This is the innovation equivalent of retelling all of
Shakespeare in 60 minutes. With a doctorate in chemistry, a CV that
includes running a number of high tech start-ups as well as a
university technology commercialisation organisation, not to
mention a string of inventions and patents, the author has the
background to cover a wide range of innovation topics - which is
exactly what he does. Everything from theories of innovation
concepts, through national and corporate examples, venture capital,
R&D risk management, and a string of profiles of specific
countries (including his home turf of New Zealand) and industry
sectors (renewable energy, IT, healthcare, nanotech) - he covers
the lot in under 144 pages. The fact he does it so succinctly
(sometimes each topic is only a few paragraphs) yet successfully is
credit to him. He even has time for a breathless look into the
future. Occasionally, the speed at which he travels leaves you
wanting more, but that's for other books; this is an overarching
intro to all things innovation. He even, appropriately, offers a
trial run of some R&D portfolio risk management software. I
just wish he hadn't been so cavalier with those deaths in
pharmaceutical trials - surely that represents more than just a
setback to the share price. But again, that's probably another
story.
- Tim Mendham
