Innovation

Novel ideas are often not very useful and useful ideas are often not very novel. —Justin Berg, assistant professor of organizational behavior
Stay Creative: How to Keep Your Ideas Fresh and Practical
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Latest Stories on Innovation

June 29, 2022
Written
Thinking Inside the Box: Why Virtual Meetings Generate Fewer Ideas
For creative collaboration, sometimes you can’t beat a face-to-face meeting.
Innovation
A man wearing a yellow sweater sitting in a dark room, staring blankly into his computer screen. Credit: iStock/Klubovy
June 22, 2022
Audio
Courage, Belonging, Ambiguity and Data: How to Design Your Communication for Success
In this episode, we dive into four different themes that will help your message stand out.
Innovation
Think Fast Talk Smart: the Podcast
June 17, 2022
Audio
Sundar Pichai: “Reward Effort, Not Outcomes”
The CEO of Google and Alphabet on how Google wants to define the future of work.
Leadership
Black and white portrait of Sundar Pichai smiling at the camera in front of a white background. Courtesy of Sundar Pichai
June 03, 2022
Written
The Marketplace of Ideas: Information About Innovation Boosts Patent Trading
Corporate disclosure can bring more efficiency to a busy yet often-overlooked market.
Innovation
Illustration of three floating heads, with arrows and dollar bills coming out of their heads and mouths to indicate the exchange of ideas and money. Illustration by Cory Hall
June 03, 2022
Written
What Will It Take to Solve Climate Change? Investor John Doerr Shares His Plan.
Venture capitalist and philanthropist describes urgent measures outlined in new book, Speed and Scale.
Energy & Environment
John Doerr on stage at Stanford GSB, talking to an audience about his plan for climate action. Photo by Saul Bromberger
May 05, 2022
Written
Ghost in the Machine: Knowing Who Created a Robot Makes It Feel More Authentic
Researchers found that origin stories changed how people viewed AI agents’ work.
Operations, Information & Technology
3D rendering of a robot hand and a human hand with an orb balanced between them. Credit: iStock/August
April 11, 2022
Written
What Separates the Hitmakers from the One-Hit Wonders
An analysis of 3 million songs explores the question: Is it better to churn out than to fade away?
Innovation
Photo collage of popular musicians: Beyoncé, Mariah Carey, Usher, Elton John, T-Pain, and Hillary Duff. Photos from Reuters/Eduardo Munoz, Mario Anzuoni, Gonzalo Fuentes, Lucas Jackson, Alex Gallardo
March 25, 2022
Audio
Season 2 Trailer
Here’s a look at what’s coming up on season two of Grit & Growth.
Entrepreneurship
Grit & Growth: The Podcast
March 14, 2022
Audio
Leadership and Ethics: How to Communicate Your Core Values
On this podcast episode, we discuss the keys to making ethical decisions in your professional and personal life.
Leadership
TFTS logo
March 02, 2022
Audio
Profile of Purpose: A Tough Nut to Crack
Ten Senses is not only growing a successful agribusiness, it’s also doing right by farmers — and combating climate change in East Africa.
Entrepreneurship
Grit & Growth: The Podcast
March 01, 2022
Written
Cold Open: Break the Ice by Looking Inside Someone’s Fridge
How your leftovers can spark a meaningful conversation.
Career & Success
An open refrigerator that's clean and brightly lit, full of fruit, vegetables and junk food. | iStock/AndreyPopov.
February 23, 2022
Written
A Plan to Inject More Funding into the War on Antibiotic Resistance
Two doctors propose federal subsidies to accelerate R&D on urgently needed antibiotics.
Health Care
MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) bacteria strain is seen in a petri dish containing agar jelly for bacterial culture in a microbiological laboratory. MRSA is a drug-resistant "superbug", which can cause deadly infections. | Credit: REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch.
February 16, 2022
Audio
Profile of Purpose: Clear as Water
Joissam Ghana brings clean water to rural areas of West and Central Africa.
Innovation
Grit & Growth: The Podcast
February 11, 2022
Written
Should Tech Companies Make It Harder to Fire the CEO?
Younger technology companies do better with a little less shareholder democracy, a new study finds.
Corporate Governance
A businessman's hands protect a chess king piece from falling wooden blocks or dominoes. | Credit: iStock/AndreyPopov.
January 28, 2022
Written
Adapting to Pandemic, Latino-Owned Businesses Get Stronger
Research finds Latino entrepreneurs leaning into tech, bolstering employee benefits.
Innovation
Martha de la Torre, Cofounder & President of EC Hispanic Media, photographed her employees. Credit: Martha de la Torre
January 20, 2022
Written
A Peek Inside the Hidden, Messy World of Corporate Venture Capital
A new survey reveals complaints and constraints within large companies’ investment units.
Finance
A colorful and complicated Rube Goldberg machine. | iStock/Peepo.
December 13, 2021
Audio
How to Use Storytelling to Be a Better Founder
In this bonus episode, we share lessons from the Stanford GSB class “Startup Garage” on hypotheses, narrative, and design thinking.
Entrepreneurship
TFTS logo
December 10, 2021
Written
What Makes Unicorns Special? These Numbers May Hold the Answers.
VC expert Ilya Strebulaev is collecting the data on billion-dollar startups that everyone is looking for.
Entrepreneurship
A photo illustration of a standard tall metal file cabinet, with one draw ajar, and a glow and stars exploding from that drawer.
December 03, 2021
Audio
Stay Creative: How to Keep Your Ideas Fresh and Practical
In this podcast episode, we share common mistakes that can stifle ideas and why managers should stay involved in the creative process.
Innovation
Think Fast Talk Smart Logo
November 15, 2021
Written
Creativity May Suffer When Mature Projects Change Hands
A study of movie development shows the dangers of late-stage handoffs.
Innovation
Illustration of one hand passing a cube filled with shapes to another hand. Credit: iStock/travenian, Cory Hall.