The Intricate Art of Innovating

I am delighted to announce the upcoming release of my book, Beyond Eureka! The Rocky Roads to Innovating, published by Georgetown University Press, and featuring a foreword by Guy Kawasaki. The book will be available on May 1st.

While writing this book to outline practical strategies for success, I realized that as crucial as it is to have a grasp of the fundamentals of entrepreneurship, it's equally critical to understand that innovation is a different game with specific challenges.

Whether our aim is to transform an industry, forge a new market, or enhance what's already there, innovation doesn't follow a one-size-fits-all formula. History is replete with examples showing that innovation emerges from a deep dive into the myriad of factors that can help or hinder our progress. Embracing this complexity allows us to make an impact, even if our achievements may not always align with our initial grand ambitions.

In this newsletter, I will share brief insights on various topics covered in my book, as well as discuss other relevant books and news that matter to innovators.

Before we dive in, I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to some of the early readers who have graciously endorsed my work:

• Renée Mauborgne, professor, INSEAD, and co-author of Blue Ocean Strategy and Beyond Disruption: “Every entrepreneur and executive involved in the innovation process should read this book. Marylene skillfully and thoughtfully answers the twelve burning questions that aspiring innovators confront on the innovation journey, like ‘Do you need to disrupt?’ Revealing surprising insights and grounded in deep practical experience, Beyond Eureka! is a must read.”
• Brian Solis, futurist, innovator, and best-selling author: “In Beyond Eureka! Marylene explores innovation and value creation from the unique perspective of innovators in multiple fields, giving readers a variety of approaches to ideation and creation based on best-in-class mindsets.”
• Chris Yeh, general partner, Blitzscaling Ventures, and co-author of Blitzscaling: “In Beyond Eureka! Marylene reminds us that innovation (and innovators) never operate in a vacuum. By better understanding her concept of ‘innovation kairos,’ anyone, from venture capitalist to inventor, can improve their chances of bringing change successfully to the world.”
• Alexandre Bayen, associate provost and professor of electrical engineering and computer sciences, UC Berkeley: “Delbourg-Delphis delivers a skillfully written book that delves deeply into the world of entrepreneurship. By exploring the distinction between invention and innovation, the author shares fascinating historical lessons, including her own experiences in Silicon Valley. This thought-provoking journey will undoubtedly inspire readers to reconsider standard approaches.”
• Sramana Mitra, founder and CEO, One Million by One Million (1Mby1M): “A profoundly original thinker, Marylene offers unique and deep insights on the why, how, who, and where of innovation in Beyond Eureka! Not just in start-ups, but in labs and companies. Not just in tech, but in every facet of industries. It blows up myths and provides guideposts for the effective enablement of future innovation.”
• Eugenie Rives, general manager at X, Alphabet’s Moonshot Factory: “A must for entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs! Read this book if you want to understand how innovation works and learn from the lessons of the biggest successes and failures of Silicon Valley and beyond.”

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