png?fit=1536%2C1024&ssl=1","contentUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bicon.li\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Innovation-vs-invention-in-motion.png?fit=1536%2C1024&ssl=1","width":1536,"height":1024},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/2026\/03\/11\/innovation-beyond-rd-why-many-innovations-dont-start-in-laboratories\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Innovation Beyond R&amp;D: Why Many Innovations Begin Outside Laboratories"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/#website","url":"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/","name":"BICon","description":"Business &amp; IT Consulting for the Financial Industry","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-GB"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/#organization","name":"BICon","url":"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bicon.li\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/logo.png?fit=600%2C106&ssl=1","contentUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bicon.li\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/logo.png?fit=600%2C106&ssl=1","width":600,"height":106,"caption":"BICon"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/BIConConsulting\/","https:\/\/x.com\/BIConConsulting","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/7082461\/admin\/"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/f87d7a4f4803d1bfc49d3214d82e2b20","name":"Volkmar Ritter","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/bicon.li\/wp-content\/litespeed\/avatar\/d2146d0239f250deff091ba5ec974d50.jpg?ver=1781256789","url":"https:\/\/bicon.li\/wp-content\/litespeed\/avatar\/d2146d0239f250deff091ba5ec974d50.jpg?ver=1781256789","contentUrl":"https:\/\/bicon.li\/wp-content\/litespeed\/avatar\/d2146d0239f250deff091ba5ec974d50.jpg?ver=1781256789","caption":"Volkmar Ritter"},"sameAs":["http:\/\/www.bicon.li","https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/volkmar.ritter","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/volkmarritter\/","https:\/\/x.com\/volkmarritter"],"url":"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/author\/wm\/"}]}},"author_meta":{"display_name":"Volkmar Ritter","author_link":"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/author\/wm\/"},"featured_img":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bicon.li\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Innovation-vs-invention-in-motion.png?fit=600%2C400&ssl=1","jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bicon.li\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Innovation-vs-invention-in-motion.png?fit=1536%2C1024&ssl=1","uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bicon.li\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Innovation-vs-invention-in-motion.png?fit=1536%2C1024&ssl=1",1536,1024,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bicon.li\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Innovation-vs-invention-in-motion.png?resize=150%2C150&ssl=1",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bicon.li\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Innovation-vs-invention-in-motion.png?fit=600%2C400&ssl=1",600,400,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bicon.li\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Innovation-vs-invention-in-motion.png?fit=768%2C512&ssl=1",768,512,true],"large":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bicon.li\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Innovation-vs-invention-in-motion.png?fit=1024%2C683&ssl=1",1024,683,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bicon.li\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Innovation-vs-invention-in-motion.png?fit=1536%2C1024&ssl=1",1536,1024,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bicon.li\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Innovation-vs-invention-in-motion.png?fit=1536%2C1024&ssl=1",1536,1024,true],"trp-custom-language-flag":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bicon.li\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Innovation-vs-invention-in-motion.png?fit=18%2C12&ssl=1",18,12,true]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Volkmar Ritter","author_link":"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/author\/wm\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Innovation is often associated with laboratories, patents and scientific breakthroughs. ... Artikel lesen","coauthors":[],"tax_additional":{"categories":{"linked":["<a href=\"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/category\/digitaltransformation\/\" class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Digitale Transformation<\/a>","<a href=\"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/category\/innovation\/\" class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Innovation<\/a>","<a href=\"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/category\/operating-model\/\" class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Operating Model<\/a>","<a href=\"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/category\/strategy\/\" class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Strategie &amp; Zukunft<\/a>"],"unlinked":["<span class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Digitale Transformation<\/span>","<span class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Innovation<\/span>","<span class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Operating Model<\/span>","<span class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Strategie &amp; Zukunft<\/span>"]},"tags":{"linked":["<a href=\"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/category\/strategy\/\" class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">English<\/a>","<a href=\"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/category\/strategy\/\" class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Innovation Management Series<\/a>"],"unlinked":["<span class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">English<\/span>","<span class=\"advgb-post-tax-term\">Innovation Management Series<\/span>"]}},"comment_count":"0","relative_dates":{"created":"Posted 3 months ago","modified":"Updated 3 months ago"},"absolute_dates":{"created":"Posted on 2026-03-11","modified":"Updated on 2026-03-17"},"absolute_dates_time":{"created":"Posted on 2026-03-11 12:13","modified":"Updated on 2026-03-17 13:45"},"featured_img_caption":"","series_order":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9UXv9-27S","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":6985,"url":"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/2025\/03\/04\/the-dangers-of-disruptive-innovation-in-geopolitics\/","url_meta":{"origin":8176,"position":0},"title":"The Dangers of Disruptive Innovation in Geopolitics","author":"Volkmar Ritter","date":"2025-03-04","format":false,"excerpt":"Disruptive innovation has been a catalyst for progress in the private sector, transforming industries by challenging outdated systems. However, when applied to geopolitics, this same approach can have catastrophic consequences. Stability in international relations is built on established norms, careful diplomacy, and strategic foresight. Rapid, untested disruptions in global affairs,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Governance&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Governance","link":"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/category\/governance\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bicon.li\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/87b1b823-0409-4639-8ec4-1d4a25976a1f-1.png?fit=1200%2C686&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bicon.li\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/87b1b823-0409-4639-8ec4-1d4a25976a1f-1.png?fit=1200%2C686&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bicon.li\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/87b1b823-0409-4639-8ec4-1d4a25976a1f-1.png?fit=1200%2C686&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bicon.li\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/87b1b823-0409-4639-8ec4-1d4a25976a1f-1.png?fit=1200%2C686&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bicon.li\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/87b1b823-0409-4639-8ec4-1d4a25976a1f-1.png?fit=1200%2C686&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":9333,"url":"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/2026\/05\/20\/transformation-portfolio-steering-extending-portfolio-logic-to-ai-digital-and-innovation\/","url_meta":{"origin":8176,"position":1},"title":"Transformation Portfolio Steering: Extending Portfolio Logic to AI, Digital and Innovation","author":"Volkmar Ritter","date":"2026-05-20","format":false,"excerpt":"One of the more interesting observations during the development of the BICon AI Portfolio Steering platform was that many organisations may not actually operate a dedicated \u201cAI portfolio\u201d. Especially in small and medium-sized organisations, AI initiatives are often embedded within broader digital-transformation programmes rather than managed as standalone strategic domains.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;BICon News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"BICon News","link":"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bicon.li\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Portfolio-1.png?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bicon.li\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Portfolio-1.png?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bicon.li\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Portfolio-1.png?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bicon.li\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Portfolio-1.png?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bicon.li\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Portfolio-1.png?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6485,"url":"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/2023\/11\/02\/the-evolution-of-banking-part-iii-strategic-adaptations-in-a-digital-age\/","url_meta":{"origin":8176,"position":2},"title":"The Evolution of Banking (Part III): Strategic Adaptations in a Digital Age","author":"Volkmar Ritter","date":"2023-11-02","format":false,"excerpt":"The banking sector is on the cusp of a transformative era characterized by rapid technological advancements, evolving consumer expectations, and an increasingly complex regulatory landscape. This last article of the \u201eThe Evolution of Banking\u201c series explores the future of banking from a business and management perspective, focusing on the digital\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Client Management&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Client Management","link":"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/category\/clientmanagement\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bicon.li\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Strategy-2.webp?fit=1200%2C686&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bicon.li\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Strategy-2.webp?fit=1200%2C686&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bicon.li\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Strategy-2.webp?fit=1200%2C686&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bicon.li\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Strategy-2.webp?fit=1200%2C686&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bicon.li\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Strategy-2.webp?fit=1200%2C686&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":898,"url":"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/2016\/01\/12\/buzzification-of-fintech\/","url_meta":{"origin":8176,"position":3},"title":"Buzzification of FinTech","author":"Volkmar Ritter","date":"2016-01-12","format":false,"excerpt":"The technology and IT sector thrives on buzzwords, shorthand concepts that capture complex ideas with simplicity and marketability. Terms like Business Process Engineering, Client Relationship Management, Knowledge Management, and the Cloud have all enjoyed their time in the spotlight. These concepts share several characteristics: they were inherently sound ideas, not\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;FinTech&quot;","block_context":{"text":"FinTech","link":"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/category\/fintech\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bicon.li\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/2015-12-22-16.48.13-e1477516190750.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bicon.li\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/2015-12-22-16.48.13-e1477516190750.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bicon.li\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/2015-12-22-16.48.13-e1477516190750.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bicon.li\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/2015-12-22-16.48.13-e1477516190750.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bicon.li\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/2015-12-22-16.48.13-e1477516190750.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":807,"url":"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/2015\/12\/22\/there-is-music-in-the-fintech-air\/","url_meta":{"origin":8176,"position":4},"title":"The Disruption of Finance: Lessons from the Music Industry","author":"Volkmar Ritter","date":"2015-12-22","format":false,"excerpt":"In the ongoing dialogue around the \"Uberization\" of finance, a richer and perhaps more illustrative analogy lies in the digital transformation of the music industry. Over the past several decades, the music sector has been disrupted repeatedly by technological advances, reshaping its structure and income streams. A retrospective analysis offers\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Client Management&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Client Management","link":"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/category\/clientmanagement\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bicon.li\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/Music-e1477516277574.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bicon.li\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/Music-e1477516277574.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bicon.li\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/Music-e1477516277574.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bicon.li\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/Music-e1477516277574.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bicon.li\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/Music-e1477516277574.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6433,"url":"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/2023\/09\/12\/the-evolution-of-banking-from-digitization-to-digital-transformation\/","url_meta":{"origin":8176,"position":5},"title":"The Evolution of Banking (Part I): From Digitization to Digital Transformation","author":"Volkmar Ritter","date":"2023-09-12","format":false,"excerpt":"The progression from the digitization of analogue information to the comprehensive digital transformation marks a revolutionary shift in the banking sector. This article (first part of a series) explores this journey, focusing on pivotal moments that led from the mere conversion of physical records into digital formats to a profound,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Digitale Transformation&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Digitale Transformation","link":"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/category\/digitaltransformation\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bicon.li\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Digital-Evolution-in-Banking.webp?fit=1200%2C686&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bicon.li\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Digital-Evolution-in-Banking.webp?fit=1200%2C686&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bicon.li\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Digital-Evolution-in-Banking.webp?fit=1200%2C686&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bicon.li\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Digital-Evolution-in-Banking.webp?fit=1200%2C686&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/bicon.li\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Digital-Evolution-in-Banking.webp?fit=1200%2C686&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-06-20 15:06:37","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8176","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8176"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8176\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8174"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8176"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8176"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bicon.li\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8176"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}