This week I got to visit the world’s largest carbon capture and storage facility in Iceland, operated by Swiss company Climeworks.

At Climeworks’ new “Mammoth” DAC facility, the CO₂ is permanently removed from the air by capturing and geologically storing it for thousands of years with Climeworks’ storage partner Carbfix.

The newly opened site is around 30km from Reykjavik, Iceland’s capital.

The ambition is certainly impressive. Approaching, I see the billowing steam of the huge On geothermal power plant, surrounded by a landscape of snow covered solidified lava, and distant volcanoes. Abundant geothermal energy is the main reason why Climeworks has come to Iceland.

And then I see the distinctive V-shaped suction “capture containers” of Mammoth. In some ways it looks like the world’s largest air conditioning unit, but its impact is exactly the opposite. These containers suck carbon dioxide out of the air, and filters it of its carbon in a heated chemical process.

Mammoth is the world’s largest carbon capture and storage plant, with over 200 engineers working there. It has a lifetime of around 25 years, and will be at full capacity by 2025 with 72 collector containers, and with a capture capacity of 36,000 tonnes.

Surrounding the Climeworks site are small white domes, where the captured carbon is pumped 700m underground, and mineralised into rock. They are operated by Climeworks’ local partner Carbfix, an Icelandic company that dissolves the carbon in water, then injects it into the basalt rock below.

Climeworks business model is to seek funding from business and individuals, who then fund the process. It has already sold a third of Mammoth’s lifetime capacity (to companies including Microsoft, JP Morgan, Stripe, BCG and PwC, plus individuals like Bill Gates, and the band Coldplay).

Climeworks empowers people and companies to fight global warming by offering carbon dioxide removal as a service via direct air capture (DAC) technology.

Climeworks was founded in 2009 by the mechanical engineers Jan Wurzbacher and Christoph Gebald. During their PhDs at the ETH Zurich, the two founders conducted research on direct air capture technology to remove carbon dioxide from the air. Based on that scientific research, Climeworks was founded as a spin-off from ETH Zurich, the 150 year old Swiss science and engineering university.

Climeworks is on a journey to deliver climate impact at scale. To do so, the company strives to inspire 1 billion people to act and remove CO₂ from the air. Since 2009 it has developed 15 DAC facilities around the world, including 6 locations in Switzerland, plus the UK, Germany, Austria and Belgium, operated by 500 “Climeworkers” .

Here’s how Climeworks works:

  • Direct Air Capture (DAC): Climeworks employs direct air capture technology, which captures CO₂ directly from the atmosphere. Their modular and scalable DAC plants use air collectors to draw in carbon and trap it on specialized filters.
  • Mammoth Facility: Their new Mammoth facility in Hellisheidi, Iceland, is a game-changer. It can capture 36,000 tons of CO₂ annually at peak capacity—about 10 times larger than their existing Orca plant.
  • Patented Technology: Climeworks intends to capture a megaton of CO₂ by 2030 and an astounding gigaton by 2050 using their patented technology. This commitment is crucial for achieving net-zero emissions globally.
  • Global Recognition: Carbon removal has transitioned from a niche concept to a globally recognized solution. The U.S. Department of Energy even awarded funding to Climeworks and its partners to build the country’s first large-scale direct air capture facilities.
  • Underground Storage: Climeworks combines DAC with permanent underground storage (DAC+S). They inject the captured CO₂ deep underground, where it reacts with basalt rock, transforming into stone and remaining safely stored for over 10,000 years. This ensures it no longer contributes to global warming.
  • International Expansion: While Iceland offers ideal conditions, Climeworks is expanding globally. They’re exploring projects in the U.S., Canada, Norway, and Kenya to remove CO₂ on a megaton and gigaton scale.

By actively removing CO₂, Climeworks plays a vital role in our fight against climate change.

A few photos from my recent visit to the Icelandic site …

Approach the site, the nearby On geothermal power station provides huge amounts of clean, free energy to power the DAC process:

Climeworks’ new Mammoth plant is far larger than its initial Orca test facility, and is distinctive for its V shaped wings:

Up closer, the vents open, sucking carbon dioxide from the air, recognising the challenge is not just to reduce emissions but to clean up historic emissions:

Iceland was chosen as the location for the Swiss company’s plant as it is not only an excellent source of geothermal energy, but also to store the carbon underground, in partnership with Carbfix:

The “Mammoth” DAC facility, is currently the largest in the world, and was opened in April 2024, and now in full production:

Thank you to Climeworks, and the University of St Gallen, for enabling such a rare and fascinating insight into the frontiers of fighting climate change, and creating a cleaner future.

Two questions for you …

  • In the next 10 years, do you see the world as getting better or worse?
  • How capable do you feel of personally affecting the future?

Think about it. We live in a world of relentless change.

Superfast-gaming chips and fat-busting superdrugs, asteroid-chasing rockets and carbon-capturing technologies, 4 day working weeks and chess reinvented as a reality TV game, health-enhancing fashions and the rebirth of the hairy mammoth. Nvidia is transforming tech, while Novo Nordisk innovates healthcare, KinetX changes the space race, while Climeworks eliminates carbon.

We used to marvel at innovations with a leap of imagination. Ideas and technologies that promised to transform our world, but seemed a little out of reach. Now, science fiction has collided with practical reality, powered by mind-boggling technologies that are evolving at incredible speed, but also rapid social and cultural change, accelerating human possibilities into practice.

Some people find this super exciting, full of possibility and opportunity. Others find it incredibly scary, threatening and challenging.

  • Where are you? Where are your team colleagues?
  • What drives these feelings and perceptions, in you and others?
  • How could you shift position to enable less stress, or achieve more?

The Polak Game was created by Dutch sociologist Frederik Polak, regarded as one of the founding fathers of future studies. In his 1961 book “The Image of the Future” he developed approaches to imagine alternative futures, and introduced this tool to test our view of the future.

You could apply this to a 10 year perspective, but to a much shorter timeframe too. You can frame it in the context of the changing world generally, or of your more specific situation, your local market or organisation. You can do it as a team, then explore how different mindsets are creating barriers, tensions or slowing you down.

So which category do you most closely associate with?

  • Powerful:  You acknowledge that things are good and believe that they can get better. You are confident in your ability to act and create a better future.
  • Passive: Though your vision of the future is positive; you tend to be more of an observant than an active change agent. You expect those in power to make the call; you’ll adapt and play along.
  • Powerless: Not only your perception of the present is negative, but you also feel that things will get worse. That perception makes you feel free. As there’s nothing you can do about it, you don’t feel responsible if things get even worse.
  • Realistic: Your vision of the future is not positive, but you still believe in your ability to influence the outcome. However, this duality creates some mixed feelings. You think it’s worth trying but are not so confident about how much of a difference you can create.

There is no right or wrong. These feelings are all entirely natural, and largely driven by our context – how much we know about the changes happening, our personal experiences of their impacts, and how able we currently feel able to address them in a positive way.

Much of my work with business leaders is focused on helping them to make sense of the changing world, and then to develop new directions for innovation and growth. This is not easy for many. We have grown accustomed to what we know, to building on the past rather than exploring the future, to plan with certainty and numeric precision.

Today’s world, and tomorrow’s world, is much more turbulent, evolving faster than ever, and with new capabilities to address the big challenges and seize even bigger opportunities like never before.

Geopolitical change, economic turbulence, climate crisis, exponential technologies can all feel intimidating, and bewildering, at first. But as you start to make sense of these changes, they feel more manageable.

Once you get a better grasp of the drivers of change, you start to feel more comfortable. Once you start to explore the opportunities of change, you feel more positive. Once you learn how people and companies around the world are seizing these opportunities, you get excited.

Change is our opportunity. Our future is full of incredible opportunities. Time to be the optimist. Time to seize the change.

It was US naval Rear Admiral Grace Hopper who first, famously suggested to his teams “ask for forgiveness, not permission” as a way to move faster, and overcome the frictions of organisational hierarchy.

“Permissionless” organisational structures refer to systems where individuals or teams can act, experiment, and innovate without needing constant approval from hierarchical authorities. This concept, borrowed from decentralized networks like blockchain, is increasingly relevant in the shift from traditional mass-production models to more agile, digital, personalized, and asset-light paradigms.

Here’s how “permissionless” structures support organisational change:

1. They are fast and adaptive

In the age of mass production, success depended on scale, efficiency, and standardization — characteristics well-suited to hierarchical command-and-control systems. But in today’s environment, where products and services are often digital, data-driven, and rapidly evolving, success hinges on speed, responsiveness, and constant iteration.

Permissionless structures empower individuals and teams to act without waiting for executive sign-off. This reduces bottlenecks, accelerates decision-making, and encourages continuous adaptation. Teams can respond directly to customer feedback, market shifts, and technological opportunities — a critical capability in a world of short product cycles and fast-changing user needs.

2. They empower local innovation

Asset-light, platform-based businesses (like Uber, Airbnb, or Shopify) thrive by leveraging ecosystems rather than owning infrastructure. Similarly, permissionless organizations shift innovation to the edges — empowering teams closest to customers, data, and context to drive change.

Instead of top-down directives, employees are trusted to test ideas, launch pilots, and iterate fast. This decentralised innovation model taps into the collective intelligence of the organisation, enabling many small bets rather than a few big ones.

3. They align with digital modular workflows

Digital business models are inherently modular and composable — built on APIs, microservices, and low-code/no-code tools. Organizational structures are evolving to match. In a permissionless system, cross-functional squads can self-assemble around projects, plug into shared resources, and build value without bureaucracy.

This mirrors how modern tech platforms operate — permissionless innovation has powered everything from open-source software to decentralized finance. When applied to internal teams, it unlocks experimentation, reduces dependency on rigid roles, and fosters a maker mindset.

4. They redefine leadership and accountability

In permissionless structures, leadership shifts from control to enablement. Leaders create guardrails, principles, and shared goals — but don’t micromanage execution. Accountability becomes peer-driven, with a strong emphasis on transparency, outcomes, and data.

This is particularly effective in purpose-driven or knowledge-based environments, where motivation is intrinsic, and alignment is achieved through shared vision rather than rules. It’s how companies like GitLab, Haier, and Valve operate — with radical transparency, open decision-making, and distributed authority.

5. They are more resilient and adaptive

Legacy structures were built for predictability. But the digital era is defined by uncertainty, complexity, and exponential change. Permissionless models are antifragile — they allow organizations to evolve organically, learn from failure, and reinvent continuously.

Companies like Amazon (with its “two-pizza teams”) and Tesla (with flat, engineering-led teams) show how decentralization fuels reinvention. As industries become more fluid and boundaries blur, the ability to pivot fast becomes a competitive advantage — and permissionless systems make that possible.

Here are some of the best known examples of “permissionless” organisations adopting such principles:

Haier, the world’s largest home appliances company

  • What: Rendanheyi – thousands of micro-enterprises
  • How: Haier dismantled its traditional hierarchy and reorganized into over 4,000 self-managed “micro-enterprises.” Each team operates like a startup with P&L responsibility, direct customer engagement, and freedom to choose partners and projects — even from outside Haier. Leadership serves as a platform, not a command center.
  • Why: This structure has enabled rapid innovation, closer customer relationships, and the incubation of entirely new business models. Haier’s transformation has made it a global role model for decentralized organization.

GitLab, the digital open management platform

  • What: Radical transparency and asynchronous workflows
  • How: GitLab is a fully remote company where anyone can contribute ideas and improvements across the entire business. Its company handbook — over 2,000 pages — is open to the public, and employees are encouraged to self-serve, propose changes, and take initiative without waiting for top-down approval.
  • Why: GitLab scaled from a small open-source project to a billion-dollar company with thousands of employees and customers — all while embracing autonomy, transparency, and continuous iteration.

Valve, the American video gaming publisher

  • What: No formal hierarchy, team self-selection
  • How: Valve famously has no bosses. Employees choose which projects to work on, and teams form organically. Desks are even on wheels so people can move to new teams physically. The company trusts its people to decide how to create the most value.
  • Why: Valve has produced massively successful, disruptive games (e.g. Half-Life, Portal, Dota 2) and the Steam platform — innovations that emerged from bottom-up initiative rather than strategic mandates.

Amazon, the everything store with two-pizza teams

  • What: Autonomous teams with modular infrastructure
  • How: Jeff Bezos’s “two-pizza rule” mandates that teams should be small enough to be fed with two pizzas and operate autonomously. Amazon also requires all teams to expose their capabilities via internal APIs — meaning teams can build independently, integrate quickly, and iterate fast.
  • Why: This structure enabled Amazon to build AWS, Alexa, and Prime as distinct, customer-focused innovations that could scale without centralized bottlenecks.

37Signals, aka Basecamp, the US software company

  • What: Flat, asynchronous, low-intervention management
  • How: 37signals intentionally resists hierarchy, meetings, and busywork. Teams self-organize around six-week cycles, build autonomously, and release independently. The leadership provides direction, but not constant oversight.
  • Why: They’ve sustained profitability, simplicity, and loyal users for over 20 years — showing that permissionless, calm cultures can thrive in digital environments.

Uniswap & DAOs, decentralised code-based organisations

  • What: Protocols, smart contracts, and token-based governance
  • How: Uniswap (a decentralized crypto exchange) operates via smart contracts — users can build, transact, or innovate on the protocol without needing permission from a central authority. DAOs (Decentralized Autonomous Organizations) take this further, enabling decentralized governance where anyone with a token can propose or vote on changes.
  • Why: While experimental, these models offer a glimpse into how permissionless structures might evolve in future digital-native enterprises — blending code, community, and autonomy.

These organisations span industries — manufacturing, tech, gaming, finance — yet all show that removing barriers to action and decentralising authority enables faster learning, deeper engagement, and greater adaptability.

It’s time to reinvent the rules, operating paradigms, and business mindsets of the past. Prioritising human performance can help organisations make the leap to the future, to embrace the opportunities of change, and shape a better future for their organisations and themselves.

We live in a world where business is no longer defined by sectors or geographies, organisations are not limited by physical resource or existing capability, and performance is not about financial results alone. Work is no longer defined by jobs, the workplace is no longer defined by location, many workers are not conventional employees, and HR is no longer a defined function. These old boundaries have become constraints, and acknowledged as irrelevant,

Business leaders, from board members to team coordinators, are the driving force of not just a change in practice, but also attitudes and behaviours that can imagine new possibilities, and deliver practical realities.

According to the excellent Workforce 2.0 report, based on research with 12,000 global C-level executives, the rise of new work models is almost as significant to the future of organisations as digital tech and AI, and more important that shifting economies, and climate change:

So what are some of the big themes and emerging trends in human capital, and how it drives both public and private organisations forwards?

  • Future Ready: Does your organisation have the mindset, talent, capabilities to envision a better future, and to deliver the transformational projects and practices to make that happen?
  • Thriving Beyond Boundaries: Organisations are moving beyond traditional boundaries, both physical and organizational, to create more flexible and inclusive work environments. Example: NEOM in Saudi Arabia is developing a cognitive city that aims to be sustainable and hyper-connected.
  • From Function to Discipline: HR is evolving from a siloed function to a boundaryless discipline that integrates with the people, businesses, and communities it serves. Example: Deloitte is focusing on human performance and creating value for all people connected to the organization.
  • Reskilling Revolution: Upskilling and reskilling the workforce to meet the demands of a rapidly changing job market. Example: Amazon has invested heavily in training programs to help employees transition to new roles within the company.
  • The Great Reevaluation: Redefining the employee value proposition to attract and retain top talent. Example: Google offers a range of benefits and perks, including flexible work arrangements and wellness programs, to keep employees engaged and satisfied.
  • The Algorithmic Advantage: Leveraging technology, such as AI and data analytics, to enhance workforce management and decision-making. Example: IBM uses AI-driven tools to help HR professionals make data-informed decisions about talent acquisition and management.
  • Microcultures: Enabling a “culture of cultures” tailored to the needs of local teams while aligning with organization-wide values. Example: Microsoft supports diverse teams and encourages local cultural practices within its global offices.
  • Play and Experimentation: Creating digital playgrounds where employees can experiment and innovate in a safe space. Example: IDEO encourages employees to engage in creative workshops and brainstorming sessions to foster innovation.
  • Human Sustainability: Prioritizing human sustainability by creating value for employees and ensuring their well-being. Example: Patagonia focuses on sustainability and employee well-being, offering programs like on-site childcare and environmental initiatives.
  • Platforms of Talent: Instead of thinking of organisations as platforms for development and delivery of products and services, ecosystems connecting with suppliers and customers, think of them as platforms that bring together unique, diverse and unlimited talent. How can that deliver more?

And we know what this demands in terms of people. To thrive in the future, businesses will need to adopt new mindsets, develop key capabilities, and nurture specific talents:

Mindsets

  • Growth Mindset: Embracing challenges, learning from failures, and persisting in the face of obstacles.
  • Customer-Centric Mindset: Prioritizing customer needs and experiences in all business decisions.
  • Sustainability Mindset: Integrating sustainable practices into business operations to ensure long-term success.
  • Innovation Mindset: Encouraging creativity and experimentation to drive continuous improvement and new solutions.

Capabilities

  • Digital Literacy: Proficiency in using digital tools and platforms to enhance business processes and decision-making.
  • Agility: The ability to quickly adapt to changing market conditions and customer demands.
  • Data Analytics: Leveraging data to gain insights, make informed decisions, and predict future trends.
  • Collaboration: Working effectively across teams and departments to achieve common goals.
  • Cybersecurity: Protecting sensitive information and systems from cyber threats.

Talents

  • Critical Thinking: Analyzing information objectively and making reasoned conclusions.
  • Emotional Intelligence: Understanding and managing emotions, both one’s own and those of others.
  • Leadership: Inspiring and guiding teams to achieve their best performance.
  • Communication: Clearly conveying ideas and information to diverse audiences.
  • Problem-Solving: Identifying issues and developing effective solutions.

Syzygy has its origins in the Greek word suzugia, meaning yoked or paired, and became popular in 18th century Latin and English. More generally is means a conjunction or alignment. Synergy is a more modern word derived from it.

What does it take to transform your business effectively?

Consider how these organisations have reinvented themselves:

  • Berkshire Hathaway started as a merger of the Berkshire Spinning Association and Hathaway textile mill. Warren Buffett transformed it into an investment powerhouse.
  • Domino’s Pizza stands out amongst today’s fast food retailers, reinventing itself to offer a digitally-centric brand experience that people will pay more for.
  • National Geographical grew famous through print. Then it started exploring more instant and immersive media, becoming the most popular brand on Instagram.
  • Nintendo was founded in 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi as a playing card company, transformed over the last 60 years his grandson Hiroshi into a digital gaming empire.
  • Shell was a London shop specialising in exotic shells from Asia before becoming the world’s largest oil company, and now seek to transform itself into clean energy.
  • Western Union, once a network of early telegraph companies in the American outback, reinvented itself as the world’s largest money transfer service.
  • Wipro started in 1945 selling vegetable oil, before diversifying into other products. It is now one of the world’s largest IT outsourcers and software engineers.
  • American Express’s Ken Chenault says, “successful transform demands unchanging change”, requiring constant values but relentless reinvention.

Business Transformation

Sometimes it’s a financial crisis, sometimes it’s the threat from a disruptive competitor, sometimes growth stagnates as markets mature or decline, sometimes it’s the opportunity to ride a new global megatrend, and sometimes it’s the result of proactive strategic planning.

To better understand the dynamics of why and how transformation happens, Innosight’s “Transformation 20” study evaluated the strategic change efforts of many companies, seeking to identify best practices across industries and geographies. The ranking is based on three factors: finding new growth (% of revenue beyond core), repositioning the core (giving the legacy business new life), financial growth (revenue, profit and economic value over the transformation).

Scott Anthony describes the essence of this kind of transformation: “What businesses are doing here is fundamentally changing in form or substance. A piece, if not the essence, of the old remains, but what emerges is clearly different in material ways. It is a liquid becoming a gas. Lead turning into gold. A caterpillar becoming a butterfly.”

Here are some examples of such transformations:

  • Adobe … transformed from product to service, from document software into digital experiences, marketing, commerce platforms and analytics
  • Amazon … transformed its own infrastructure into “Amazon Web Services” which enables other organisations to operate their online businesses.
  • DBS … transformed itself from a regional bank to a global digital platform, a “27,000-person start-up” and crowned “Best Bank in the World.”
  • Microsoft … transformed from a business model based primarily on selling product licenses (IP), to a cloud-based platform-as-a-service business.
  • Netflix … shifted from DVDs by mail into the leading streaming video content service and now a top original content provider.
  • Ping An … transformed itself from insurance into a cloud tech business providing fintech and AI-based medical imaging & diagnostics.
  • Tencent … transformed from social and gaming business to a platform embracing entertainment, autonomous vehicle, cloud computing, and finance.

Transformation is about significant, lasting, non-reversible change to the way in which the company operates and creates value, typically where at least 25% of total revenues comes from new business units or business models. It can take time, 10 years as demonstrated by Orsted, but also sets the business on a new course for a better future.

Whilst digital technologies are a significant enabler of transformation, companies should beware of the term “digital transformation” which is often used to describe the automation of business functions, seeking more efficiency and speed, or broader applications of technology. Similarly, “culture change” is not the same as business transformation. In both cases it is only transformative if it is accompanying by a more holistic reinvention of the business, including its strategy and business models, propositions and performance.

Pivot to a new space

The destination of any transformation might be quite different from how it was initially envisioned. Many projects, and even businesses, find that they reach a point where they need to significantly change direction, based on what they have learnt. This is a “pivot”, and has been a feature of many start-up journeys in recent years.

  • Instagram initially known as Burbn started out as an online discussion forum developed by Kevin Systrom whilst learning how to program, but now has 1 billion users simply sharing images.
  • Slack started as a game called Glitch, developed by Stewart Butterfield after he sold Flickr. The game didn’t take off, but its platform evolved to become Slack, a place for collaborative working.
  • Twitter was previously known as Odeo, a podcasting platform before podcasts took off. Jack Dorsey decided to shift to microblogging as he called, it, rebranding it as Twitter, and a leader in short posts and status updates.
  • YouTube originated as a dating site, encouraging people to upload videos of themselves. Few people embraced the concept, but when the site opened up to anyone who wanted to share a video, over 2 billion people signed up.

For larger organisation, they need to learn to pivot as part of their evolution, and as a sequence of transformations.

As they ride the “S curves” of market change, they accelerate as new ideas take off, but then slow as ideas mature. Eventually, without change, the old business declines, as the market moves in new directions, and a new S Curve takes off. The challenge of transformation is to ride the S Curves, jumping to the new curve whilst still thriving on the old curve, transforming before you need to.

Evolve to revolve

Transformation does not have to be a sudden shift from one state to another, and can be more evolutionary. Indeed a persistent, focused approach to incremental change, not simply on efficiency but on improved competitive performance, can sometimes have just as much transformational impact.

I first learnt about “marginal gains” whilst watching cycling. Dave Brailsford was the new performance director of Team GB, who in recent years have come to dominate the sport. Marginal gains was said to be his secret to superior performance.

Brailsford and his coaches began by making small adjustments you might expect from a professional cycling team. They redesigned the bike seats to make them more comfortable and rubbed alcohol on the tires for a better grip. They asked riders to wear electrically heated overshorts to maintain ideal muscle temperature while riding and used biofeedback sensors to monitor how each athlete responded to a particular workout. The team tested various fabrics in a wind tunnel and had their outdoor riders switch to indoor racing suits, which proved to be lighter and more aerodynamic.

Then they went further. They tested different types of massage gels to see which one led to the fastest muscle recovery. They hired a surgeon to teach each rider the best way to wash their hands to reduce the chances of catching a cold. They determined the type of pillow and mattress that led to the best night’s sleep for each rider. They even painted the inside of the team truck white, which helped them spot little bits of dust that would normally slip by unnoticed but could degrade the performance of the finely tuned bikes.

1% became the team mantra, and led to phenomenal success, including six Tour de France victories in seven years, and multiple Olympic gold medals. Whilst some have become concerned that the search for an edge can take sports to blurred ethical practices, Brailsford has always maintained that every gain was scientific and legal.

Indeed, in 2018, Brailsford was the technical mastermind behind Eliud Kipchoge’s first sub 2 hour marathon, focusing on every marginal gain from the surface and camber of the road, to the weather temperature and humidity, pace making and shoe design.

From cycling to marathon running, cyber security to car manufacturing, organisations have found that 1% improvement can make a big difference. Lots of small changes can add up to more than one big change. Concentrate on making many 1% improvements and you’ll find the compound effect is huge, without putting all your eggs in one basket of transformational change.

Exploit and Explore

I spent much of 1999 working with Philips. I remember it well, largely because of the regular short flight from London to Eindhoven. Even the earliest flight, often delayed by fog, meant that I rarely arrived at the head office before 1100 because of the time difference. In Holland, lunch is at 1130, and always a cheese roll and carton of milk. They grow tall on their dairy intake. As we ate, change was always the topic of conversation.

Philips was founded back in 1891 by Gerard Philips who bought an empty factory in Eindhoven, where the company started the production of carbon-filament lamps.

Over the next century the company started to extend into other electronics businesses such as vacuum tubes, electric shavers, radios (and even a radio station). Televisions followed, which evolved into a battle of formats for video cassettes and laser discs. Toothbrushes too. Throughout this time, the core lighting business had continued, evolving from filament bulbs into new formats such as LEDs, supported by its semiconductor business.

In the early 2000s, Philips symbolically shifted its head offices from Eindhoven to Amsterdam, and started to acquire a number of healthcare companies, from diagnostic scanners to surgical devices. It’s core started to shift away from electronics. In 2018 it formally divested its lighting business, which was renamed as Signify, although continuing to use the Philips brand on its products under license. Healthcare became the new core business.

Transform for today and tomorrow

How can you create the future, whilst at the same time deliver today?

Janus was a Roman god with two sets of eyes, one pair focused on what lay behind, the other on what lay ahead.

Change unlocks new opportunities to create new markets. It is the moment when a business typically needs to protect and improve its current activities, but also seize the opportunities of tomorrow, to explore and create new businesses.

Like Janus, business needs to be ambidextrous, to simultaneously think and work in the short and long-term. Short-term sales earn the cash, but also the permission, to create a better future. However, this is not a sequential challenge, nor a parallel challenge. The organisation shouldn’t delay tomorrow in order to win today or work separately on both.

The trick is to ensure that today leads to tomorrow, short-term actions lead to long-term progress. Too many leaders become obsessed by the short-term, and lose sight of the bigger goals. Of course, a heads-down focus on grinding out results looks good, often sub-servient to the perceived impatience of investment analysts. But this misses the point. Investors are most interested in future success, today is just a guide to it.

Dual Transformation

 Scott Anthony, in his book “Dual Transformation”, describes this shift as three components.

  • Transformation A: repositioning and improving the core business to maximise resilience (eg Adobe moving from packaged software to SaaS).
  • Transformation B: creating a new growth engine (eg Amazon adding cloud computing services, and streaming content on top of ecommerce).
  • Capabilities C: the best way to share assets and resources, brand and scale, and managing the interface between the core and the new.

Transformation A involves accepting changed circumstances, devising new metrics, and bringing in fresh talent experienced in emerging work environments. Transformation B requires understanding of future opportunities, changing consumers, and value patterns. This helps develop new business models through iterative experimentation and willingness to pivot. This may involve acquiring other companies and forging new partnerships, depending on expectations of impact periods.

Anthony likens the capability link to an airlock in a spaceship or submarine. This team includes savvy veterans and diplomatic managers, but the business leader will need to drive hard decisions on which core skills are relevant during transformation, and arbitrate during the inevitable arguments and turf wars. Tough calls will need to be made regarding speed of operation, pricing options, and assessing some of the inevitable failures along the way. Other challenges in dual transformation are balancing attention and assets, and protecting traditional income streams while also growing new sources in a slow and experimental manner.

 Shifting the core

As businesses evolve, their centre of gravity moves.

We see this in the evolution of IBM, which grew famous as the innovator of mainframe computers. As the market shifted, driven by technological evolution, from mainframe to desktop to laptop, IBM found many more competitors.

For some time it moved with the trend, developing its own desk and laptops, whilst also exploring new business areas, particularly in services like consulting. Eventually it recognised that its strength was no longer in making any type of computers, but in the advice it could offer, and shifted to become a consulting business at its core.

The shit in the core can be seen in three stages:

  • Focus on the core: clearly define your core business, strengthen it and seek to drive growth through it in existing and new markets
  • Beyond the core: extend into adjacent markets, that can leverage off the core like IBM into services, with their own revenue streams
  • Redefine the core: as markets evolve, the old core business may start to decline, before which is the time to shift to consolidate the new core

Whilst this shift might seem a fundamental transformation of the business, as we saw with Philips, it might simply be about following the same purpose, but interpreting how to deliver on that purpose in new and evolving ways. The shift might equally be represented by a more intangible asset, such as brand or capability, which can be deployed with partners in new industries, as in the shift of Ping An.

Outside in, Inside out

DBS is regarded by many as the world’s most innovative bank. The Singapore-based bank seeks to deliver a new kind of banking experience that is so simple, seamless and invisible, that customers have more time to spend on the things they care about.

CEO Piyush Gupta calls it “the invisible bank” where financial transactions are embedded deep within the activities of everyday life – from travel to shopping, eating to entertainment. No longer do people need to think of banking as a separate activity, it is part of everything.

Whilst much of DBS’ transformation from a very average regional bank to become a global leader, has been about digital technologies, Gupta says that it is not about the technology.

“If we just tried to apply technology to the existing banking model, we would just end up being an efficient bank” he says, which he sees as ok, but not exactly ambitious. What he really wanted to do was transform the concept of banking so that it can make people’s lives better.

Every child in Singapore, for example, now wears a DBS fitness bank, which is supplied free of charge by schools. The device enables kids to gamify their fitness, comparing how many steps they have made each day, to improve health. However it also has a GPS whereabouts app, so parents know where their kids are, for safety. And an electronic payment app for school travel and meals.

To achieve this transformation, Gupta realised that he had to create a customer-centric business first, before he could digitalise it. This required a fundamental change in culture and processes, products and services, Over three years he worked tirelessly to get people to see what they did from a customer perspective, using high energy “hackathons” in the business, to engage people and generate new ideas.

Only when he was satisfied that the business had a new mindset, and had at least started on a transformation to true customer-centricity, did he begin to explore the potential of new technologies to facilitate and accelerate the transformation.

 “This is not putting customers at the centre of banking” he says “but about embedding banking into people’s everyday lives”.

Outside in

In my book “Customer Genius” I describe the transformational journey to become a customer-centric business.  From a vision about making life better to deep insights about what matters most to your customers, through problem solving and value propositions, customer experiences and relationships, I defined a business built around people not around products.

Transforming your business from the outside in starts with:

  • Customers: who do you want to serve, why and how?
  • Insight: what do they really want, and what matters most?
  • Experience: how to develop solutions to deliver the benefits?
  • Engagement: why they will be attracted to the proposition?
  • Delivery: how to deliver it, in a distinctive, profitable way?

Customer-centric businesses thrive on a passion for service, to “go the extra mile” for their customers, to build retention and loyalty as a more certain future streams of profits. It is a simple, human, motivating way to think about why you are in business.

Most companies have been trying to develop a “customer-centric” culture for at least 25 years. Being in tune with the customer enables companies to be more responsive to markets, to retain customers through better service, to differentiate from competitors, but also be more aligned with the changing outside world.

Inside Out

But then I hit an ideological barrier. An alternative perspective is that business should change from the “inside out”. Shouldn’t you start with the values and virtues of your organisation, and then make them strong and attractive? “Steve Jobs never asked customers what they wanted, and customers don’t really know anyway” they would say. Or to quote Richard Branson “employees come first, customers come second”.

Transforming your business from the inside out starts with:

  • People: what do we do, what are we motivated by?
  • Capability: what are our skills, our distinctive strengths?
  • Products: which products to develop, quality and cost?
  • Process: how to deliver it in a fast and efficient way?
  • Sales: how many can we sell, to ensure our profitability?

There is logic in this approach too. Whilst the old adage that a business should “focus on your core competences” is outdated – maybe true in a steady state world, but not one of relentless changing opportunities and partnerships – the real strength of thinking inside out is to build on your culture. If organisations are defined by people, then cultures, and the beliefs and behaviours which they drive, are sources of strength and differentiation.

You could say that this is semantics, but for many leaders it can be confusing. “Inside out” is guided by doing what you do better, the more efficient use of resources and new applications of capabilities. “Outside in” is driven by doing what customers want, innovation and agility in response to change.

I remember this “outside in vs. inside out” debate as I discussed growth strategy with an executive team of a Silicon Valley company. They were a technology company, in fact almost every person was a trained software engineer. To them the most important document was the “product roadmap”. This guided their progress through subsequent releases of products, as their products got better – in their case, faster, smaller, cheaper.

I questioned whether this is what customers really wanted. Shouldn’t we be guided by what matters most to customers, and when they want it, and how we can enhance the product through additional products, services, and experiences? Yes maybe. But the product, to them was the king. It took at least 18 months of culture change before I eventually got them to begrudgingly respect the “customer roadmap.”

Transforming with purpose

The answer, as in the story of DBS’s transformation, is that you need both of course. The best starting actually is neither outside or inside, but with your purpose. Why do you exist? What is the contribution which you seek to make to the world, to society, to people?

A purpose is ultimately an “outside in” statement. It is based on what you enable people to do, rather than what you do. However a purpose is “inside out” in the sense that it becomes the guiding principle of the whole business, its culture, its strategic choices, and motivation for why we come to work each morning.

Transformation goes beyond what do customers want, or what capabilities do we have. It needs to start at a higher level. You might not currently have the right customers, or even be in the right market. As Steve Jobs said, they might not be able to articulate what they want, although I suggest he was actually bringing a customer mindset into play for them.

In a world where you can do anything, be guided by your purpose. Create a business that succeeds by doing more for the world, bringing together the inspiration of the outside, and imagination of the inside.

Brené Brown, research professor at the University of Houston known for her pioneering work on vulnerability, shame, and empathy, wrote Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience to help people better understand and articulate the full spectrum of human emotions. Brown argues that our ability to name, distinguish, and communicate feelings is central to cultivating deeper connections, resilience, and well-being. She calls this process “emotional granularity”—the precision with which we identify and express emotions—and believes that without this skill, relationships and personal growth remain stunted.

The book is both guidebook and map. Brown organizes more than 80 emotions and experiences into distinct groups, exploring their nuances, common misconceptions, and how they show up in our lives. Using storytelling, research, and cultural references, she illuminates the often-overlooked differences between related emotions and why those differences matter for human connection.

Why Language of Emotions Matters

Brown opens with the premise that we cannot connect meaningfully without language. When people lack the words to describe their feelings, they tend to shut down, lash out, or misinterpret others. For example, confusing “stress” with “overwhelm,” or “envy” with “jealousy,” can lead to misunderstandings and fractured relationships. By expanding our emotional vocabulary, we expand our capacity for empathy, curiosity, and compassion.

Brown draws on research from psychology, neuroscience, and linguistics to show that language shapes emotional experience. People who can precisely identify their emotions are more adaptive, make better decisions, and navigate conflict with greater skill.

Mapping Emotions: The Main Categories

Brown organizes emotions into thematic chapters, each grouping together related feelings and experiences. Some of the most significant clusters include:

1. Places We Go When Things Are Uncertain or Too Much

This section explores stress, overwhelm, anxiety, worry, avoidance, and excitement. Brown highlights the importance of distinguishing between stress (an external pressure) and overwhelm (a state of being unable to function due to too many inputs). Anxiety is described as persistent uncertainty coupled with fear, whereas worry is the cognitive process of replaying possible bad outcomes.

Excitement is an important counterpoint: physiologically similar to anxiety, but framed with a positive outlook. Recognizing this difference helps us reframe fear-inducing situations into opportunities.

2. Places We Go When We Compare

Here Brown explores comparison, envy, jealousy, resentment, and admiration. She stresses that comparison is an almost automatic human process, but its impact depends on context: it can motivate growth or fuel shame.

Envy (wanting what others have) is distinct from jealousy (fear of losing something we already have). Brown also reframes resentment as unmet expectations poorly communicated, not just bitterness. By untangling these emotions, we can turn comparison into self-awareness rather than self-destruction.

3. Places We Go When Things Don’t Go as Planned

Disappointment, expectations, regret, discouragement, resignation, and frustration belong here. Brown describes disappointment as unmet expectations with an emotional punch, while regret is tied to personal responsibility for choices. Frustration emerges when obstacles block progress, while discouragement occurs when setbacks feel insurmountable.

This cluster underscores the human need to balance realistic expectations with hope, and to practice resilience when things fall apart.

4. Places We Go When It’s Beyond Us

This chapter focuses on awe, wonder, confusion, curiosity, and interest. Brown distinguishes awe (a mix of reverence and fear in the face of vastness) from wonder (an openness to mystery and possibility). Curiosity is portrayed as a superpower—driving learning, creativity, and connection—while confusion is reframed as a productive state, signaling that growth is possible.

5. Places We Go When Things Aren’t What They Seem

Surprise, expectations, disappointment, and curiosity appear here. Brown emphasizes the role of storytelling in how we make sense of surprises—whether delightful or disruptive. Our expectations shape whether a surprise feels like betrayal or discovery.

6. Places We Go When We’re Hurting

This section covers anguish, grief, despair, sadness, and hopelessness. Brown insists on normalizing grief as a natural process, not something to “get over.” She distinguishes grief (a multifaceted response to loss) from sadness (a more general emotional state). Hopelessness, she argues, is one of the most dangerous feelings because it robs people of agency and perspective.

7. Places We Go With Others

Here Brown explores compassion, empathy, pity, and sympathy. Empathy is defined as connecting with the emotions of another, without judgment or problem-solving, while compassion adds the motivation to alleviate suffering. Pity, by contrast, creates distance and hierarchy. Brown emphasizes empathy as foundational for trust and belonging.

8. Places We Go When We’re in Struggle

Vulnerability, shame, guilt, humiliation, and embarrassment reside here. Brown draws on her earlier research, showing that vulnerability is not weakness but courage—the birthplace of creativity, love, and belonging.

She carefully distinguishes shame (“I am bad”) from guilt (“I did something bad”), with shame being corrosive to identity and belonging, while guilt can be constructive in prompting change. Humiliation differs from shame in that it is undeserved and externally imposed, while embarrassment is fleeting and socially recoverable.

9. Places We Go When We Feel Connection

Belonging, fitting in, connection, disconnection, trust, and love form this cluster. Brown argues that true belonging requires authenticity—being accepted for who we are—whereas fitting in demands conformity. Trust is described as built in small, consistent moments, and love as a practice more than a feeling.

She emphasizes that connection is the essence of human life, and the lack of it leads to isolation, fear, and shame.

10. Places We Go When the Heart is Open

Love, joy, calm, gratitude, contentment, and hope live here. Brown stresses that joy is the most vulnerable emotion because it carries the fear of loss. Gratitude, however, is the antidote to that fear—anchoring us in the present. Hope is redefined not as a passive wish but as a cognitive process built on goals, pathways, and agency.

Key Themes

  • Emotional Vocabulary as Power
    Brown argues that many conflicts and breakdowns in relationships stem from an inability to name emotions accurately. Expanding our vocabulary increases empathy, clarity, and resilience.

  • Connection Requires Vulnerability
    The courage to express what we truly feel is the foundation of meaningful relationships. Avoidance, numbing, or pretending block intimacy and growth.

  • Nuance Matters
    Distinguishing between similar emotions (like envy vs. jealousy, stress vs. overwhelm) creates new possibilities for understanding ourselves and others.

  • The Role of Storytelling
    Brown emphasizes that humans are “meaning-making machines.” We constantly craft stories around emotions, often with incomplete information. Becoming aware of these narratives—and challenging them—frees us from distortions.

  • Language Shapes Identity
    Naming emotions gives us agency. Without words, experiences feel chaotic or overwhelming; with them, we can process, communicate, and make choices.

Practical Applications

Brown offers tools and reflective prompts throughout the book, encouraging readers to:

  • Build a shared language of emotions within families, workplaces, and communities.

  • Practice curiosity instead of judgment when emotions surface.

  • Create space for grief, regret, and vulnerability rather than suppressing them.

  • Use gratitude practices to counterbalance fear of joy’s impermanence.

  • Foster empathy and compassion through precise listening and recognition of others’ feelings.

The book is both deeply personal and highly practical, inviting readers to navigate their emotional landscapes with courage and precision.

Atlas of the Heart

Atlas of the Heart is ultimately about reclaiming the power of language to deepen human connection. By mapping 87 emotions and experiences, Brené Brown provides a toolkit for living with greater clarity, authenticity, and compassion. She challenges us to embrace vulnerability, expand our emotional vocabulary, and engage with others from a place of empathy and courage.

Brown’s central message is simple but profound: if we want to build meaningful connections, we must first learn to accurately name and share what we feel. This is the true atlas of the heart—a map that guides us toward belonging, understanding, and love.

Walking around the great pyramids I marvelled at the ingenuity of their builders. Just to move these huge blocks of rock must have taken real innovation, let alone the ability to build thousands of blocks on top of each other.

But then I thought some more. Egypt gave us so many innovations. The sails on boats, originally to power those ancient Nile cruises. Or the bandage, used to treat wounds, and then of course to wrap mummies. The earliest form of birth control, acacia leaves with honey. Politics, postal service, Papyrus paper and Pythagoras. And so much more

Today, Egypt has become an increasingly vibrant hub for innovation, with a growing number of startups and established companies pushing the boundaries in technology, fintech, e-commerce, healthtech, and other industries.

Here are some of the most innovative companies in Egypt that I have come across both locally and internationally:

1. Fawry

Sector: Fintech
Fawry is one of Egypt’s largest and most innovative fintech companies, offering electronic payment solutions to businesses and consumers. The company operates a vast network of payment points across the country, providing services like bill payments, mobile top-ups, and e-commerce transactions. Fawry’s digital wallet and payment solutions have revolutionized how Egyptians conduct financial transactions, particularly in underbanked and rural areas.

2. Swvl

Sector: Transportation / Mobility
Swvl is an innovative tech-driven transportation company that offers bus-sharing services, providing an affordable and reliable alternative to traditional public transportation. Founded in Egypt, Swvl has grown rapidly and expanded internationally, using technology to optimize routes, reduce commute times, and create a more efficient urban mobility system. Swvl went public in 2021 through a SPAC merger, raising its profile as a major player in global mobility.

3. Vezeeta

Sector: Healthtech
Vezeeta is a leading healthtech platform in the MENA region that connects patients with healthcare providers, offering features like appointment scheduling, telemedicine, and doctor reviews. Vezeeta has introduced innovative solutions to make healthcare more accessible and efficient in Egypt, and it has expanded its operations to several other countries in the region. It has also incorporated AI to optimize doctor-patient matching and health service delivery.

4. Instabug

Sector: Software Development / Tech
Instabug is a mobile app bug reporting and in-app feedback solution that helps developers improve app quality. It provides tools for developers to track bugs, crashes, and performance issues in real-time. Instabug is widely used in mobile app development across various sectors, including tech, healthcare, and e-commerce. The company has garnered international attention for its innovative approach to enhancing app performance and user experience.

5. Jumia Egypt

Sector: E-commerce
Jumia, often referred to as the “Amazon of Africa,” operates extensively in Egypt, providing a wide range of e-commerce services, from consumer goods to groceries and electronics. Jumia’s innovative solutions in logistics, payment gateways, and customer service have made online shopping more accessible in Egypt and the broader African market. Jumia is at the forefront of developing online retail experiences tailored to the needs of consumers in emerging markets.

6. Elmenus

Sector: Foodtech / Online Food Delivery
Elmenus is an innovative food discovery and online ordering platform in Egypt, helping users discover new restaurants and cuisines based on their preferences. The platform has a unique feature that allows users to explore restaurant menus, view photos of dishes, and read reviews. Elmenus also uses data analytics to offer personalized recommendations, driving growth in the Egyptian food delivery market.

7. MaxAB

Sector: E-commerce / Supply Chain
MaxAB is an innovative B2B e-commerce platform focused on the supply chain in Egypt. The company connects food and grocery retailers to suppliers through a digital platform, helping businesses streamline their procurement processes. MaxAB has revolutionized how retailers source products and manage inventory, leveraging technology to improve efficiency and reduce costs in the supply chain.

8. Cairo Angels

Sector: Investment / Startup Ecosystem
Cairo Angels is an innovative network of angel investors that supports early-stage startups in Egypt and the MENA region. They have backed numerous high-growth startups in sectors such as fintech, healthtech, e-commerce, and SaaS, playing a crucial role in fostering innovation and entrepreneurship in Egypt’s startup ecosystem.

9. Shaghalni

Sector: HR Tech
Shaghalni is an HR tech startup that focuses on the recruitment and job placement industry. It uses AI-driven technology to match job seekers with suitable employers, reducing time and costs for both job seekers and employers. The platform is transforming the way hiring works in Egypt, with a focus on improving the efficiency and accuracy of recruitment processes.

10. Buseet

Sector: Transportation / Ride-Hailing
Buseet is an innovative bus-sharing platform in Egypt, providing a sustainable and cost-effective transportation solution for commuters. It allows users to book bus rides through an app, making daily commutes easier, cheaper, and more environmentally friendly. The platform is gaining popularity, particularly in Cairo, where traffic congestion is a major issue.

11. Tarek Nour Communications (TNC)

Sector: Advertising / Marketing Tech
Tarek Nour Communications (TNC) is a leading marketing and advertising company that has embraced digital transformation and innovation in advertising strategies. With cutting-edge digital campaigns and data-driven marketing solutions, TNC is shaping the advertising landscape in Egypt. The company has also delved into content creation, digital media strategies, and advanced analytics.

12. Eventtus

Sector: Event Tech
Eventtus is an event management platform that provides digital solutions for creating, managing, and promoting events. Whether for conferences, festivals, or corporate events, Eventtus offers innovative tools for virtual and hybrid event experiences, including event apps, ticketing, networking, and live streaming features. The company has grown in popularity across the MENA region as more events go digital.

13. Kahwetna

Sector: Hospitality / Foodtech
Kahwetna is an innovative startup focused on creating a coffeehouse experience that blends technology with hospitality. It allows customers to order and pay for drinks and food directly from their smartphones, enhancing the customer experience through a seamless, contactless process. The company is also focused on sourcing quality coffee beans and offering a premium coffee experience in Egypt.

14. Snoonu

Sector: Delivery / Logistics
Snoonu is an on-demand delivery and logistics platform in Egypt, offering fast delivery services for a wide range of products, from food to groceries and retail items. The company uses advanced algorithms and GPS tracking to provide efficient delivery times, aiming to be the go-to solution for consumers in need of fast and reliable delivery services.

15. Halan

Sector: Mobility / Fintech
Halan is an innovative Egyptian startup focused on providing ride-hailing services for motorcycles, tuk-tuks, and minibuses, offering a more affordable alternative to traditional taxi services. Halan has diversified into providing small businesses with financing solutions and payment services, leveraging technology to offer last-mile connectivity and financial inclusion for the unbanked.

These companies reflect the diverse and dynamic landscape of innovation in Egypt, with a focus on solving local problems through technology. From fintech and mobility to healthtech and e-commerce, Egyptian startups and established companies are driving significant change and contributing to the growth of the regional and global innovation ecosystem.

Istanbul has always been a hotbed of ingenuity, a collision of continents and cultures provides the context for the fusion of ideas, and catalyst of innovation. A youthful population with high aspirations means that new ideas are enthusiastically embraced, fuelled by a heritage of entrepreneurship.

Over the last 20 years I have worked with many Turkish companies, helping them to develop new strategies that embrace innovation and growth, and the leadership skills to win in a rapidly changing world. Companies like Koç and Sabancı have become large diversified growth, often developing partnerships with global brands.

While the Turkish market is vibrant, I have encouraged companies to think bigger, to develop stronger international brands, to reach out to adjacent continents, and think more strategically about their innovations. At Eczacibasi we focused on building brands, at Ulker we focused on innovative products and ventures, at Abdi Ibrahim we explored new healthcare business models beyond pharma, at Turkcell we focused on business growth internationally. Trendyol, having secured investment from Alibaba, is perhaps one of the most impressive digital innovators, alongside a whole ecosystem of gaming entrepreneurs lead by Peak and Dream Games.

One of the biggest shifts which I have seen is a real passion for innovating better. As an example, Aster Textile, a long-term client, have recognised the opportunity of sustainable innovation – not just developing products that are good for the environment, or society – but which can stand out to consumers, making a positive contribution to society, and drive more profitable growth too.

Sustainable innovation is a key opportunity for Turkish companies. This is why this year’s Gamechangers Turkey focuses on the best innovators who combine purpose with profit, to find better ways to innovate and grow:

  • Appsilon Enterprises is a deep tech company that grows diamonds in the lab. Appsilon’s journey began in 2018 with a group of 3 friends in their native Turkey.  Although now officially headquartered in the Netherlands, their workshops are in Istanbul. Cofounder and CEO Taylan Erol says “Our expertise lies in the realm of synthesizing diamonds that are identical in every way to those that occur naturally. Through advanced techniques and state-of-the-art equipment, we are able to create diamonds that are indistinguishable from those found in nature, much like how ice in a refrigerator is identical in composition and structure to ice found in Antarctica.”
  • Biolive produce bio-plastics made from olive stones. Founded in 2017 with the support of Zorlu Holding, the biotech company is making significant strides in the bioplastics industry. Their innovative approach uses olive pits to produce biopolymers, positioning them as a leader in sustainable material solutions. In 2022, Biolive opened its biopolymer production facility in Istanbul, boasting an annual capacity of 9,600 tons. This state-of-the-art facility supplies bioplastic raw materials to the plastics market, reinforcing Biolive’s commitment to environmental sustainability and industrial innovation.
  • Oleatex, the Turkish brand creating plant-based leather, was founded in 2020. The name comes from the Latin oleum, meaning olives. One of the issues with the  olive oil industry is that the waste, namely olive mill pomace. It can be utilized as fuel or organic fertilizer, however, this can generate unwanted carbon emissions, depending on the conditions. Leather is one of fashion’s most commonly used materials despite it hurting the environment and the workers who manufacture it – not forgetting animals, too, if it is cow-derived and not synthetic.
  • WeWalk is a thriving startup incubated in 2020, embodying the vision of a team with a decade-long background in assistive technologies. The use of  “community customization,” rejects traditional additive methods that prioritise the needs of able-bodied users as the primary design blueprint. WeWalk crafted by a team that includes individuals with visual impairments, draws from decades of collective experience to offer a comprehensive suite of products and services, including WeWalk Smart Cane, WeAssist, and more.

Here are some more examples from Turkey:

  • Greeng Innovation: Specializes in sustainable and ecological construction and insulation materials.
  • Can Microgreens: Focuses on hydroponic growing solutions and microgreens growing kits that are fully compostable and free from plastic and pesticides.
  • Plant Factory: Engages in vertical indoor farming to improve food quality and reduce energy waste.
  • Palgae: Uses algae to produce bio-raw materials that can replace hazardous petroleum-based granules.
  • Sensgreen: Provides IoT solutions for healthier and more efficient buildings.
  • Inres: A deep-tech company pioneering green energy solutions.
  • Finceptor: Works on democratizing and securing Web3 finance.
  • Ecording: Uses drone technology to plant seeds in hard-to-reach areas, promoting reforestation.
  • Reengen: Offers energy management and IoT solutions to optimize energy consumption.
  • Tarla.io: Provides precision agriculture solutions to help farmers optimize their crop yields and reduce waste.

Sustainability is the best opportunity for business to drive smarter innovation and profitable growth.

People increasingly see companies as irresponsible, greedy and inhuman. Climate change and economic downturn have accelerated new expectations. Businesses need to reengage people, to understand their new priorities, rethink their role and propositions, work in new ways, and enable people to do more themselves.  Resolving the many paradoxes faced by customers who want the best things but also to do “the right thing” and business leaders who want to grow but in more responsible ways.

There are many ideas about sustainability – mostly around the worthy themes of “reduce, recycle, reuse”. However we need to go beyond that initial phases to “rethink” business.

Sustainable innovation is more positive not less negative, about opportunities not problems, driven by creativity not compliance, a whole business challenge, not left to a few people. It is about connecting social, environment and economic challenges, to achieve a new balance, that is more different from competitors and inspiring your people. And it’s about building brands in way that builds capacity rather than just making sales, enabling people to do more for themselves and their worlds, rather than just buy your product or service.

Here are some more useful links to get you started:

Contact me at peterfisk@peterfisk.com

More free downloads:

More from Peter Fisk:

  • Keynote speaking: inspiring speaker on future megatrends, disruptive innovation, and courageous leadership
  • Business workshops: world class facilitation, applying the most innovative ideas practically
  • Executive education: customised, leading edge, in-house programs and with top business schools
  • Strategic consulting: expert, collaborative, facilitate support and advice to boards, executives and project teams

Join me at the Global Marketing Summit 2024 in Istanbul, where I will be delivering the opening keynote “Invincible: Building brands for more sustainable growth”

“How to Become Famous: Lost Einsteins, Forgotten Superstars, and How the Beatles Came to Be” by Cass Sunstein explores the complex nature of fame and success. Sunstein delves into the factors that contribute to an individual’s rise to fame, including talent, resilience, luck, and serendipity. He examines various fields such as music, literature, business, science, and politics to understand why some individuals become famous while others do not.

The book explores how information spreads and influences people’s perceptions, leading to the rise of certain individuals or works to fame. In particular it focuses on how certain individuals or works gain disproportionate attention and success due to network effects and power laws. And how group dynamics and polarization can impact the recognition and success of individuals.

Here are some of the “fame” stories explored, and the lessons from which can be applied to building awareness and reputation in today’s world, for individuals and equally for business and brands:

  • The Beatles: Sunstein delves into the serendipitous rise of The Beatles, exploring how their success was not just due to their talent but also a series of fortunate events and circumstances.
  • Jane Austen: The book highlights how Jane Austen, initially not considered the greatest novelist of her time, became an iconic figure in literature due to posthumous recognition and changing cultural perceptions.
  • Bob Dylan: Sunstein discusses Bob Dylan’s journey to fame, emphasizing the role of luck and timing in his success.
  • Muhammad Ali: The book explores Muhammad Ali’s rise to fame, focusing on his unique personality, talent, and the socio-political context of his time.
  • Stan Lee: Sunstein examines Stan Lee’s contributions to the comic book industry and how his innovative ideas and collaborations led to his lasting fame.

These case studies illustrate the various factors that contribute to fame and success, highlighting the interplay of talent, luck, and external circumstances. Here are the ones which I picked out, and a bit about how they can apply to brands in today’s world:

  • Luck and Serendipity: The role of chance events and fortunate circumstances in an individual’s rise to fame is a central theme. Sunstein highlights how even the most talented individuals often need a bit of luck to achieve widespread recognition. In today’s fast-paced, interconnected world, chance encounters and unexpected opportunities can significantly impact one’s career and success. The viral nature of social media exemplifies how a single lucky moment or post can catapult someone to fame overnight.
  • Network Effects: Sunstein explores how social networks and connections can amplify an individual’s visibility and success. The idea that “success breeds success” is examined in depth. Social media platforms and digital networks amplify the impact of network effects. Influencers and celebrities can leverage their large followings to gain even more visibility and success. The “rich get richer” phenomenon is evident in the digital age, where popular content creators often attract more attention and opportunities.
  • Information Cascades: The book discusses how information spreads through society and influences people’s perceptions and decisions. Sunstein delves into how trends and popularity can emerge from the way information is shared and adopted. The way information spreads online plays a crucial role in shaping public opinion and trends. Viral trends, memes, and news stories often gain traction through information cascades, where individuals’ decisions to share or engage with content are influenced by others’ actions.
  • Talent and Hard Work: While acknowledging the importance of luck, Sunstein also emphasizes the role of talent, dedication, and perseverance in achieving fame. He examines how individuals hone their skills and persist in the face of challenges. While talent and hard work remain essential for success, the digital age has made it easier for individuals to showcase their skills and reach a global audience. Platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok allow talented individuals to gain recognition and build careers through consistent effort and creativity.
  • Cultural and Historical Context: Sunstein explores how the cultural and historical context in which individuals live can shape their opportunities for fame. He examines how societal norms, values, and events influence who becomes famous and why. Our current cultural and historical context, including the rise of the internet, globalization, and evolving social norms, shapes opportunities for fame. Movements like #MeToo and Black Lives Matter have brought attention to previously overlooked voices, reshaping the landscape of fame and recognition.
  • Group Polarization: The book delves into how group dynamics and the tendency for like-minded individuals to reinforce each other’s beliefs can impact recognition and fame. Sunstein examines how polarized groups can propel certain individuals to prominence. Online communities and social media platforms can create echo chambers where like-minded individuals reinforce each other’s beliefs. This group polarization can lead to the rapid rise of certain individuals or ideas to fame, as groups rally around shared values and amplify specific voices.
  • Posthumous Recognition: Sunstein discusses how some individuals achieve fame only after their death. He explores the factors that contribute to posthumous recognition and how it can differ from fame achieved during one’s lifetime.The digital age has made it easier to preserve and rediscover the work of individuals who were not widely recognized during their lifetimes. Social media and online archives allow for the posthumous recognition of artists, writers, and thinkers whose contributions may have been overlooked.

These themes highlight the interplay between technology, culture, and human behavior in shaping fame and success in modern society. They underscore the importance of understanding the various factors that contribute to recognition and the complex dynamics that drive the rise of individuals and ideas, businesses and brands, to prominence.

Noah Lyles is the Olympic champion at 100m, Quincy Hall at 400m, Emmanuel Wanyonyi at 800m, Grant Holloway at 110m hurdles, and Tamirat Tola at the marathon.

What’s the secret in common behind these Olympic champions from Paris 2024?

Adidas.

You might think that running is the purest of sports, and has not changed much since the Olympic Games were revived by Baron de Coubertin in 1896. However, even the relative simplicity of racing from gun to tape has radically altered in recent years due to the rise of advanced running footwear, often called “supershoes”.

Athletics is in the midst of a high-tech innovation battle between all the leading brands, for who can create the most technically advanced shoes. And at a time when Nike’s share price fell 30% in a day, Adidas seems to be winning the battle of the super shoes.

Adidas was born from the dream, the motivation and the obsession of making the athletes the most successful they can be. This year it celebrates the brand’s 75th anniversary with its most successful Olympics of recent decades with a huge medal haul. 27 track and field medals (excluding relays), 11 more than last Olympic Games.

Supershoes, carbon fibre plates and foam midsoles

I’ve been a runner for the last 45 years (starting out as a 10 years old in my SL72s, the original version). Shoes have evolved hugely over that time. However the last 5 years have been exponential. The new levels of energy return, cushioning, and improved performance from these supershoes is quite honestly remarkable.

Although recent history says Nike launched supershoes, it was Brooks who released the first carbon fibre-plated shoe, sandwiched in midsole foam and outer rubber in 1989.

In 2019, the Nike Vaporfly shoe kicked off a storm of controversy in athletics. It became a focus for claims about whether it provided some athletes with an unfair advantage over those not equipped with the shoes. Eliud Kipchoge wore prototype Vaporfly shoes when he became the first athlete to run the marathon distance in under two hours as part of the Ineos 1:59 challenge in Vienna. Ultimately, the shoes avoided a ban just in time for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

So what are “supershoes” (and superspikes for track running) and how do they differ from traditional running footwear?

Initially, supershoes used a sole that saw a combination of material called a polyamide block elastomer (marketed as Pebax) together with the use of a carbon fibre plate.

At the height of the controversy, much was made of this plate, offering a trampoline-like spring effect. However, scientists now understand that it is a combination of all of the soles’ components working together that’s behind the shoes’ success. Not just in performance, but also in enabling more training and faster recovery.

This broad effect has helped break a whole raft of world records, particularly over longer distances. The shoes have improved times by roughly 1.4-2.8% or 0.6-2.2% in the men’s and women’s marathon events respectively over the last seven to eight years.

Each running shoe brand has their own designs and use different components in different ways. But the harmonious principle in the sole design is inherently the same.

Many factors are at play in improving the technical performance of supershoes. These include the thickness of the midsole and what’s been termed the “teeter-totter” effect, an upwards reaction force that passively enhances the propulsive stance of the runner. There’s also evidence against both of these ideas.

There is also evidence that supershoes improve physiological performance, reducing a runners’ oxygen consumption when compared to traditional running shoes.

Most studies focus on experienced runners so it’s plausible that a recreational runner or those of a different age could see wildly different levels of performance enhancement than the elite runners in Paris. It’s also conceivable that the placebo effect could mean that simply knowing that you are wearing an advanced shoe makes you perform better in a race, regardless of whether the shoe helps or not.

As to the shoes’ acceptability, that is ultimately decided by the sport’s stakeholders and you, the spectator. Whether they are fair or not, new technology can either prompt people to use it or provide cost barriers that reduce peoples’ participation.

Furthermore, consumers can now purchase supershoe technology themselves. Whether they really want to or are happy to do so for something that may only be effective for a few hundred miles of running before the sole materials could begin to lose their potent mechanical properties remains equally contentious.

The use of supershoes has not been unchecked or challenged. In 2020, World Athletics, the international governing body for the sport, moved to limit this technology by implementing regulations that countered what it felt was contributing to the magnitude and frequency of records being broken.

In this case, the governing body’s rules centred on limiting the sole thickness, the number and complexity of any internal rigid structures (such as the carbon fibre plates) and the prevention of shoes that were one-offs and would therefore not be accessible for the consumer to buy.

The technology continues to evolve rapidly, so perpetual vigilance will be required by the World Athletics. Ultimately, supershoes have sometimes courted controversy, but they don’t seem to be going away and will remain an important part of distance running for the foreseeable future.

More innovations at Paris 2024

Sitting in the Stade de France, watching the most incredible events – Noah Lyles winning the 100m by a hair’s width, Josh Kerr and Jacob Ingebrigtsen battling at world record pace only to be outwitted by Cole Hocker, Mondo Duplantis vaulting a world record of 6.25m as the whole stadium stayed behind to watch – I was in awe of the athletes, competition and the continued magic of the Olympics.

But the Olympic Games is also the ultimate showcase to launch new products, concepts and devices. So maybe not surprisingly the weeks leading up to Paris were packed with new launches, which were then exhibited by athletes, and in the brand houses around the French capital. Here are some which stood out for me:

Media: Intel’s AI-based Vision

Intel, an Olympic sponsor, showcased a range of AI-powered enhancements to how the sports were broadcast and analysed. With enhanced HD broadcasting and event planning tools like OnePlan’s 3D mapping, Intel is leveraging advancements made in AI, IoT, and digitalisation to shape the future of sports by integrating the overall experience with technology. At the Stade de France, the fan experience was transformed into an immersive, interactive journey, due to AI-powered innovations.

Construction: Cutting the carbon footprint by 50%

As athletes entered the Olympic Village, they would notice seven gigantic structures they surely have never seen before,  They’re called Aerophiltres. They do look like giant mushrooms, and they tower nearly six meters above the Village. The Aerophiltres are essentially clean air fountains. They capture polluted air — enough to fill nine Olympic-size swimming pools per hour — and spit out clean air. Paris 2024 limited new construction to a minimum, with 95% of venues being existing buildings or temporary structures. For instance, the Stade de France serves as the main athletics stadium, while scaffolding-based structures were erected at iconic sites like the Eiffel Tower and the Palace of Versailles. The Aquatics Centre features a wooden structure and a large solar array on its roof. Spectator seating is made from recycled plastic waste. Paris also promotes wood and low-carbon concrete for new infrastructure.

 

Equipment: Omius Cooling Headbands

As the Paris 2024 marathon runners headed off to Versailles, many were sporting unusual headbands with what looked like rows of apparent glass cubes. Omius technology amplifies the body’s natural cooling mechanism, keeping you cool, comfortable, and performing at your best. When water or sweat evaporates from the surface of the skin it absorbs heat and cools the body. Using thermally conductive and porous graphite, and a patented coating, the Omius technology increases the evaporative surface area of the skin by as much as 7x. This amplifies the body’s natural cooling mechanism and dramatically increases comfort and performance in hot conditions.

Nutrition: Maurten Bicarb System

Lactic acid has always been the curse of a high performance runner. Run a 400m at full effort, and your legs are drowning in lactic by the home straight. Same in any distance event. So what is the best antidote to acid? Sodium bicarbonate. Or baking powder. But a spoonful of that tastes disgusting, and will probably make you sick. The Maurten Bicarb System is an advanced sports fuel designed to help athletes push the boundaries of effort and power during high-intensity exercise. The Bicarb System contains a mixing bowl, the hydrogel component, the bicarbonate component, and access to the Bicarb Digital System.

Shoes: On’s Spray-on Shoes

Swiss running shoe brand launched a new range of shoes for the Olympics. This time it was less about the sole, and more about the manufacturing process. It’s made using spray-on technology with an automated robotic arm. The new Cloudboom Strike LS is made using what On calls LightSpray technology, whereby an automated robotic arm sprays an ultralight one-piece shoe upper in a single step, made from a recyclable thermoplastic. The upper is then bonded onto the sole unit without any glue, using thermal-fusing technology, reducing the materials required. Unlike regular footwear manufacturing, the entire LightSpray manufacturing process takes three minutes (a normal shoe takes days or even weeks to manufacture, On says).

Gaming: World Athletics launches Athletics Rush

Seb Coe, President of World Athletics, was quite shocked when last year I mentioned to him that Online Gaming is now the world’s biggest “sport”, and certainly attracting the minds and money of younger audiences. We discussed how the real world of athletics could use gaming to engage new audiences, and talent. During Paris 2024, World Athletics, in collaboration with TapNation, launched “Athletics Rush – the ultimate runner-style game that offers players the chance to earn rewards and win prizes, taking fan engagement to another level”. It takes users on a journey where they can master athletics challenges, travel through countries and compete on global leaderboards, with real prizes, and connecting to real events.

Events: Grand Slam Track

Many people have discussed how to reinvent athletics for new audiences – it’s too complicated, too slow, for many general audiences. Multi gold-medallist Michael Johnson has been one of the biggest challengers. Now he’s doing something about it, launching a new series of athletics events – taking inspiration from the worlds of tennis and motorsport. The brand new league will host four annual Slams in 2025 and has a total of $12.6m prize money across the events It will be known as “Grand Slam Track” and its main focus will be fan-focused storytelling, promotion of track’s biggest stars and undiscovered opportunities for fan engagement, sponsorship, and elite competition.

Future: AI-based Talent Spotter

Fans at the Olympic Stadium tried out a new Intel AI-powered talent spotting system that hopes to find the gold medallists of the future. Its developers aim to use a portable version of the technology to bring advanced sport science to remote areas around the world. The aim of the system is to identify the potential gold medallists of the future. Data is gathered from five tests which include activities like running, jumping, and measuring grip strength. This information is then analysed to assess a person’s power, explosiveness, endurance, reaction time, strength and agility. The results are compared with data from professional and Olympic athletes.

The Olympics, and sport generally, has become a showcase of how technologies can really drive innovations that transform performance. The material science that goes into shoes, or the AI that powers new machines, is quite remarkable. However sport is still about people. You still need the talent, the dedication to years of training, and to performance on the day. It is about the excellence of humanity. Increasingly enhanced by innovation.