Innovate to Disrupt

Learning Objectives and Benefits

Benefits

1. Introduce participants to the principles of disruptive innovation,  including how it works, why it’s important, and how it has transformed industries in the past. 
2. Provide participants with the tools and strategies needed to identify opportunities for disruption and generate disruptive ideas. 
3. Teach participants how to develop a business model that supports disruptive innovation and how to create a go-to-market strategy for launching a disruptive product or service. 
4. Equip participants with the knowledge and skills needed to manage the challenges of disruption, including overcoming resistance to change and managing disruption within their organization. 
5. Provide participants with practical insights and guidance from experienced business leaders and innovators who have successfully implemented disruptive strategies in their organizations. 
6. Reinforce key concepts through a variety of activities, including case studies, group discussions, and hands-on exercises. 
7. Enable participants to create an action plan for implementing disruptive innovation in their organization.

Who should attend

1. Mid to Senior-Level Executives: These individuals are responsible for strategic decision-making within their organizations and can benefit from understanding disruptive innovation trends and strategies to stay ahead in their respective industries. 
2. Entrepreneurs and Start-up Founders: Individuals involved in entrepreneurship or those planning to start their ventures can gain valuable insights into disruptive innovation, its impact on business models, and how to leverage it to drive growth and competitive advantage. 
3. Innovation Managers and R&D Professionals: Professionals tasked with managing innovation processes and driving product development can benefit from learning about disruptive innovation frameworks, tools,  and methodologies to identify and capitalize on disruptive opportunities. 
4. Business Development Professionals: Individuals responsible for identifying new market opportunities, forging strategic partnerships,  and driving business growth can gain insights into disruptive innovation as a means to identify and evaluate emerging trends and disruptive business models. 
5. Consultants and Advisors: Professionals working in consulting firms or offering advisory services can enhance their expertise by understanding disruptive innovation principles and methodologies to better guide their clients in navigating disruptive environments. 
6. Industry Leaders and Decision-Makers: C-suite executives, board members, and policymakers interested in understanding disruptive innovation and its implications for their industries can benefit from gaining insights into emerging trends, potential disruptions, and strategies for adapting to the changing business landscape. 
7. Cross-Functional Teams: Building interdisciplinary teams from different  departments within an organization, including marketing, operations,  finance, and technology, can promote collaboration, and shared learning,  and foster a holistic understanding of disruptive innovation’s impact on  the entire organisation

Structure and Curriculum

Day 1: Introduction to Disruptive Innovation 

The first day of the course will introduce participants to the concept of disruptive innovation, including how it works, why it is important, and how it has transformed industries in the past. Participants will learn how to identify unmet needs and pain points to create new markets, and how to evaluate existing markets to identify areas for potential disruption. The day will also cover techniques for brainstorming and creativity to generate disruptive ideas. 

Modules covered will include: 

1. What is disruptive innovation and why is it important? The day will begin with a high-level introduction to the concept of disruptive innovation, and why it’s become such an important concept in modern business. Participants will learn about the distinction between sustaining and disruptive innovation, and how the latter has the potential to create new markets and transform existing industries. 
2. The difference between sustaining and disruptive innovation: Participants will learn about the difference between sustaining innovation, which involves incremental improvements to existing products or services, and disruptive innovation, which involves creating new products or services that fundamentally change the way a market operates. They will learn about how sustaining innovation tends to be driven by established players in a market, whereas disruptive innovation often comes from new entrants. 
3. Identifying unmet customer needs and pain points: A key component of disruptive innovation is identifying unmet needs and pain points in a market that can be addressed through new products or services.  Participants will learn how to identify these needs and pain points, and how to use them to create new markets. 
4. Evaluating existing markets for potential disruption: Participants will learn how to evaluate existing markets for potential disruption, looking for areas where unmet needs and pain points exist, where incumbents are vulnerable, or where new technologies can be leveraged to create a better solution. 
5. Techniques for brainstorming and ideation: Finally, participants will learn techniques for brainstorming and ideation, to generate disruptive ideas. This will include both individual and group exercises designed to help participants think creatively and outside the box. 

Individual exercises: 

Identifying unmet customer needs: Participants can be given a list of products or services in a particular market and asked to identify any unmet needs or pain points that these products or services do not address. They can then be asked to come up with a new product or service that would address those needs.

2. Disruptive innovation case studies: Participants can be given case studies of companies that have disrupted their respective markets, such as Netflix or Airbnb, and asked to analyze how they achieved disruption.  This could involve identifying the unmet needs they addressed, the strategies they used to gain market share, and the challenges they faced along the way. 
3. Brainstorming exercises: Participants can be given a specific problem or challenge related to a particular market, and asked to come up with as many disruptive ideas as they can within a set time limit. 

Group exercises: 

1. Disruptive innovation role-playing: Participants can be divided into groups, with each group assigned a different role within a particular market (such as incumbent, new entrant, or customer). They can then be asked to role-play different scenarios, such as a new entrant disrupting the market or an incumbent responding to a disruptive challenge. 
2. Market analysis: Participants can be divided into groups and asked to analyze a particular market, looking for opportunities for disruption.  They can then present their findings to the rest of the class and receive feedback and suggestions for improvement. 
3. Design thinking: Participants can be led through a design thinking exercise, such as the Stanford school’s “Design Thinking Bootleg,” which involves identifying user needs, prototyping ideas, and testing and iterating on those ideas. 

These exercises are designed to help participants gain a deeper understanding of the principles of disruptive innovation and to encourage them to think creatively and collaboratively in generating disruptive ideas. By the end of Day  1, participants should have a strong foundation in the theory and practice of disruptive innovation and be ready to apply that knowledge to real-world problems on Days 2 and 3 of the course. 

Day 2: Developing and Testing Disruptive Ideas 

On the second day, participants will learn how to assess the potential of disruptive ideas and validate them through testing and refinement. They will also learn how to create a business model that supports disruptive innovation and how to develop a go-to-market strategy for launching a disruptive product or service. 

Modules covered will include: 

1. Disruptive business models: Participants will learn about different types of disruptive business models, such as low-end disruption, new market disruption, and hybrid disruption. They will learn how to identify which type of disruption is most appropriate for a particular market, and how to design a business model that can effectively disrupt the market. 
2. Developing a minimum viable product: A key element of disruptive innovation is the ability to quickly test and iterate on new ideas.  Participants will learn about the concept of a minimum viable product  (MVP), and how it can be used to quickly test the feasibility of a new product or service in the market. 
3. Customer validation: Participants will learn about the importance of customer validation in the disruptive innovation process, and how to effectively validate customer needs and pain points. They will learn how to design experiments and prototypes that can be used to gather feedback from customers, and how to use that feedback to refine their ideas. 
4. Go-to-market strategies: Once a disruptive idea has been validated and refined, it is important to have a clear go-to-market strategy.  Participants will learn about different go-to-market strategies, such as viral marketing, network effects, and platform strategies. They will learn how to choose the most appropriate strategy for their particular product or service, and how to execute that strategy effectively. 
5. Financing a Disruptive Venture: Finally, participants will learn about the different financing options available for disruptive ventures, such as angel investors, venture capitalists, and crowdfunding. They will learn how to prepare a pitch deck, how to negotiate with investors, and how to manage the financial aspects of a disruptive venture. 

Individual exercises: 

1. Business model canvas: Participants can be given a blank business model canvas template and asked to fill it in for a hypothetical disruptive venture. This exercise can help participants think through the key elements of a disruptive business model, such as customer segments, value propositions, and revenue streams.
2. MVP testing: Participants can be asked to develop a minimum viable product (MVP) for a hypothetical disruptive venture and then test it with potential customers. This exercise can help participants gain hands-on experience with the MVP testing process, and learn how to iterate on their ideas based on customer feedback.
3. Financial modeling: Participants can be given a hypothetical scenario,  such as launching a disruptive product in a particular market, and asked to create a financial model for the venture. This exercise can help participants understand the financial aspects of a disruptive venture,  such as cash flow, revenue projections, and return on investment.Group exercises: 
   1. Business model competition: Participants can be divided into teams and asked to develop a business model for a hypothetical disruptive venture in a particular market. Each team can then present their model to the rest of the class, who will act as “investors” and provide feedback and critique. 
   2. MVP testing feedback: Participants can be divided into groups, with each group assigned a particular MVP to test with potential customers.  After testing, the groups can reconvene and share their findings,  providing feedback and suggestions for improvement. 
   3. Go-to-market strategy simulation: Participants can be given a hypothetical scenario, such as launching a new disruptive product in a crowded market, and asked to develop a go-to-market strategy for the venture. The groups can then present their strategies to the rest of the class, who will act as potential customers and provide feedback. 

   These exercises are designed to help participants develop hands-on experience with the practical strategies and tactics involved in disrupting existing markets.  By the end of Day 2, participants should have a solid understanding of how to design and test disruptive business models, validate customer needs, and develop effective go-to-market strategies. 

   Day 3: Managing and Scaling Disruptive Innovation 

   The final day of the course will cover strategies for managing the challenges of disruption, including overcoming resistance to change and managing disruption within your organization. Participants will also learn how to scale their disruptive ideas into successful businesses and analyze successful examples of disruptive innovation to identify key lessons.

   Modules covered will include: 

   1. Strategies for overcoming resistance to change: One of the key challenges in disruptive innovation is overcoming resistance to change,  both within an organization and in the broader market. During this topic, participants will learn about the different types of resistance to change and how to develop strategies for overcoming them. They will learn how to build a culture of innovation that can help to overcome resistance to change, and how to communicate the benefits of disruptive innovation to key stakeholders. 
   2. Managing disruption within your organization: As organizations seek to innovate disruptively, they may encounter a range of internal challenges, such as resistance from employees or conflicts between different departments. During this topic, participants will learn how to manage disruptive innovation within their organization. They will learn how to build cross-functional teams, establish clear goals and metrics,  and create a culture of innovation that can help overcome internal resistance. 
   3. Scaling your disruptive idea into a successful business: Scaling a disruptive idea into a successful business requires careful planning and execution. During this topic, participants will learn about the different strategies for scaling and growing a disruptive business, including partnerships, mergers and acquisitions, and international expansion.  They will also learn about the importance of building a strong brand and customer base, and how to create a business model that can support long-term growth. 
   4. Scaling your disruptive idea into a successful business: Finally, participants will analyze successful examples of disruptive innovation and identify key lessons that can be applied to their ventures. They will examine case studies of disruptive innovations in a range of industries, including technology, healthcare,  and finance. They will learn about the strategies and tactics that were used to disrupt these industries and the challenges that were faced along the way. 

   Individual Exercises: 

   1. Overcoming Resistance to Change Exercise: In this exercise,  participants will be given a hypothetical scenario where they need to introduce a disruptive innovation to their organization. They will need to identify the different types of resistance they might face and create a plan for how to address each one. This exercise will help participants develop strategies for managing resistance to change, which is a common challenge when introducing disruptive innovations. 

   2. Business Model Design Exercise: In this exercise, participants will be asked to create a business model canvas for their disruptive innovation idea. They will need to identify the key components of the business  model, such as the value proposition, customer segments, revenue  streams, and cost structure. This exercise will help participants develop a deeper understanding of the different components of a business model and how they work together to create a successful business. 
   3. Pitch Exercise: In this exercise, participants will be given a set amount of time to pitch their disruptive innovation idea to the class or a panel of judges. They will need to communicate their idea clearly and effectively, highlighting the key components of their business model and value proposition. This exercise will help participants develop their communication and presentation skills, as well as receive feedback on their ideas from their peers. 

   Group Exercises: 

   1. Cross-Functional Team-Building Exercise: In this exercise, participants will be divided into groups and given a task that requires collaboration across different departments, such as developing a marketing campaign or a new product concept. Each group will need to work together to identify the strengths and weaknesses of each team member and assign roles based on their skill sets. This exercise will help participants develop their collaboration and teamwork skills, as well as learn how to leverage the diverse skill sets of their team members. 

   2. Case Study Analysis Exercise: In this exercise, participants will be given a case study of a successful disruptive innovation, such as Uber or  Airbnb, and asked to analyze the key factors that led to its success. Each group can present their findings to the class and lead a discussion on the lessons that can be applied to their ventures. This exercise will help participants learn from successful examples of disruptive innovation and apply those lessons to their ideas.

   Overall, these exercises are designed to provide a mix of individual and group learning activities that will help participants develop critical thinking, problem-solving, collaboration, communication, and presentation skills. By working on their ideas as well as learning from their peers, participants will be better prepared to apply the concepts and strategies covered in the course to their ventures.

Admission process

Faculty

Olu Akanmu

Olu Akanmu was until recently, President and Co-CEO of OPay-Nigeria, one of Nigeria’s largest fintech platforms with Unicorn valuation. He has an unusual, diverse C-level strategic leadership experience across several industries including healthcare, FMCG, telecommunications, banking, fintech, and non-profit industries with a track record of growing and scaling businesses successfully across these industries.

He was Executive Director of Retail Banking at First City Monument Bank; Chief Marketing Officer at Airtel, Nigeria; Managing Executive of retail Banking at former Bank PHB; General Manager of Consumer Marketing; MTN-Nigeria and Client Service Director- at Insight Communications (West Africa’s largest advertising agency). He was also Chief Operating Officer at the Society for Family Health and Population Services International (Nigeria and South Africa) and Marketing Manager at former Glaxo-Nigeria.

He holds a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Ife, a Master in Business Administration from Lagos State University, and a Distinction in the Management Advancement Program of the University of Witwatersrand Business School, South Africa. He also holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Business Research Methods from Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh Business School, United Kingdom.

Testimonials

Upcoming Sessions and Contact

Afolabi Oyewuni
07086095794
aoyewunmi@lbs.edu.ng

Oluwakemi Mfon-Bassey
08086726686
omfon-bassey@lbs.edu.ng

Toba Olugosi
07080070553
tolugosi@lbs.edu.ng