The Culturedge Podcast

For our final episode of Season 1 we’re pleased to welcome Dr Nils Jeners, an innovation consultant from Germany who helps corporates across a range of innovation activities: from strategy, to ideation, from training, to creating an innovation ecosystem. With over ten years of experience in the field of innovation, a PhD in computer science and a background as a startup entrepreneur, Nils also holds teaching positions at 3 universities (TU Munich, TH Cologne, and TU Dortmund). Nils jumps straight in and describes his pet hate in innovation: what he calls ‘featuritis’, the tendency of corporate innovators —and startup entrepreneurs— to build too many features into what should be early versions of their products. Minimum Viable Products (MVPs) are often not minimal at all! In this episode we talk about the causes of featuritis, its negative consequences, but Nils also proposes practical solutions in a corporate setting. 🔗 You can reach Nils through LinkedIn if you would like to get in touch: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nils-jeners/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/nils-jeners/] 🔗 Read more about Nils’s innovation training courses here: https://www.nilsjeners.com/training [https://www.nilsjeners.com/training] __________________________________ 🔗 You can contact Stephen Parkins (podcast host) here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenparkins/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenparkins/] 🔗 And David Semmens (guest co-host) here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidsemmens/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidsemmens/] 🎙 The Culturedge Podcast: https://culturedge.com/podcast/ [https://culturedge.com/podcast/] ✉️ podcast@culturedge.com [podcast@culturedge.com]

In this episode we are joined by Dr Aurelia Engelsberger, and we dive straight into the crucial matter of innovation culture and mindset. We talk about her own willingness to pivot and how she advises clients on a range of challenging new attitudes and behaviours — like maintaining an open mindset, developing a tolerance for failure, and empowering their people to innovate. Concretely, Aurelia also shares her experience with the effectiveness of incentives and nudges in driving transformative change inside large companies. Aurelia is the CEO & Founder of OMIND Platform - a young company that helps businesses to transform, by focusing on the human factor. After building extensive experience in the banking, fashion, and auto industries, as well as in academia, it’s clear that Aurelia has found an inspiring niche at the intersection of innovation and psychology. 🔗 You can reach Aurelia through LinkedIn if you would like to get in touch: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aurelia-engelsberger/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/aurelia-engelsberger/] 🔗 Read more about OMIND Platform here: https://www.omindplatform.com [https://www.omindplatform.com] __________________________________________ 🔗 You can also contact Stephen Parkins (podcast host) here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenparkins/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenparkins/] 🎙 The Culturedge Podcast: https://culturedge.com/podcast/ [https://culturedge.com/podcast/] ✉️ podcast@culturedge.com [podcast@culturedge.com]

Adam Forbes joins us this week (from near London, UK). Adam is a Program Director at Startupbootcamp, where he helps early-stage startups find product-market fit, secure funding, and launch successful go-to-market strategies. Adam is also the author of the book Corporate Escapology (to be released later this year) and host of the podcast of the same name. After 20 years in the corporate world, specifically in the energy industry, Adam has re-invented himself as a business founder and a coach, working at the intersection of startups and corporate innovation. Join us as we discuss the risks and opportunities for entrepreneurial minds considering leaving their corporate career to start their own venture. Based on his personal experience, and that of the many startups he has advised, Adam shares some invaluable advice for smart people in both the corporate world and the startup world. 🔗 You can reach Adam through LinkedIn if you would like to get in touch: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamkforbes/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamkforbes/] 🔗 Read more about Corporate Escapology on Adam’s website: https://www.corporateescapology.com/ [https://www.corporateescapology.com/] 🔗 Or on Instagram: @corporateescapologist ---------- 🔗 You can also contact Stephen Parkins (podcast host) here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenparkins/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenparkins/] 🎙 The Culturedge Podcast: https://culturedge.com/podcast/ [https://culturedge.com/podcast/] ✉️ podcast@culturedge.com [podcast@culturedge.com]

In this episode we welcome Vrinda Kabra, a business designer and consultant with a fascinating entrepreneurial background, a well as an international and multicultural outlook on the world. Originally from India, Vrinda is currently based in Munich, where she works for the UN’s World Food Programme as an Innovation Venture Consultant - advising global teams across a range of domains where “Business meets Design”. Vrinda is also the co-founder of Precycle (www.precycle.today [www.precycle.today]) an environmental startup focused on ethical plastics recycling. Join our conversation, in which we discuss the benefits and nuances of diversity for innovation inside large organisations. Vrinda shares some great advice for leaders (and aspiring leaders) who are seeking to navigate this complex space. 🔗 You can reach Vrinda through LinkedIn if you would like to get in touch: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vrindakabra/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/vrindakabra/] ___________ 🔗 You can also contact Stephen Parkins (podcast host) here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenparkins/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenparkins/] 🎙 The Culturedge Podcast: https://culturedge.com/podcast/ [https://culturedge.com/podcast/] ✉️ podcast@culturedge.com [podcast@culturedge.com]

We’re joined this week by Simon Nopp, an entrepreneur and consultant who works with corporates and early-stage tech start-ups — helping them to build, launch, and grow their successful ventures. Simon is based in Innsbruck (Austria) and has helped companies and start-ups all over the world, from Europe to Asia to the USA, to design and evolve breakthrough innovation initiatives. In the last decade, he has supported 30+ businesses in the field of entrepreneurship, disruptive innovation, and growth. Simon is a 2x founder, a contributor to the Purpose Launchpad Methodology, author of the Supercharging Entrepreneurship eBook and a certified Exponential Organisation Consultant as well as Purpose Launchpad Mentor. Based on his extensive work with large corporations and with startups, Simon has some unambiguous opinions on their relative strengths and weaknesses. He also shares some awesome advice for businesses who know they need to move faster in their innovation activities. 🔗 You can reach Simon through LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonnopp [https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonnopp] 🔗 Check out Simon’s entrepreneurship and innovation online course and book here: https://10x-blueprint.com/ [https://10x-blueprint.com/] ________________________________________________ 🔗 You can also contact Stephen Parkins (podcast host) here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenparkins/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenparkins/] 🔗 And David Semmens (guest co-host) here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidsemmens/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidsemmens/] 🎙 The Culturedge Podcast: https://culturedge.com/podcast/ [https://culturedge.com/podcast/] ✉️ podcast@culturedge.com [podcast@culturedge.com]