Innovation Dividend 2.0 – How AI Is Redefining German Family Businesses

Innovation Dividend 2.0 – How AI Is Redefining German Family Businesses

German family businesses – the famous Mittelstand – are known for long-term thinking, engineering excellence, and strong customer relationships. But how do these strengths translate into the age of AI? In this episode of Beyond Core, we dive deep into how AI is reshaping traditional industries and what it takes for established companies to stay competitive. Our guest, Henrike, founder of venture builder Bridgemaker and co-author of “The Secrets of German Family Businesses”, shares practical insights on: * Why AI is both a necessity (automation) and an opportunity (new business models) * How companies can move from efficiency gains to “beyond core” innovation * Real-world examples: AI-driven market radar, virtual consultants, and automated processes * The importance of data quality, employee adoption, and speed * Why long-term vision still matters — but execution must become faster 💡 Key takeaway: Automation is just the starting point. The real competitive advantage lies in building new, AI-powered products and services.

From Ecosystem Strategy to Execution: What Really Makes Business Ecosystems Work

From Ecosystem Strategy to Execution: What Really Makes Business Ecosystems Work Business ecosystems are everywhere in strategy decks - but far fewer survive contact with reality. In this episode of BeyondCore, we go beyond theory and talk honestly about what it takes to implement, govern, and scale business ecosystems inside real organizations. Together with the authors of the book “Business Ecosystems - Strategizing, Entrepreneurship, and Structural Change”, we unpack why ecosystem initiatives fail, how to execute them pragmatically, and what leaders systematically underestimate." Business Ecosystems - Strategizing in a Connected World. 🎧 What you’ll learn in this episode: Why ecosystem strategies don’t fail because of bad ideas, but because of weak execution How to define a system-level value proposition that actually attracts partners What a Minimum Viable Ecosystem (MVE) is - and why it’s more important than a perfect vision How to choose the right role in an ecosystem (orchestrator vs. complementor) The hidden internal risks that kill ecosystems before they flourish How to rethink KPIs, governance, and investment logic for ecosystem contexts Why ecosystems require a new operating model, not just a new strategy How to balance autonomy vs. integration when setting up separate ecosystem entities What kind of mindset, leadership, and ownership ecosystems truly need to survive long term 💡 Key quotes from the episode Markus Kreutzer Professor of Strategic and International Management @ EBS Universität “Ecosystems usually don’t fail because of the strategy - they fail when independent actors are asked to commit, integrate, and invest under uncertainty.” “Momentum beats elegance. It’s not about making ecosystems perfect - it’s about making them work.” Dr. Pia Kerstin Neudert Senior Project Manager, Group Sustainability Management @ Commerzbank “The real challenge starts when the ecosystem strategy leaves the innovation unit and hits the core organization.” “With ecosystems, you don’t fully control outcomes anymore - so you must rethink how you measure success.” Erwin Hettich Independent Consultant and former ecosystem operator “Ecosystem execution becomes operational much faster than most organizations expect - and that shift can be paralyzing.” “Ecosystems fail when companies postpone hard commitments. You don’t install a new operating system without real investment.” 👥 Guests Dr. Markus Kreutzer - Professor of Strategic and International Management @ EBS Universität Dr. Pia Kerstin Neudert - Senior Project Manager, Group Sustainability Management @ Commerzbank Dr. Erwin Hettich - Independent Consultant, former ecosystem operator 📘 Book: Business Ecosystems - Strategizing, Entrepreneurship, and Structural Change 🔗 Links to amazon English: https://amzn.eu/d/0ivETqXP [https://amzn.eu/d/0ivETqXP] 🔗 Link to Springer English: https://link.springer.com/book/10.100 [https://link.springer.com/book/10.100]… 🔗 Link to Springer Deutsch: https://link.springer.com/book/10.100 [https://link.springer.com/book/10.100]…

The Future of Luxury Shopping: Platforms, Personalization & AI with Bastian Herr (GLOBUS)

Guest: Bastian Herr | Head of Marketplace, GLOBUS In this episode of Beyond Core, we sit down with Bastian Herr, Head of Marketplace at GLOBUS, one of Switzerland’s leading premium and luxury department store chains, to unpack the evolving world of luxury shopping, curated platforms, and the transformative role of AI in retail. From reinventing the department store model to launching a curated marketplace for brands like Hugo Boss and Swarovski, Bastian shares how GLOBUS is using data, design, and digital tools to create a seamless omnichannel experience that’s both personalized and premium. 🔑 What you’ll learn in this episode: * Why luxury marketplaces are turning toward curated, single-brand models * How to build a platform that balances brand control and customer choice * The power of AI in personalizing the online experience * What mid-market retailers can learn from the luxury playbook * Why the future of shopping is relationship-driven, not transactional 💬 Featured Quotes: “We only work with the brands directly, and there’s no competition on pricing. It’s a curated model—one supplier per item. That’s the future for premium marketplaces.” “The biggest win is combining the personal understanding from retail with the data we collect in the marketplace—it’s how we create better products, better curation, and ultimately, better conversion.” “Now with all these new possibilities in AI, we’ll finally move online shopping from being transactional to being relationship-based.” “We’re building toward a point where AI can tell you: this shirt will fit tight at the shoulders or loose at the waist—based on your personal avatar.” “Luxury sets the standard, but customer expectations are rising everywhere. Everyone now expects great experience and personalization—no matter the price point.” Whether you’re leading a retail brand, scaling a platform, or curious about how technology is reshaping luxury, this episode is packed with forward-thinking insights. 🎙️ Tune in to explore the future of premium commerce. Connect with Bastian via Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bastianherr/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/bastianherr/] Learn more about fastbreak.one and how we support companies to build new businesses with platforms and AI. LUXURYRETAIL #MARKETPLACESTRATEGY #AIINRETAIL #CUSTOMEREXPERIENCE #PERSONALIZATION #BEYONDCORE #PLATFORMBUSINESS #GLOBUS #DIGITALTRANSFORMATION #FUTUREOFCOMMERCE #BASTIANHERR #RETAILINNOVATION

Trust & Safety - AI's double edge and the future of platforms - Jeremy Gottschalk (Marketplace Risk)

In this episode of Beyond Core, we sit down with Jeremy Gottschalk, platform expert, author of "Bulletproof Your Marketplace", and founder of the Marketplace Risk conference series. Jeremy shares hard-earned insights on how platforms can navigate trust, safety, and emerging risks in an AI-driven world. 🔑 Key Takeaways: * Why trust is the new growth engine for marketplaces * The double-edged sword of AI: operational boost vs. threat acceleration * Why digital identity is the cornerstone of trust and safety * The evolution from liability denial to proactive responsibility * How personalization and AI must be balanced with oversight 💬 Featured Quotes: “Trust is the biggest barrier to conversion… Once they trust you and convert to paying customers, now you've got to keep them safe.” “There are a lot of really good uses for AI, but there are a lot of really bad people who are simultaneously leveraging those tools—and they are way ahead of the good guys.” “The platforms that you and I want to be on are taking more responsibility. They’re not pretending that bad things aren’t happening—they’re being forward about risks and how to prevent them.” Whether you're building a marketplace, platform, or digital ecosystem—this episode is packed with actionable insights on how to stay ahead of risk while earning long-term user trust. 🎙️ Listen now and future-proof your platform. Jeremy @Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremygottschalk/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremygottschalk/] Book "Bulletproof your marketplace" on Amazon: https://amzn.eu/d/aKfOXhd [https://amzn.eu/d/aKfOXhd] More about fastbreak.one at www.fastbreak.one [http://www.fastbreak.one] More about our VNTR.AI platform at www.fastbreak.one/ai [http://www.fastbreak.one/ai] MARKETPLACERISK #TRUSTANDSAFETY #AI #DIGITALIDENTITY #PLATFORMSTRATEGY #BEYONDCORE #ECOSYSTEMLEADERSHIP #JEREMYGOTTSCHALK #BULLETPROOFMARKETPLACE #STARTUPGROWTH #CUSTOMERTRUST

𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗘𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 - 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗴𝗿𝗼𝗵𝗲

𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗘𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 - 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗲𝘁 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗴𝗿𝗼𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗻 𝗘𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗘𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 - 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗲𝘁 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗴𝗿𝗼𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗻 𝗘𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗵 In this episode of Beyond Core, Nathalie LAMBORGHINI DUMAS and I we’re joined by Steffen Erath, Head of Innovation and Sustainability at Hansgrohe Group, to explore how a 120-year-old company is rethinking its role in a world shaped by climate challenges, digital transformation, and shifting customer expectations. Hansgrohe isn’t just designing premium bathroom products—it’s redefining water as the heart of a planet-centered innovation strategy. Steffen shares how the company is moving beyond product thinking to ecosystem innovation, collaborating across sectors, and using AI as a catalyst for sustainability. 💬 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗤𝘂𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲: “Now we have to talk more and more from competitive advantage to collaborative advantage—because sustainable innovation only works in the ecosystem.” “The biggest ecosystem in the world is probably the water cycle. And as water is the base of our business model, this changes everything.” “I see AI as a means to an end—for the green transformation. It can help us do the right things faster and more efficiently.” “Are we in the shower business, the bathroom business—or are we in the water business? Whatever the answer is, you need different competencies.” “Creating a joint vision of a better future is essential. People respond more to an appealing vision than to another crisis headline.” 🔍 In this episode, you'll learn: • How Hansgrohe integrates sustainability into innovation • The power of platforms and ecosystems in traditional industries • Why AI is a strategic lever for water innovation • How vision, trust, and culture enable transformation • What it takes to grow a legacy business into a future-facing ecosystem leader 📖 Steffen is also the author of Planet Centered Innovation—a practical guide for leaders aiming to build businesses that are regenerative by design. 🎧 Watch now and get inspired to lead innovation that’s good for business—and better for the planet. 🔗 Youtube: https://lnkd.in/dzgymsHn [https://lnkd.in/dzgymsHn] 🔗 Book on Amazon: https://amzn.eu/d/cM0xdBO [https://amzn.eu/d/cM0xdBO] 🔗 fastbreakOne Venture Studio: www.fastbreak.one [http://www.fastbreak.one] 🔗 VNTR.AI - the AI Platform for Innovation Teams & Venture Builders: www.fastbreak.one/ai [http://www.fastbreak.one/ai]