Lead Innovation That Actually Delivers
Mission-Driven Innovation for a Complex World
A practical leadership blueprint for turning technology ambition into real, scalable impact — without burning out your teams.
Mission-Aligned Leadership
Turn innovation from scattered initiatives into a coherent, purpose-driven system aligned with long-term strategy.
Designed for Complexity
Navigate uncertainty with frameworks built for the “Never Normal” — where prediction fails and learning wins.
From Ideas to Impact
Move beyond pilots and PowerPoints. Build innovation systems that scale, deliver, and create measurable value.
01
The Problem (Relatable Frustration)
Why Most Innovation Efforts Fail
- Agile is implemented — but results plateau.
- Innovation labs are built — but breakthroughs don’t scale.
- Projects start with excitement — and end in quiet termination emails.
Despite decades of frameworks, 70–90% of corporate innovation initiatives fail to deliver intended impact.
If you’re a senior leader, you’ve likely experienced this.
You don’t lack talent.
You don’t lack ambition.
You lack alignment between mission and system.
02
The Shift: Mission-Driven Innovation
From Innovation Fatigue to Mission-Driven Breakthrough
Short explanation inspired by Chapter 1:
Mission-Driven Innovation connects:
- Leadership behavior
- Strategy and roadmapping
- Governance and budgeting
- Digital enablers (AI, Industry 5.0)
- Sustainability transformation
…into a coherent innovation system designed for the “Never Normal.”
Instead of managing projects, you lead missions.
Instead of controlling uncertainty, you design for learning.
Instead of optimizing yesterday’s business model, you build tomorrow’s.
What You’ll Learn
In this book, you will learn how to:
- Embed sustainability and planetary boundaries into innovation logic
- Navigate the “Never Normal” world of accelerating complexity
- Diagnose whether you are operating in simple, complicated, or complex environments
- Distinguish incremental from transformational innovation
- Design a mission-driven strategy and roadmap
- Build governance that enables learning instead of bureaucracy
- Integrate Agile, Stage-Gate, Lean Startup, and Design Thinking coherently
- Align budgeting and investment decisions with long-term mission impact
- Use AI, digital twins, and Industry 5.0 as strategic enablers — not just tools
Testimonials
See what people have said about the book so farLead Innovation That Actually Delivers
Mission-Driven Innovation for a Complex World
A practical leadership blueprint for turning technology ambition into real, scalable impact — without burning out your teams.
Darlene Robertson
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About the Author
Written by a Leader Who Has Done the Work
Mission-Driven Innovation shows you how to redesign your innovation system — aligning purpose, structure, governance, and digital capabilities around a shared mission.
Anita Friis Sommer is:
- Former senior leader at LEGO Group
- Chief Operating Officer at the Novo Nordisk Foundation CO₂ Research Center
- Associate Professor in Technology Innovation & Product Development
- Co-developer of the Agile-Stage-Gate model
This book is for professionals in the industry and service sector
Who This Book Is For
- CTOs and CIOs
- R&D Directors
- Innovation Leaders
- Sustainability & Transformation Executives
- Corporate Strategy Leaders
- Board members responsible for technology portfolios
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