How Do You Start When Innovation Isn’t in Your DNA?
An Innovation Breakfast Recap 💙
Last Wednesday morning, in the bustling atmosphere of the Google for Startups Campus in Warsaw, we gathered for our latest Innovation Breakfast. The highlight of this session? A keynote by our own CEO, Monika Synoradzka, who shared invaluable insights on how companies can ignite innovation, even when it’s not quite in their DNA (yet).
The idea behind our breakfast meetups is simple: bring together industry leaders, aspiring innovators, and curious minds to share experiences and best practices over coffee and conversation. Every time we host these events in Warsaw and Poznań, we leave with new perspectives and a refreshed sense of purpose 🙌
How Do You Ignite Innovation from Scratch?
Monika opened the session by tackling a common challenge: fostering innovation in organizations where it doesn’t come naturally. While it’s tempting to chase the latest technologies or trends, real innovation often begins with a shift in mindset — starting with your people. During the event, other companies shared their experiences of successfully embedding a culture of innovation, with a central focus on employee engagement.
A key takeaway was the importance of aligning your team and leadership around a shared vision for innovation. Companies that succeeded in creating an innovative culture made sure their employees were not only ready for change but actively involved in generating new ideas. Leaders need to assess if the right strategies, resources, and alignment are in place to support this.
Monika stressed that the true power of innovation lies not in patents or software, but in the creativity and commitment of your people. Successful organizations invested in their teams, empowering them with the tools, trust, and freedom to explore new possibilities.
What Works, What Doesn’t, and What Needs a Rethink
As Monika explained, not all innovation strategies are equally effective. Let’s take a quick look at some popular approaches, along with a few candid lessons learned:
Idea Boxes
A classic, but tricky to get right. It’s great to encourage everyone to contribute, but without a clear follow-up process, these ideas often gather dust. As one attendee aptly put it, “It’s like throwing your best idea into the abyss.” The key? Make sure those suggestions don’t just vanish into the void, build a process to review and act on them.
Hackathons
Who doesn’t love the energy of a hackathon? But the truth is, unless you’re prepared to implement some of those brilliant ideas afterward, the buzz quickly fades. We all love the buzz of those intense brainstorming sessions, but if the ideas generated end up as just another file gathering dust on a shared drive, you risk demotivating your best people.
To make hackathons truly impactful, shape those ideas to solve real company challenges. Frame the event around specific problems your organization needs to address. Provide participants with mentors, practical tools, and the support they need to transform concepts into solutions that are not just impressive on paper, but actually functional in practice.
Structured Internal Innovation Programs
These are a game-changer if done right. By giving employees the support, resources, and time to develop ideas aligned with business goals, companies can build a true culture of innovation. And yes, this approach not only fosters creativity but also drives tangible business results.
20/80 Rule
Inspired by companies like Google and EY, where employees are encouraged to spend 20% of their time on side projects. Imagine what your team could achieve if they had dedicated time to explore their wildest ideas. It’s about letting creativity breathe outside the usual constraints of the day-to-day grind.
Some companies take this a step further by temporarily releasing employees from their usual duties for weeks or months to focus entirely on innovation. While this is a significant investment, the results can be transformative, with teams often returning with solutions to long-standing company challenges.
Turning Ideas into Reality
Monika wrapped up the session with a straightforward truth: having great ideas is only half the battle. Without implementation, those ideas are just daydreams. And nothing kills an employee’s enthusiasm faster than seeing their suggestions ignored. Show that you’re serious about innovation by turning insights into action, and your team will rally behind you.
And of course, what we’ve shared here is only a small glimpse into the discussions that unfolded that morning. The insights, stories, and experiences shared by our incredible guests added so much depth to the conversation!
A huge thank you to everyone who joined us in Warsaw! We left the room inspired, and we hope you did too 🌟 And while we’re already buzzing with ideas for our next meetup, we’re even more excited to see what breakthroughs you’ll bring to the table.
So, if you’ve been thinking about joining and you work at a large company and are responsible for driving innovation and building an innovation culture, don’t hesitate drop us a message at letsgo@hugething.vc 💌
See you at the next Innovation Breakfast! ✨
