Companies must take a twin approach to innovation to survive and grow in the current economic climate. That was the message from renowned innovation expert Professor Erkko Autio who delivered the inaugural InterTradeIreland Innovation Lecture at UCD. His lecture entitled How to Build Momentum for Innovation was organised by NovaUCD and took place in a packed William Jefferson Clinton Auditorium.
According to Finnish-born Professor Autio, Chair of Technology Transfer and Entrepreneurship at Imperial College London, as the global economic momentum has faded, firms can no longer 'ride the waves' created by others. They need to build their own momentum for innovation. In addition to identifying market needs and adapting their products or services to meet those needs, firms must also find ways of prompting the market to lock-in to their innovations ahead of others. If this successful two-way adaptation is achieved, spectacular growth may follow, even in challenging times.
| Professor Erkko Autio, Chair of Technology Transfer and Entrepreneurship at Imperial College London |
 Filesize: 68.10 MB, duration: 49:39, right-click and chose 'save-as' |
Professor Autio has held academic research and teaching positions at London Business School, CERN, Helsinki University of Technology, University of Sussex, and the Asian Institute of Technology (Thailand). He has served in the Boards of Directors in several companies, notably in ICT sectors. He has advised and consulted widely in the areas of venturing, innovation, mobile ecommerce, and technology and innovation policy, for private and public organisations alike. Since 1980’s, he has gathered hands-on research experience from dynamic high-tech start-ups in Silicon Valley, Cambridge (UK), several European countries, and in South-East Asia.
During his tenure at London Business School, he helped launch the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) initiative. He still has an active co-ordination role in this high-profile initiative that currently spans nearly 50 countries, including Ireland.
This innovation lecture was being delivered as part of the InterTradeIreland All-island Innovation Programme. This Programme, a partnership between InterTradeIreland, Queen’s University Belfast, NovaUCD and NUI Galway, aims to promote and encourage innovation across the island of Ireland. The Programme enables international expertise and best practice innovation to be shared with business leaders, students, academics, knowledge transfer professionals and policy makers across Ireland via innovation lectures, seminars and master classes.
