May 29-June 4
Our sixth annual Innovation Issue takes a deep dive into “design thinking”—the name for a particular way of coming up with products and services to solve customers’ problems. It also explores how implicit bias can undermine innovation and how a little-known not-for-profit is helping pioneer innovation at the intersection of power and transportation. In addition, check out profiles of the Low brothers, who are serial entrepreneurs in the field of life sciences, and Beth St. Clair, who's using improv to foster leadership and teamwork in the workplace.
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2020 Innovation Issue: Design thinking puts users at center of development
Design thinking has been around since at least the 1960s, and initially, its focus was in areas such as architecture, graphic design and industrial design, to produce physical products. But today, design thinking is used nearly everywhere. You can try it, too.
Read More2020 Innovation Issue: Try these exercises to open up your perspective
Design thinking requires participants to communicate freely, open their minds to new ideas and look at problems in new ways. Here are some exercises to help.
Read More2020 Innovation Issue: How the experts do it
Design thinking is generally described as a five-step process, with specific names for each step. But in reality, the people and companies that use design thinking adapt their own take on it, by combining or breaking out some of the steps or using a more conceptual approach.
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2020 Innovation Issue: A Q&A with design thinker Christopher Vice
Innovation means not just exploring new frontiers but also solving problems while doing so. And Christopher Vice, now at Studio Science, has a resume that reflects a career doing just that.
Read More2020 Innovation Issue: Mark Caswell on using design thinking to build the culture you want
In short, design thinking helps us to keep seeking what is right and true, rather than holding onto what we already thought to be perfected.
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2020 Innovation Issue: Bias is often baked into research, development
For companies that pursue technological advances and innovative solutions, bias can have an enduring impact, making it easy for the cycle to be perpetuated.
Read More2020 Innovation Issue: Mame Keita on why allowing implicit bias to fester undermines a business
There are numerous practical reasons to not ignore implicit bias. The first is employee disengagement.
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2020 Innovation Issue: Catalyst firm breaks ground with transportation-technology projects
Most people have never heard of Energy Systems Network. But they probably either know of or have been affected by one or more of the not-for-profit’s forward-thinking projects.
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2020 Innovation Issue: Brothers share a knack for creating life sciences companies
Philip and Martin Low’s latest venture, Eradivir, was incorporated in February to develop a treatment that would fight the influenza virus, but COVID-19 prompted a tweak to the business plan.
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2020 Innovation Issue: Pushing hard for a COVID-19 vaccine
Around the world, more than 80 vaccine projects are under development by pharmaceutical companies and university research laboratories.
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2020 Innovation Issue: Regenstrief’s half century of health innovations
The not-for-profit and its health research are a testament to the idea that all innovation is related—even when the connection appears tenuous at first glance.
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2020 Innovation Issue: Consultant uses improv to help foster teamwork
ActUp Consulting founder’s classes focus on principles of improvisational theater—celebrating failure, adapting to the moment, and making your fellow performers look good.
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2020 Innovation Issue: How to be innovative at a big company
We checked in with three seasoned innovation leaders about how they’ve helped spur fresh thinking and new product development at large, established enterprises.
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KAR raises $550M to help it emerge from pandemic shutdown
KAR Auction shares rose more than 9% Tuesday morning after the company announced the investment by London-based Apax Partners, a global private equity advisory firm, with participation by New York City-based Periphas Capital L.P.
Read MoreWabash College promotes dean to president’s post
Scott Feller will become Wabash’s 17th president since the Crawfordsville-based men’s college was founded in 1832.
Read MoreCanadian startup wants to be ready with Indy plant when drug hits market
Unlike many pharmaceutical startups, which often contract with outside manufacturers to make their drugs, Point Biopharma is spending $25 million to transform a building in Indianapolis where it hopes to handle its own manufacturing as soon as 2023.
Read MoreApartments for low-income families and formerly homeless planned on east side
Englewood Community Development Corp. has partnered with Living Word Baptist Church to redevelop a parcel directly across from the church into a 15-unit apartment community.
Read MoreUnion Jack owners preparing to open downtown Westfield restaurant and pub
Union Jack Westfield will be similar to—but slightly smaller than—the flagship operation at 924 Broad Ripple Ave.
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