Innovation is often portrayed as a grand breakthrough—an “aha” moment that changes everything. But in reality, the most successful innovations emerge from thousands of small improvements, each one refining an idea, process, or product until it reaches its full potential.
Throughout Season 1 of Innovation Insider, our guests repeatedly emphasised a crucial theme: iteration is the key to progress. Whether in corporate innovation, startup culture, or product development, the ability to adapt, refine, and continuously improve is what separates enduring success from fleeting ideas.
The 10,000 Iterations Mindset
Rob Seddon introduced a concept that struck a chord: instead of thinking about the “10,000 hours” rule for mastery, consider 10,000 iterations. The best innovators don’t just put in the time—they test, tweak, and evolve relentlessly.
“The secret is to just try something, tweak it, improve it, and make sure you’re learning from each iteration. Not just one and done. That’s what you see a lot in corporate innovation—‘we’re innovating right now’—and then they stop. But you have to constantly treat everything like a prototype and learn from it.” — Rob Seddon
This philosophy applies everywhere, from software development to corporate restructuring. When innovation is seen as a continuous process rather than a one-time event, companies can adapt to changing markets and customer needs more effectively.
The Discipline of Iteration
David Pountney reinforced the idea that iteration isn’t just about trying new things—it requires discipline. A structured, methodical approach ensures that ideas don’t just drift but are systematically tested and refined.
“Innovation has a reputation for being personal, fluid, and a little loose—often to its detriment. Structure and discipline around an innovation process is critical. It’s about running lots of experiments in a disciplined way, killing the ones that don’t work, and investing in the ones that show real promise.” — David Pountney
This echoes the “persevere, pivot, perish” framework used in corporate innovation labs, where each idea is regularly assessed for viability. If it’s working, keep going. If not, adapt or move on.
Iteration in Action: Adaptability and Open Ecosystems
Some of the most successful corporate innovation efforts stem from a willingness to adapt based on feedback. Inge Cootjans shared how collaboration across an open ecosystem—involving corporates, startups, universities, and government—creates an environment where iteration thrives.
“A sustainable approach to innovation requires a culture where employees at all levels are comfortable with uncertainty, ambiguity, and proactive in navigating change. Organizations that promote resilience and adaptability are better equipped to face disruption and sustain innovation long-term.” — Inge Cootjans
By iterating across organisational boundaries, businesses can integrate diverse perspectives, avoid blind spots, and move beyond internal constraints that might otherwise slow them down.
Learning from Failure: Killing Ideas Quickly
A major part of iteration is knowing when to stop. As Tracey Newman pointed out, companies often struggle with the courage to let go of ideas that aren’t working.
“The best decision sometimes is to perish an idea before it drains resources. Businesses need to be brave enough to walk away from something that isn’t looking viable, rather than persisting out of sunk cost bias.” — Tracey Newman
Failing fast isn’t about giving up—it’s about freeing up resources to double down on what works. Many of the biggest corporate failures have been due to companies clinging to outdated ideas rather than iterating based on new data.
Why Corporate Innovation Struggles with Iteration
Despite knowing the importance of iteration, many corporates struggle to implement it effectively. Olly Bridge highlighted a key reason: corporate environments move slower than startups.
“In a startup, you know very quickly if something isn’t working. In a corporate, scope creep and bureaucracy mean you can keep iterating for ages without realising you’re not actually making progress.” — Olly Bridge
Large organisations often need a deliberate process for iteration—including smaller teams with autonomy, clear decision points, and the ability to pivot without excessive red tape.
Final Thoughts: Making Iteration a Habit
The best innovations don’t happen overnight. They evolve through testing, feedback, and adaptation. The leaders and experts we interviewed in Season 1 all pointed to a common formula for success:
- Adopt a mindset of continuous refinement—treat every innovation as a prototype.
- Build discipline into innovation processes—don’t let ideas float without structure.
- Embrace external perspectives—collaborate beyond internal teams.
- Be willing to kill ideas quickly—failure is part of the process.
- Make iteration a core capability—not an occasional project.
As we look ahead to the next phase of corporate innovation, the lesson is clear: the companies that succeed will be those that treat innovation as an ongoing journey, not a one-time destination.