How to Win at Innovation’s Dragons’ Den (or Shark Tank)

Posted on Apr 3, 2012 in Blog, creativity methods, creativity tools, innovation, questions | Comments Off

Dragons' Den (UK) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Wonder how to select the best ideas for innovation and present them to Dragons/Sharks?  Your responses to seven questions for prototyping (adapted from Otto Sharmer’s Presencing Institute) may just be thing you need to get a yes.

  1. How is it relevant?  Why does it matter to all the key stakeholders involved at each level – The person, organization and communities?
  2. How does it serve all the stakeholders simultaneously?
  3. How is it revolutionary? In what ways does it change the game and the system?
  4. How can a pilot be done quickly?  What is your plan for constructing an experiment, receiving feedback and adapting your idea with the new knowledge.
  5. How can it be implemented on a small-scale?
  6. How does it leverage the strengths, competencies and potentials of existing networks and communities at hand?
  7. How is it replicable? How might local participation and ownership be activated on a small-scale before seeking external knowledge and capital for its implementation and growth.

Both the Dragon’s Den and Shark Tank are television shows where aspiring entrepreneurs pitch their business concepts and products to a panel of  business moguls who have the cash and the know-how make it happen. Pitching an idea for innovation isn’t much different, or is it?

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