A slice of innovation pie from Appsworld Europe, London 2014

In its 5th year, Apps World claims to have “grown to be the leading global multi-platform event in the app industry”.  Did it live up to the hyperbole ? whatsap (!) in the Mobile world and why is it different ?

The mobile and tablet  market is alive with innovation. The growth of Apps is different – even cheaper  than the affordable Home Computers of the 80’s and 90’s plus even wider access than the internet of the 90’s and 00’s – the first potentially universal access global communications network.

Read on to find out what I learnt in two days at Apps World Developer Conference & Exhibition, ExCel London 2014

Innovation with half the people ? – makes no sense

If you are a parent and an engineer in the UK there’s worse than a 1 in 16 chance you are a mother. The UK leads Europe in this depressing statistic. 

But there is worse news.

Debbie Stirling, founder of “Goldieblox”. Source: goldieblox.com

This week’s talk at the IET in London by Debbie Stirling, founder of Goldieblox was a lesson in thoughtful, successful and cutting edge innovation but the talk highlighted disturbing facts behind the challenge she has taken on.

To get the right start – innovation needs leadership

Leaders can’t have all the ideas and certainly don’t have a monopoly on the best ideas nor the answer all innovative challenges.  However, when radical new ideas are needed in an organisation,  leaders do need to offer some direction to steer and guide the teams which are trying to innovate. In short, they need to lead.