Nike In 1970 Bill Bowerman poured rubber onto his wife’s waffle iron – the intent was to create a new kind of sole for athletic shoes. Nike continues to have an “innovation kitchen” to combine customer insights with the latest technology.

jetBlue By understanding what customers didn’t value (think food service), jetBlue changed the airline industry by providing what customers wanted – low fares, great entertainment, etc.

Netflix Netflix didn’t invent new technology but challenged the established entertainment industry by creating a new way to rent DVDs. Netflix innovated by leveraging and combining two existing “technologies” – the DVD and the U.S. Postal Service.

Google Google challenged how employees should allocate their time at work. Google’s approach – 70/20/10. Employees spend 70% of their time working on main projects, 20% on adjacent projects and 10% on personal pet projects that may or may not prove useful.

Apple Apple is consistently ranked as one of the most innovative companies in the world. Consider how Apple revolutionized the music industry with iPod and the cell phone industry with the first “smart” phone.

eBay eBay Inc., founded in 1995 in response to commerce via the Internet. eBay is a multinational corporation, providing consumer-to-consumer and business-to- consumer sales services. Today it is a multibillion-dollar business with operations localized in over 30 countries.

Virgin Atlantic Virgin Atlantic has captured the niche market of customers who want more than a low cost fare. With innovative designs, including mood lighting, Virgin Atlantic brings the air travel experience to a whole new level.

Innovative Company

Not Innovative Company