# Innovation case studies

How CEMEX’s venture arm is building the future of construction
Interview
July 5, 2022
How CEMEX’s venture arm is building the future of construction
By taking the long view, CEMEX Ventures is investing in the startups shaping the future of construction
Alejandro Tauber
HSBC’s new $1bn debt fund expands support for women entrepreneurs
News
May 17, 2022
HSBC’s new $1bn debt fund expands support for women entrepreneurs
How HSBC aims to address the funding gap for women-led companies
Alejandro Tauber
Europe has a deeptech scaling problem, here’s why
Analysis
May 10, 2022
Europe has a deeptech scaling problem, here’s why
Europe doesn’t have a deeptech startup problem, it has a deeptech scaling problem
Alejandro Tauber
How the MoD overhauled its health service in a matter of weeks
Interview
March 15, 2022
How the MoD overhauled its health service in a matter of weeks
A young startup and the UK defence force’s medical innovation unit had to learn to work together fast to digitise military healthcare when the pandemic hit.
Thomas Brown
Six lessons Aviva learned about working with startups
Interview
December 21, 2021
Six lessons Aviva learned about working with startups
The 325-year old insurer started with a digital transformation and ended up with a venture builder and an investment arm, Ben Luckett tells Sifted. In part six of #FutureProofonCulture, we explore what the company has learnt in the process
Thomas Brown
Honeywell Ventures is trying a new way of working with startups
Interview
December 7, 2021
Honeywell Ventures is trying a new way of working with startups
The sustainability team is creating commercial partnerships with startups before investing in them, to make sure there is real alignment.
Maija Palmer
The venture builder as a bridge: the BP Launchpad model
Opinion
November 16, 2021
The venture builder as a bridge: the BP Launchpad model
The startups that CVC funds back are often too small to make a meaningful difference to the mother company. They need beefing up
Alberto Onetti
Holvi plans credit card launch, fundraise and IPO after split with BBVA
Interview
October 5, 2021
Holvi plans credit card launch, fundraise and IPO after split with BBVA
Holvi lost a big chunk of customers and 50% of its staff after buying itself out from BBVA. But the SME banking startup is making more money.
Maija Palmer
How Boots plans to take innovation to the next level
Interview
September 21, 2021
How Boots plans to take innovation to the next level
Seed funding for external startups, tapping employees for ideas and test stores are on the agenda
Thomas Brown
Fostering sustainable innovation in Sweden and Israel
Analysis
August 11, 2021
Fostering sustainable innovation in Sweden and Israel
What are the biggest obstacles — and opportunities — two of the world’s most innovative countries are facing?
Sponsored by: Business Sweden
Public organisations are next to adopt open innovation
Opinion
July 20, 2021
Public organisations are next to adopt open innovation
Here’s what they can learn from Transport for London.
Alberto Onetti
Inside ABB's new moonshot plans
Analysis
May 25, 2021
Inside ABB's new moonshot plans
The company is building its first startup and looking to take riskier investments.
Maija Palmer
“Safe but very uncomfortable” — a deep dive into SAP’s intrapreneurship programme
Analysis
April 27, 2021
“Safe but very uncomfortable” — a deep dive into SAP’s intrapreneurship programme
SAP revamped its intrapreneurship programme in 2015 and so far it has produced 3 large businesses. This is how it works.
Maija Palmer
Innovation theatre killed my company: lessons from Ernit
Interview
April 20, 2021
Innovation theatre killed my company: lessons from Ernit
Despite doing a lot of pilots with banks, Soren Nielsen's startup Ernit struggled to seal a real deal. Now Nielsen realises why.
Maija Palmer
How to run a venture-client innovation model
How to
April 6, 2021
How to run a venture-client innovation model
BSH Startup Kitchen is a fast and cost-efficient way for the home appliance maker to find startup partners. Here's how it works.
Maija Palmer
RBVC’s Ingo Ramesohl: Europe is an “order of magnitude” behind in investing in AI
Interview
March 30, 2021
RBVC’s Ingo Ramesohl: Europe is an “order of magnitude” behind in investing in AI
But Europe offers great value in other areas of deeptech.
Maija Palmer
How to overcome the “innovation complacency” problem
Interview
February 9, 2021
How to overcome the “innovation complacency” problem
Convincing a successful company to reinvent itself takes internal politics and careful messaging says Tendayi Viki, innovation consultant.
Maija Palmer
How did the Tech Nation Rising Star winners do during coronavirus?
News
November 2, 2020
How did the Tech Nation Rising Star winners do during coronavirus?
Back in February, 10 companies were named Tech Nation’s Rising Stars 2.0 winners. Then coronavirus hit. What happened next?
Sponsored by: Tech Nation Rising Stars
Intrapreneurship? It’s a trap!
Opinion
June 23, 2020
Intrapreneurship? It’s a trap!
The truth is most intrapreneurship efforts are dead before they begin. And not everyone is cut out to be an intrapreneur.
Alex Schuh
"We need a rethink on innovation labs"
Interview
June 9, 2020
"We need a rethink on innovation labs"
A wave of investment in labs and hubs hasn't given companies the innovation results they wanted, says Mark Curtis, head of innovation at Accenture Interactive.
Kimberly Eynon
"Companies that outperform don’t dabble in innovation at the edges"
Interview
May 26, 2020
"Companies that outperform don’t dabble in innovation at the edges"
Customers are hopping from one digital service to another with increased frequency. Great design is a way to keep them loyal.
Kimberly Eynon
“You cannot assume that old knowledge is still valid”
Interview
March 31, 2020
“You cannot assume that old knowledge is still valid”
Alex Mahr, cofounder of Stryber, helps companies build startup portfolios. Many companies, he says, start the process late and don't know how to measure results.
Alex Mahr
Job search advice for intrapreneurs
Opinion
March 24, 2020
Job search advice for intrapreneurs
Only 12% of people put intrapreneurship on their CV — but there are other ways to spot people with the right mindset
Nick Kirk
Three storytelling tips innovators can learn from journalists
How to
March 10, 2020
Three storytelling tips innovators can learn from journalists
How to pitch your “crazy” idea inside the company and win support for it.
Grant Feller

# Innovation case studies

How CEMEX’s venture arm is building the future of construction

HSBC’s new $1bn debt fund expands support for women entrepreneurs

Europe has a deeptech scaling problem, here’s why

How the MoD overhauled its health service in a matter of weeks

Six lessons Aviva learned about working with startups

Honeywell Ventures is trying a new way of working with startups

The venture builder as a bridge: the BP Launchpad model

Holvi plans credit card launch, fundraise and IPO after split with BBVA

How Boots plans to take innovation to the next level

Fostering sustainable innovation in Sweden and Israel

Public organisations are next to adopt open innovation

Inside ABB's new moonshot plans

“Safe but very uncomfortable” — a deep dive into SAP’s intrapreneurship programme

Innovation theatre killed my company: lessons from Ernit

How to run a venture-client innovation model

RBVC’s Ingo Ramesohl: Europe is an “order of magnitude” behind in investing in AI

How to overcome the “innovation complacency” problem

How did the Tech Nation Rising Star winners do during coronavirus?

Intrapreneurship? It’s a trap!

"We need a rethink on innovation labs"

"Companies that outperform don’t dabble in innovation at the edges"

“You cannot assume that old knowledge is still valid”

Job search advice for intrapreneurs

Three storytelling tips innovators can learn from journalists