Why CTI Invest is focusing on Lean Innovation

Only one in 10 start-ups is successful. The Lean Innovation approach improves the success rate of start-ups, as entrepreneurs and investors learn earlier what works and what does not, and hence can act faster. Lean Innovation starts to unfold its potential from the early stages of a start-up, even before the young company has a saleable product.

However, simply using the tools does not result in increased effectiveness in itself. Lean Innovation requires a fundamental change of mindset in entrepreneurs and investors: away from unproven assumptions to facts through creative experiments.

That’s why the topic of Lean Innovation is a focus point for CTI Invest this year. There will be several events on the subject and the highlight will be the first Lean Day on 20 October, the day before Swiss Startup Day (formerly CEO Day). “Lean Innovation is an important issue, because our Swiss start-ups waste an awful lot of time writing and designing business plans, instead of, for example, talking to customers as early as possible,” says CTI Invest director Jean-Pierre Vuilleumier. Since the topic is still barely known in Switzerland, CTI Invest will lead Lean Day.

Entrepreneur Ash Maurya (picture) will travel to Switzerland for the event. “Ash Maurya is the author of the standard work Running Lean,” explains Vuilleumier. The prominent businessman and author will not simply deliver the keynote speech, but will be available all day. Advance reservations for Lean Day are already available.

Lean Day is just one event that CTI Invest is planning this year on the subject of Lean Innovation. A series of Angel Days – interactive workshops for business angels – will also take place. “In our view, business angels know very little about Lean Innovation and how to deal with start-ups that follow this approach,” says Vuilleumier. Angel Days will take place in September and December.

In addition, Lean Innovation will have an impact on the start-ups that present to the Swiss Venture Days: “In the medium term, a Lean Canvas will become obligatory,” says Vuilleumier.