Innovation Rockstars

Join Dr. Christian Mühlroth as he sits down with David Kaufman , a six-time USA Triathlon All-American and Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives at Resideo . Discover what it takes to complete over 100 triathlons while leading corporate innovation programs. David shares insights on managing risk, fostering a culture of innovation, and the parallels between triathlon and business success. Key Hi...

In this conversation, we explore the intersection of military experience, technology, and leadership through the lens of Dave Brewer , a retired Air Force officer. He shares insights on burnout, the importance of enjoyment in work, and the evolving landscape of defense innovation, particularly in space strategy. The discussion delves into misunderstood technologies like AI and cryptocurrency, the...

In this conversation, Ben Haefle, CEO of Lean Startup Co ., discusses the realities of corporate innovation, emphasizing the importance of core innovation over disruptive innovation. He explains the Lean Startup methodology, focusing on strategic alignment, milestones, team roles, governance, and culture. The discussion also touches on the concept of innovation theater and the role of AI in enhanc...

The truth behind the Grammy Awards 🏆 What does it really take to win? How are nominees selected, and what role does AI play in music today? Panos A. Panay, President of the Recording Academy, reveals everything - from the intense behind-the-scenes orchestration of music’s biggest night to how technology and creativity intersect. Get insider access to the peer-to-peer Grammy voting process 🎤, the...

"Why are we trying to fight all of this?" The pace of technological advancement outstrips our ability to adapt, a phenomenon captured by MarTec's Law. In this episode, Dr. Chris Mühlroth and Scott Brinker , VP of Platform Ecosystem at HubSpot delve into the complexities of technological advancement and its implications for organizations. They discuss MarTec's Law , which highlights the disparity b...

Join renowned aging researcher Dr. Aubrey de Grey in an enlightening conversation about the science and societal impact of anti-aging technologies. Explore the concept of aging as a medical problem, the interplay of genetics and lifestyle, and groundbreaking research at the LEV Foundation aimed at reversing the effects of aging. Discover how biological age indicators like grip strength and innovat...

"AI is an amazing tool for brainstorming, giving ideas, and being a thought partner, but even when machines can do better than humans, we still like the story behind it. The human behind the machine is what really matters." In this episode, we exchange with Mike Todasco , former Senior Director of Innovation at PayPal and current AI Fellow at San Diego State University, to explore the fa...

"Strategic foresight, as I define it, is really about the capability of organizations to, in a systematic way, create superior positions in markets of the future." In this episode, Dr. Christian Mühlroth engages in a discussion with  Professor Dr. René Rohrbeck , a leading expert in strategy foresight and innovation,  Professor of Strategy and EDHEC & UNESCO Chair  addressing a pivot...

"The term ‘war gaming’ comes from military war gaming. I think often business leaders are experiencing competition as being something very brutal when they fight over market shares." In this episode, we welcome Prof. Dr. Jan Oliver Schwarz , a renowned expert in strategic foresight and trend analysis. As the Head of the Bavarian Foresight Institute and a member of the World Economic Forum's Global...

“We live in very dynamic times. But ask yourself, ’What can you control?’. And the only thing you can control is your way of thinking. And if you feel a little bit more optimistic, a little bit more open, I guarantee you're going to have a chance to invent that future that you always wanted to see happen.” In this captivating episode, we welcome Dr. Frederik G. Pferdt, Google's first Chief...

"How can you create this army of everyday innovators throughout your organization? Whether it's 100 people or 100,000 employees, democratizing innovation is key."  In this episode of Innovation Rockstars, we feature Michael McCathren, Senior Principal for Ente rprise Innovation at Chick-fil-A and former Adjunct Professor at the University of Georgia. Michael shares his incredible journey from a 15...

“A [startup] program gives a very clear collaboration platform to engage with startups. It's a clear gateway that corporations can create to send a signal to the startup ecosystem, that they are ready to collaborate.” In this episode, we welcome Paolo Lombardi , author of the book ‘Startup Program Design’ and Director of Artificial Intelligence Innovation at Taylor & Francis . Together with Pa...

"Measuring innovation is not about finding one perfect metric; it's about understanding the broader impact on your organization." In this enlightening episode of the Innovation Rockstars podcast, we welcome Dan Toma , acclaimed author , innovation expert , and co-founder of OUTCOME to demystify the complexities of measuring innovation performance. Dan, known for his entrepreneurial spirit and deep...

"No technology is ever going to make an impact today unless somebody is going to make money from it. And that's the cold hard reality." In this episode, we welcome Prof. Dr. Andy Wynn , CEO TTIP Global , Professor @ IE Business School in Madrid , and professional globetrotter. Facing Andy’s decades of international business and innovation expertise, we explore the critical lessons gleaned from his...

"One of the ways that I see humans are creating a problem for AI is that these large models... rely at the end of the day on data that humans have created and even that humans have curated." In this engaging episode of the Innovation Rockstars podcast, we converse with Andreas Welsch , Chief AI Strategist at Intelligence Briefing and Adjunct Lecturer at West Chester University of Pennsylvania . To...

"Identify your most important problems as an organization, and then think whether you have a way to address them. That's the sweet spot where you should concentrate your strategy on." In this episode, we are delighted to welcome Prof. Dr. Christian Stadler , a strategic management expert and Professor of Strategy from the Warwick Business School . Together with Christian, we delve into the concept...

„Foresight ist etwas, das man kontinuierlich betreiben sollte und nicht erst im Krisenmodus. Wenn ich mich kontinuierlich mit der Zukunft beschäftige, dann werde ich in der Regel auch nicht so oft überrascht und kann die eine oder andere Sache viel schneller umsetzen in der Organisation oder vielleicht eine Strategie anpassen.“ In dieser Folge haben wir wieder mal gleich 2 spannende Gäste bei uns:...

"The future is always important but never urgent". In this episode, we step into the world of foresight and future studies by introducing you to Daria (Dasha) Krivonos , CEO of the Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies . We kick things off with a glimpse into what the institute is all about, setting the stage for an exploration of how the field of future studies can be a guiding compass for bot...

"Even more important than looking at the snacking industry is looking outside the box to see what is changing in consumer behavior, but also to see how certain trends complete the bigger picture." In this episode, we welcome Barbara Schandl from Mondelēz International . With more than 25 years of experience in consumer research and marketing at a global level, Barbara has become a true expert in c...

“Make sure you actually solve the problem and make sure you know your audience. By that I mean know who's your champion inside the organization.” In this episode, we are delighted to welcome Ronja Stoffregen , Head of Global Startup Management at DB Schenker , co-author, and lecturer at the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management. Together with Ronja, we dive into the world of venture clienti...

“There is an appetite for XR experiences to break out of just entertainment. So there is a real chance for XR to make it into our daily lives. It can really break the mold of the mundane routines that we do by making it really more convenient for us.” In this episode we welcome Jana Uthayakumar , Global Foresight, Data & Analytics Lead from the Ericsson ConsumerLab . With his unique blend of e...

“When building a community make sure that you really understand for whom you are building it, what is it for and what will be the benefit both for the business and most importantly, for the community itself, because without people, you don't have community.” In this inspiring episode, we are joined by Justyna Baber , Innovation Community Leader at the world-famous Swedish furniture store IKEA . Ju...

“We're at a position where it's so early that anyone who gets involved in the spatial computing area/ the metaverse area has the opportunity to shape the way it develops. It's a super exciting time.” In this enlightening episode, we're joined by Leslie Shannon , a Silicon Valley-based “novophiliac” and Head of Trend and Innovation Scouting at Nokia . Drawing from her extensive knowledge and passio...

“In fact, I believe there is not a lack of innovative ideas out there, but a lack of rolling up our sleeves and getting to work.” Get ready for an inspiring episode as we welcome PJ Mistry from Unilever . PJ is one of the driving forces behind the TRANSFORM program. Brace yourself for an insightful journey as we learn how TRANSFORM, an impact accelerator led by Unilever, the UK’s Foreign, Commonwe...

“We try to get our people attached to the learning rather than the outcome. It's not a failure if you decide to kill your project. In fact, we celebrate that.” In this episode, we are delighted to welcome Nic Umana , Global Agile Innovation Human Intelligence Director at M ars . Having worked at Mars for more than two decades, the self-proclaimed "chaos pilot" has gained a wealth of experience wit...