FEI25 MEET, DISCOVER, PLAY, AND GROW AT
By Aligning experts of the unknown with business strategy
Presents
May 19-21, 2025 Omni Seaport Boston
Presents
FEI25
F or 21 years, FEI has brought together innovation experts and corporate change makers to drive progress with human intelligence. Now, as global business ecosystems are transformed by artificial intelligence, our collaborative use of AI can address the Innovator’s Dilemma: balancing current success with the need to innovate and adapt to emerging trends through disruptive technology. The theme for FEI25, “Harvesting Innovation: Sowing the Seeds of Future Growth,” emphasizes the importance of innovation experts working with corporate change makers to align with business strategy. Together, we can turn the green shoots of innovation, informed by both human and artificial intelligence, into the next generation of products, businesses, and markets for a better and brighter future.
Seth Adler
Use Code: BOGO50 to save 50% when you register with a colleague from another discipline!*** *Corporates Only
**Not applicable to solution providers
2 FEI Honors Confirmed Innovation Luminaries 4 FEI25 Advisory & Thought Leadership 12 Harvesting Innovation 3 Days of Learning, Networking and Collaboration 16 Day 1 Human Intelligence: What Got Us Here 18 Day 2 Artificial Intelligence: What To Do Now 20 Track Session Structure 3 Ways to Grow 22 Day 3 Collective Intelligence: What’s Next?! 24 Enhanced Interactivity 28 Day 1 Session Details 43 Day 2 Session Details 60 Day 3 Session Details 62 First Look Interviews 84 2025 Sponsors
FEI ho confirmed innova
FEI25
Linda A. Hill, Harvard Professor
Michael Tushman, Harvard Professor
Panos Panay, President, Recording Academy
The bright minds that trailblazed the path to th
onors vation luminaries
Rita McGrath, Columbia Professor
Steve Blank, Co-creator, Lean Startup movement
Alex Osterwalder, Founder & CEO, Strategyzer
he present share their thoughts on the future.
FEI25 ADVISORY COMMITTEES & PARTICIPANTS
BUSINESS CRITICAL COMMITTEE
Anu Sundaram VP Business Analytics, Rue Gilt Groupe
Tammy Butterworth Product Innovation Director, Welch’s
Michele Sandoval Director of Innovation, E&J Gallo Winery
Oscar Barranco Liebana Enterprise Innovation Program Director, Qatar Research, Development and Innovation (QRDI) Council
START-UP COMPETITION COMMITTEE
Leslie Shannon Head of Trend and Innovation Scouting, Nokia
Carley Hart Director of Corporate Partnerships Cornell tech, Cornell University
Keith Crossland CEO/Co-Founder, Carbon Negative Solutions
Arvind Balasundram Exec. Dir. Insights & Analytics Regeneron Pharmaceuticals
June Dershewitz Co-Founder, InvestInData
Andre Magni Data & AI Leader, Microsoft
Rachel Levy Head of Innovation, Google Cloud, Google
Seth Adler Head of IMI Innovation & Intelligence, Informa
4 • FEI25
FEI HONORS COMMITTEE
Tammy Butterworth Product Innovation Director, Welch’s
Christian Saclier VP Design Innovation PepsiCo
Mike Hatrick Vice President IP Strategy & Portfolio, Volvo Group
Katharine English Head of Innovation Programs, Global Engineering Excellence Google
Milan Ivosevic Global VP of R&D and Innovation, CooperSurgical
Oksana Sobol Senior Director, Insights Lead, The Clorox Co.
Miranda Helmer VP, Product Development & Regulatory, Albertson’s
COMMUNITY COMMITTEE
Betsy Brunner Net-Zero Program Business Development & Financial Strategist, INL
Harsh Wardhan Innovation Program Lead Google
Kara Cunzeman Founder & Dir. Strategic Foresight, The Aerospace Corp.
Michelle Wee Food Trend Director, Global Strategy and Innovation, Ferrero
Su-Feng Kuo Senior Director of Global Client Insights and Analytics, Visa
Kaja Tretjak, J.D., Ph.D . Senior Manager, UX Research, Charles Schwab
FEI25 • 5
ADVISORY-AT-LARGE
Cherie Leonard Head North America Insights, Colgate-Palmolive
Brigette Wolf CMO, MyMochi
Dakota Crow Head of Innovation Programs, US Bank
Jhansi Kandasamy Executive Director Net Zero Program, INL
Liza Sanchez Vice President, Research & Development, Procter & Gamble
Marci Ruman Global Innovation Strategist, Kimberly Clark
Ophelia Chiu VP, Strategic Innovation, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
STEERING COMMITTEE
Christian Mühlroth CEO, Itonics
Chris Townsend VP Product Marketing, Wellspring
Fred Schonenberg Founder and CEO, VentureFuel
Gus Valen Managing Partner & Entrepreneur, The Valen Group
Tim Hall Co-Founder, Simporter
Chris Houghton Head of FMCG, Cambridge Design Partnership
6 • FEI25
FEI25 SPEAKERS, ROUNDTABLE MODERATORS & PARTICIPANTS
Alexandra Bell President and CEO, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
Samantha Johnson Founder & CEO, Tatum Robotics
Rick Robinson VP, AgeTech Collaborative™, AARP
Craig Dubitsky Founder & CEO, happy
Jonathan Stringfield VP, Global Revenue & Business Planning, Microsoft
Sanji Fernando Operating Partner, Data & Artificial Intelligence, Frazier Healthcare Partners
Emil Georgiev VP, Customer Experience, IKS Health
Nicole Parks Sr Principal HCD Strategist, Medtronic
Christian Lavoie Senior Manager, Consumer & Market Insights, Welch’s
Erin Mays EVP Trends & Innovation, Dig Insights
Brian Leslie Interim Head of Transformational Innovation, Welch’s
Sebastian Osswald MD, Miele Technology Inc, Director, Emerging Technologies Lab, Miele
Shahid Azim CEO, Managing Partner & Co-Founder, C10 Labs FEI25 • 7
Gus Valen Chief Executive Officer & Entrepreneur, The Valen Group
Sarah Princehorn Transformational Innovation Manager, Welch’s
Paige Palmieri Innovation Sr Scientist, Welch’s
FEI25 SPEAKERS, ROUNDTABLE MODERATORS & PARTICIPANTS (CONTINUED)
Panos Panay President, The Recording Academy
Linda Hill Wallace Brett Donham Prof. of Business Admin., Harvard Business School
Mike Tushman Prof. Business Administration, Emeritus, Harvard Business School
Rita McGrath Strategy Professor, Columbia Business School
David Luis Senior Dir. Product Dev., Albertsons Companies
Minoo Rathnasabapathy Res. Eng. & Prog. Lead, Future Worlds, MIT Media Lab
Ted Curtin Chief Innovation Officer, ProdigyWorks a division of Quester
Karen Kraft Associate Director, Consumer Insights, Johnsonville
Inna Khazan Author, The Clinical Handbook of
Sean Borman CEO and Founder, Aeroauto Global
Michael Bagalman VP Business Intelligence & Data Science, Starz
Santh Sathya CEO & Founder, LuftCar
Biofeedback, Instructor, Harvard Medical School
Prapti Jha Former Design Thinking, Strategy, Research & Innovation, Harvard
Rita Rozenshteyn Director, Global Oncology Patient Experience, Pfizer
Narek Vardanyan CEO, Prelaunch
Ben Knapp Dir. Inst. for Creativity, Arts & Tech., Prof., CS, Virginia Tech University
8 • FEI25
Lauren Collier Chief Experience Officer, Finch Brands
Steve Blank Adjunct Prof., Management Science & Engineering, Stanford University
Tameka Brown Senior Manager, R&D, Kimberly-Clark
Michael Ott SVP, Chief R&D Officer, The Clorox Co.
Scott Ehrlich Chief Innovation Officer, Head Corp. Strategy, Sinclair Broadcast Group
Jay Hunter Manager of External Relations, BUInnovate@BU
Aaron Mattfeld Director, Neuroscience of Memory and Development (MaD Lab), FIU
Stephanie Roulic Founder, Startup Boston
Janna Adkins Insights and Innovation, Welch’s
Melisssa Zablocki Associate Director, Strategic Initiatives, Memorial Sloan Kettering
Rupinder Jaura Director, Regulatory Affairs and Compliance, Albertsons Companies
Justin Mueller Senior Technical Specialist, Kimberly Clark
Garsen Yap Former Director- Innovation, Mars Wrigley
Charlie Paradise Front End Innovation Director, Cooper Surgical
Matthew Halpern Principal Product Manager, CarMax
Frank Ritter Prof., Applied Cognitive Science Lab, Penn State/University Park
FEI25 • 9
FEI25 SPEAKERS, ROUNDTABLE MODERATORS & PARTICIPANTS (CONTINUED)
Mike Thomas CEO, Upstream 360
Patricia Geli Co-founder & Managing Partner & COO, C10 Labs
Joi Ruud Disruptive Innovation, Edgewell Personal Care
David Hyland Global Director, Global Consumer Insights, Edgewell Personal Care
Mohan Nair Former SVP, Chief Innovation Officer, Cambia Health
Nicole Peranick Global Consumer Insights, Edgewell Personal Care
Michael Azoff Chief Analyst, Omdia
Chuck Martin Author, Flying Vehicles
Jennifer Davis Managing Director, Techstars Boston
James Estrada Associate Director of Innovation, Planned Parenthood Federation of America
Tony Zhang Founder, sbur
Leslie Grandy Senior Instructor; Member, Advisory Board MSPM, Regis College
Dr. Donald High Chief Data Architect, The Anika Systems
Colin Scott Senior Vice President, DownSelect®, Innventure
Pritam Bhattarai Director of Innovation & Partnerships, VentureFuel
Aidan Kittredge Program Manager, Techstars Boston
10 • FEI25
Michele Simoni Professor, Innovation, Business Design, University of Naples Parthenope
Serene Hamsho President, The American Offshore Wind Academy
Eva Panetti Assistant Professor., Innovation, Business Design, University of Naples Parthenope
Marco Farretti Chair, Innovation, Entrepreneurship Ecosystems, MENA, UNESCO
Margaret de Jonge Food Applications Leader, Cargill
Termeh Rassi Chief Strategy Officer & Editorial Director, Leonardo
Francesco Fazio Partner, Cherry Bekeart
Sara Semborski Insights Manager, Cargill
Christine Minh Minh Garner Trainer & Talent Alchemist, CliftonStrengths, Gallup
Dr. Ron Berman Doctor of Business Admin. Program Chair, Grand Canyon University
Jamaar Smiley Transformation Officer Poetic Disruption
Steve Berrent Director of IT Innovation & Architecture, Steptoe LLP
Chrystie Kallis Business Director, Capital One
Garret Westlake Executive Director; Professor of Product Innovation, VCU
Ankit Mathur CTO, United Network for Organ Sharing
Sandra Hodžić-Falk Former Dir., Strategic Innovation & Design, Government of New Brunswick
FEI25 • 11
FEI25 12 Ways to Maximize Your ROI
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Team Up and Save Register with
Turn “Rogue” Ideas into Value Learn how to champion unconventional thinking in your organization at our Rogue Mindset Roundtables.
Gain Insights from Innovation Leaders Join FEI Honors and hear from past participants on navigating the future of innovation.
a cross-disciplinary colleague and get 50% off!
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Achieve Real-World Success Explore proven strategies in our FEI Case Study Labs.
Master Front-End Principles Hone your skills with expert-led Front-End of Innovation Principles Labs.
Solve Problems Collaboratively Develop solutions to
shared challenges in our Problem-Solving Labs.
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Expand Your Network Connect with peers through 1:1 Starter Meetings and our onsite app.
Tackle Business Challenges
Develop an Action Plan
Collaborate and problem solve with a “proxy team” facing similar issues in our Proxy Team Meetings.
Solidify your key takeaways and create a roadmap for implementation in our Primary Team Meetings.
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Unlock the Power of AI Discover practical AI applications in our Applied AI Roundtables.
Harness Collective Intelligence Witness cutting-edge AI
Stay Ahead of the Curve
Explore emerging con- cepts and technologies like Quantum Computing on Day 3.
solutions at the 2nd Annual FEI Start-up Competition.
14 • FEI25
Driving transformation and shaping the future of your organizations is much more difficult in uncertain times. Navigating a landscape of constant change and uncertainty creates experts of the unknown. At FEI25, we’re bringing together the brightest minds to address these challenges head-on, and we invite you to join us. FEI25, is a dynamic ecosystem designed to empower innovation leaders like you with the strategies, connections, and inspiration needed to thrive in today’s consistently and continually disruptive environment. Join Your Peers, Who Have Dedicat- ed Your Careers to Being Experts of the Unknown
FEI25 offers unparalleled value with expert insights, collaborative problem- solving, and a focus on harnessing the power of AI. Register now, connect with fellow innovation leaders and changemakers to unlock the strategies you need to drive transformative
growth for your organization. Join us at FEI25 and lead the future of innovation »
FEI25 • 15
DAY 1 Human Intelligence: What Got Us Here
Lab Key:
Front End Lab
Problem Solving Lab
Case Study Lab
Trends/Foresights Lab
Breakfast
7:00 AM 8:00 AM
FEI25 Open & Event Welcome
Rogue Mindset: Aligning the Innovation Capability with Business Strategy
8:30 AM
Rogue Mindset Roundtables
8:50 AM
Networking Break
10:00 AM
Business Mondel Innovation as a Competitive Advantage Gus Valen, The Valen Group Taste, Touch, Feel: Experience 4 Cultural Shifts That Will Impact Your Business Erin Mays, Dig Insights Management Innovation Workshop Oscar Barranco Liebana, QRDI Council Strategy & Transformation Track Evolution of The New: A Transformation Journey Christian Saclier, PepsiCo
Excellence & Best Practice Track Engaging Deliberate Rapid Prototyping Welch’s
Integration & Talent Creation Using Innovation as a Differentiator Jonathan Stringfield, Microsoft
10:30 AM
Partner Session Check back for session details.
Partner Session Check back for session details.
11:00 AM
Taking a Lead on Emerging Technology Sebastian Osswald, Miele
Experimentation for Innovation Termeh Rassi, Leonardo Ben Knapp, Virginia Tech
12:00 PM
A Real-World Approach to Building Products That Matter Lauren Collier Finch Brands
Partner Session Check back for session details.
12:30 PM
Lunch
12:45 PM
Establishing a Corporate Accelerator Dakota Crow, U.S. Bank
Value Identification & Realization Through Human Centered Design Nicole Parks, Medtronic Driving An Effective, Insight-Driven Innovation Pipeline For CPG Erin Mays, Dig Insights Driving Efficiency, Access & Influence Through Transformation Kaja Tretjak, Schwab
Inclusive Design as an Innovation Catalyst Samantha Johnson, Tatum Robotics
1:45 PM
Why Stories, Not Just Science, Should Start in the Lab Mike Thomas, Upstream 360
Harvesting Innovation Through Collective Intelligence Colin Scott Innventure
2:15 PM
Innovation Insights for Future Growth Su-Feng, Visa
Activating Emotional Innovation Craig Dubitsky, happy
2:45 PM
Networking Break
3:15 PM
3:45 PM
Proxy Meetings
1:1 Starter Meetings
1:1 Starter Meetings
From Systematic Incubation To Predictable Value Creation Christian Mühlroth, Itonics
Session Provided by Suzy Check back for session details.
Session Provided by ZS Check back for session details.
4:15 PM
4:45 PM
1:1 Starter Meetings
1:1 Starter Meetings
1:1 Starter Meetings
FEI Honors: Celebrating A Quarter Century of Innovation Luminaries
5:00 PM
Cocktail Reception End of Day One
6:00 PM 7:00 PM
16 • FEI25
ROGUE MINDSET
The ROGUE MINDSET champions an unconventional approach to decision- making and innovation.
Tammy Butterworth on bringing the Rogue Mindset Roundtables
FEI HONORS
Celebrating FEI’s rich history of Innovation Luminaries sharing their thoughts on the future and how to get there.
Milan Ivosevic on the 2025 FEI Honors
FEI25 • 17
DAY 2 Artificial Intelligence: What To Do Now
Lab Key:
Front End Lab
Problem Solving Lab
Case Study Lab
Trends/Foresights Lab
Breakfast & Networking FEI25 Mid-Event Welcome
7:00 AM 8:00 AM
No-Hype AI Impact on Organizational Efficiency, Value, Teams & The Bottom-Line
8:30 AM
Applied AI Roundtables: Aligning AI with Business Strategy
8:50 AM
Networking Break
10:00 AM
Ai, Data, Analytics & Insights
R&D, Product Dev, Experience & Design
Customer 2030 & Future Trends Sowing the Seeds of End-to-End Innovation Michele Sandoval, GALLO
Improving Innovation Impact Milan Ivosevic, CooperSurgical
Data Partnership for Innovation June Dershewitz, InvestInData
10:30 AM
Revolutionizing Product Innovation through Radical Consumer Empathy
From Insight to Impact: How AI & People are Transforming Innovation at Clorox Michael Ott, Clorox & Francesco Fazio, Cherry Bekaert Scaling AI Within Global Corporate Enterprise For Better Decision Making Arvind Balasundaram, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Partner Session Check back for session details.
11:00 AM
Karen Kraft, Johnsonville Ted Curtin, ProdigyWorks
Delivering on R&D Strategy Liza Sanchez, The Procter & Gamble Co. Co-Development: Turbocharge Enterprise R&D Fred Schonenberg & Pritam Bhattarai VentureFuel Co-Development: Turbocharge Enterprise R&D Fred Schonenberg & Pritam Bhattarai VentureFuel Establishing An Innovation Culture Roadmap Ophelia Chiu, Memorial Sloan Kettering
Growth Innovation: A Survival Guide For Corporate Innovators Chris Townsend, Wellspring Disrupting From Within: Distinguishing Between Vision, Strategy & Roadmap Marci Ruman, Kimberly-Clark
12:00 PM
Partner Session Check back for session details.
12:30 PM
Lunch
12:45 PM
Aligning Innovation with Business Strategy Through Analytics Anu Sundaram, Rue Guilt Groupe
Activating A Data Rich Environment In CX Design Emil Georgiev, IKS Health
1:45 PM
The Rise of Growth Innovation: A Survival Guide for Corporate Innovators Chris Townsend, Wellspring
Partner Session Check back for session details.
2:15 PM
Proxy Meetings: Small Group Problem Solving
Proxy Meetings: Small Group Problem Solving
Proxy Meetings: Small Group Problem Solving
2:45 PM
Networking Break
3:15 PM
Lessons Learned from Building a Network of Global Incubators Carley Hart, Cornell University
Innovation ROI: Harnessing Emissions To Drive Profitability Keith Crossland, Carbon Negative Solutions
Applied AI: From Hype to Impact Patricia Geli, C10 Labs
3:45 PM
Sowing the Seeds of Future Growth with Tomorrow’s Innovation Leaders Garret Westlake, VCU & Ankit Mathur, Capital One
AI-Driven Solution Showcase: Providing & Proving Value For Your Organization
Proxy Meetings: Small Group Problem Solving
4:15 PM
4:45 PM
1:1 Starter Meetings
1:1 Starter Meetings
1:1 Starter Meetings
2nd Annual FEI Seed Stage Startup Competition: Collective Intelligence
5:00 PM
Cocktail Reception End of Day Two
6:00 PM 7:00 PM
18 • FEI25
APPLIED AI INTERACTIVE ROUNDTABLES
Moderator Betsy Brunner on the value of the Plenary Roundtables
AI Impact on Teams and the Bottom Line
COLLECTIVE INTELLIGENCE STARTUP COMPETITION
$25K to the AI start-up that best fuses Human Intelligence & Machine Intelligence
Founder, Keith Crossland on the Start-up Competition
FEI25 • 19
Day 1-2 Track Session Structure
Track
Track Session Presenter, Company
Track Session Presenter, Company
Track Session Presenter, Company
Track Session Presenter, Company
20 • FEI25
GROW 4 WAYS TO
FRONT-END LAB Invigorate innovation at your organization with proven front-end principles either in one to many learning or hands-on workshop experiences.
PROBLEM-SOLVING LAB Learn from real-world successes and overcome common innovation roadblocks.
CASE STUDY LAB Collaboratively tackle unsolved problems facing global organizations in roll-our- sleeves-up large group workshops.
TRENDS/FORESIGHTS LAB Realize the future in the present by learning what to expect from trends and foresights experts.
FEI25 • 21
DAY 3 Collective Intelligence: What’s Next?!
Breakfast
7:00 AM
Final Mile Welcome
8:00 AM
Neuromorphic Computing To Advance Corporate Decision-Making Michael Azoff, Author, Toward Human-Level AI: How Neuroscience Can Inform the Pursuit of Artificial General Intelligence or General AI AI Energy - Balancing Nuclear Risk with Business Need Jhansi Kandasamy, The Neuclear Co.; Alexandra Bell, President, The Bulletin of Atomic Scientist Unpacking Quantum For Innovation and Your Organization Leslie Shannon, Head of Trend Scouting, Nokia
8:15 AM
8:45 AM
9:15 AM
Business Model Innovation: Space Economy Ecosystem Minoo Rathnasabapathy, MIT Media Lab; Vik Shayam, NASA; Kara Cunzeman, The Aerospace Co.
9:45 AM
Networking Break
10:30 AM
Transformative Strategic Thinking: The Art of Disciplined Business Creativity Workshop
11:00 AM
Michele Simoni, Professor, Innovation, Business Design; Eva Panetti, Assistant Professor, Innovation, Business Design, Planning; Marco Farretti, Prof., Chair Corp. Strategy, University of Naples Parthenope
11:30 AM
Rapid Solutioning Workshop Katharine English, Head of Innovation Programs, Global Engineering Excellence, Google
12:00 PM
12:30 PM
Lunch
1:00 PM
Business Model Innovation: The Advanced and Urban Personal Air Travel Ecosystem Chuck Martin, Author, Flying Vehicles ; Sean Borman, CEO, Aeroauto Global; Santh Satya, Founder & CEO, Luftcar
2:00 PM
3:00 PM
Primary Team Meetings: Set Your Action Plan.
3:30 PM
West Coast Direct Flights: Depart by 6pm = Arrive by 10pm
4:30 PM
22 • FEI25
WHAT QUANTUM MEANS FOR INNOVATION
Nokia/Bell Labs’ Leslie Shannon on the value of Day 3
Explore the impact of quantum computing on innovation.
FEI25 • 23
INTE ENHA
24 • FEI25
ERACTIVITY ANCED
1:1 STARTER MEETINGS Expand Your Network. Expand your network of innovation experts and corporate changemakers through quick 1:1 starter meetings. Rapidly explore each other’s abilities and continue the conversation during the next break, cocktail or meal. PRIMARY TEAM MEETINGS Set Your Action Plan. An additional benefit of bringing a team from your organization is our Primary Team Meetings where your team blends the FEI25 Key Takeaways provided through the app with your own notes. Have an action plan before you leave! PROXY TEAM MEETINGS Small Group Problem Solving. Meet with a group of like-minded individuals who are interested in collaboratively problem-solving on particular issues that remain in the way of advancing innovation within global business ecosystems.
FEI25 • 25
7 REASONS TO PARTICIPATE AT FEI25 WITH YOUR
ORGANIZATIONAL INTERDISCIPLINARY PEERS
Maximizing Learning & Perspectives
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Parallel Track Coverage Instead of choosing just one session, your team can attend multiple tracks simulta- neously. This allows you to gather insights from diverse fields like data science, de- sign thinking, and business strategy, then bring that knowledge back to enrich your collective understanding.
Plenary Session Dept Even when attending the same keynote, colleagues from different disciplines will extract unique takeaways. A marketer might focus on the speaker’s communi- cation style, while an engineer analyzes the technical feasibility of their ideas. This leads to richer post-session discussions and a more holistic view.
26 • FEI25
Enhanced Networking & Problem Solving
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Multifaceted Vendor Interactions Imagine your team en- gaging with a software vendor. The developer dives into the API, the designer critiques the UX, and the business analyst assesses its market fit. This collaborative approach provides a comprehensive evaluation and strength- ens your negotiating posi- tion.
Exponential Network Growth Each team member acts as a multiplier, expanding your network not linearly, but exponentially. They’ll each form unique con- nections based on their interests and expertise, creating a web of contacts far greater than any indi- vidual could achieve.
Accelerated Problem Solving Facing a complex business challenge? Having diverse perspectives onsite allows for real-time brainstorm- ing and problem-solving. A diverse team can tackle challenges from all angles, leading to faster and more innovative solutions.
Beyond the Bullet Points
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Establish an Innovation Culture This cross-disciplinary approach fosters a culture of shared learning and collab- orative innovation. It breaks down silos, encourages cross-departmental under- standing, and ultimately leads to a more agile and well-rounded organization.
Collective Intelligence By attending an interdisciplinary event as a team, you’re not just gaining individual knowledge, you’re building a collective intelligence that will benefit your organi- zation far beyond the conference itself.
FEI25 • 27
Day 1 Key Sessions
8:30AM Rogue Mindset: Aligning The Innovation Capability With Business Strategy Conceived of by Tammy Butterworth at the 21st FEI: Front End of Innovation, the ROGUE MINDSET is a new project that champions an unconvention- al approach to decision-making and innovation. It emphasizes resilience, openness to unconventional ideas, grit, unwavering curiosity, empowerment and communication. The Rogue Mindset Approach released on the Con- nectMe app at the end of April showcases: • How innovators and changemakers have been in- spire & empowered to embrace the ROGUE Mind- set. • Practical insights and tools for cultivating the ROGUE Mindset. • The fostering of a global dialogue on the impor- tance of unconventional thinking. • The building of a community of innovators who embody the ROGUE Mindset. • The alignment of Innovation with Business Strategy by turning ‘outside’ ideas into ‘inside’ strategy
Lend your voice to the Rogue Mind- set report being released in April. Answer the questions to the right by taking a few minutes to complete the Rogue Mindset form:
Add Your Voice Now
SPEAKERS
Tammy Butterworth Product Innovation Director, Welch’s
Brigette Wolf CMO, MyMochi
Lisa Sanchez Vice President R&D, The Procter & Gamble Co.
Scott Ehrlich Chief Innovation Officer, Head of Corporate Strategy, Sinclair Broadcast Group
Craig Dubitsky Founder+CEO, happy®
8:50AM Rogue Mindset Roundtables
R
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G
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The framework currently defines ROGUE as:
Resilience and Adaptability
Openness to Unconventional Ideas
Grit and Determination
Unwavering Curiosity
Empowerment and Communication
In a Chatham House Rules environment, these Roundtables put the Rogue Mindset Ap- proach to work. After reviewing the Approach on the app in advance of the event, you and your interdisciplinary colleagues share thoughts, use cases and case studies of the current state of the applied Rogue Mindset.
28 • FEI25
5:00PM FEI Honors: Celebrating A Quarter Century of Innovation Luminaries Celebrating FEI’s rich history of Innovation Luminaries sharing their thoughts on the future and how to get there. An Innovation Luminary is an individual who has significantly advanced the field of innovation through their: • Pioneering ideas: They’ve developed new concepts, frameworks, or methodol- ogies that have shaped how we think about and approach innovation. • Influential work: Their research, writing, teaching, or practical application of innovation has had a widespread impact on businesses, organizations, or so- ciety. • Thought leadership: They are recognized as experts and thought leaders in the field, often sought after for their insights and guidance. • Inspiring action: They inspire others to embrace innovation and drive positive change.
COMMITTEE
Katharine English Head of Innovation Programs, Global Engineering Excellence, Google
Tammy Butterworth Product Innovation Director, Welch’s
Christian Saclier VP Design Innovation, PepsiCo
Mike Hatrick VP IP Strategy & Portfolio, Volvo Group
Milan Ivosevic GVP R&D and Innovation, Cooper Surgical
Oksana Sobol Vice President Insights, The Clorox Company
Miranda Helmer VP Product Development & Regulatory, Albertsons Companies
Stay tuned for the Honorees!
The central qualities of an Innovation Luminary: • Deep Expertise • Impactful Contributions • The Ability to Inspire and Guide Others
An Innovation Luminary is someone who shines a light on the path to innovation, illuminating new possibili- ties and guiding others towards a more innovative future. They are the thought leaders, pioneers, and practitioners who are shaping the field and inspiring others to create, experiment,and transform.
FEI25 • 29
Day 1 Strategy & Transformation Track
10:30AM Evolution of The New: A Transformation Journey
Christian Saclier Vice President of Design Innovation, PepsiCo
At FEI 2024, Christian painted a vivid pic- ture of PepsiCo’s innovation landscape—one characterized by cross-functional collabo- ration, a commitment to sustainability, and an embrace of technological advancements. His insights emphasized that innovation is a journey requiring agility, creativity, and a deep understanding of consumer needs while building on the already strong inter- disciplinary capability muscle. With AI and technology as powerful allies, Saclier envi- sioned a future where companies like Pep- siCo can achieve transformation, fostering growth and positive impact through portfo- lio evolution on a global scale. This session is the next step in that message, sharing how transformation is now being achieved and The New is being realized.
Watch the Full Interview »
• Becoming an expert in identifying, un- packing and communicating The New • Unpacking opportunities and delivering via the most efficient possible means • Embarking and engaging stakeholders on every step of the journey at the onset, throughout the process, through to fruition • Learning from the process and under- standing what could be done differently • Continually transforming and evolving to remain on the cutting edge of innovation
11:00AM Taste, Touch, Feel: Experience 4 Cultural Shifts That Will Impact Your Business In this interactive session, Dig Insights’ trend strategists, researchers, and technology experts will walk you through an experience for the senses that doubles as a lesson in futureproofing your business. We’ll bring to life the 4 cultural shifts that are set to disrupt every consumer category through an interactive ‘Experience Menu’. Then we’ll teach you how to take action, armed with this knowledge, to build an effec- tive innovation pipeline for your specific business. You don’t want to miss this one!
Erin Mays EVP of Trends &
Innovation, Dig Insights
30 • FEI25
11:30AM Management Innovation Workshop
Oscar Barranco Liebana Enterprise Innovation Program Director, Qatar Research, Development and Innovation (QRDI) Council
We are now facing perhaps the biggest technological disruption in history that is impacting all across the globe, all industries, all functions, but particularly management. The organizational functionality that is facil- itated by emergent technologies is impact- ing our potential to lead and to manage. That means that we have to rethink com- pletely the way we are managing our orga- nizations. Not innovation management, but management innovation. That means that we need to orchestrate new management practices when we are thinking about the potential of GenAI or Adaptive AI. Right now in all industries, we have to think differently. We have to be aware of another way of making innovation happen. And when we are talking about challenge-driven-inno- vation or rapid-collective-innovation, there 12:30PM Business Model Innovation as a Competitive Advantage
Watch the Full Interview »
are new aspects of management that will bring a new value to our organizations. And we need to adapt our effectiveness to the speed of the challenges that the world is bringing us. Join this workshop on: • Driving management adaptability in changing landscape • Realizing that adapting human intuition along with machine knowhow is part of the construct • Benefiting from contextual or adaptive AI it requires on management change • Continually evolving as outcomes are real- ized
Gus Valen CEO & Entrepreneur, The Valen Group
While product innovation is important, true competitive advantage often lies in business model innovation. This session explores how organizations can unlock new sources of val- ue by reimagining their business models. Key discussion points include: • Understanding the components of a ro- bust business model canvas and how to leverage it for strategic decision-making • Embracing uncertainty by understanding the limits of traditional strategic planning and the need for agility in the face of con- stant change
Watch the Full Interview »
• Infusing flexibility in strategy execution through agile methodologies to iterate quickly, test assumptions, and pivot as needed • Overcoming common barriers to business model innovation, including organization- al resistance and structural challenges that affect resource allocation and deci- sion-making
FEI25 • 31
Day 1 Strategy & Transformation Track (continued)
1:45PM Establishing A Corporate Accelerator
Dakota Crow Head of Innovation Programs, US Bank
Watch the Full Interview »
Dakota has built a corporate accelerator not once but twice. And in highly regulated industries like life science and banking. From the corporate accelerator he’s built, Dakota has been able to facilitate 13 projects with $650M in value for the organization. He has found a way to create and cultivate significant interest inside of large global corporations with his first effort engaging over 350 people and his latest effort engag- ing over one thousand colleagues. Dakota has proven that the corporate accelerator is a great way to not only activate individu- als but to discover and develop people and ideas towards innovation for the organization.
• Building an internal idea accelerator from the ground up • Beginning with the end in mind; where to start, who needs to buy-in, resources you need, etc. • Reviewing lessons learned on going from 3 to 300 participants • Building in additional levels of Bootcamp, Accelerator and Incubator • Boasting a portfolio of projects with $650M in potential value
32 • FEI25
2:15PM Why Stories, Not Just Science, Should Start in the Lab
Mike Thomas CEO, Upstream 360
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Breakthroughs in the lab are only half the battle. The other half? Crafting the story that brings those innovations to life—not just for consumers and customers, but for skep- tical managers and cross-functional teams as well. Mike Thomas, CEO of Upstream 360, argues that science alone isn’t enough to captivate or convert—stories must be built alongside the science itself. In this dynamic session, Mike will reveal how Upstream 360’s 3-Second WOW and WHO-HOW-WOW frameworks ensure that every innovation begins with a narrative that connects emo- tionally and intellectually. This isn’t about “dumbing down” the science —it’s about elevating it. Through compelling case stud- ies—from turning complex product formu- lations into consumer-loved campaigns to positioning technical breakthroughs to rise above market clutter—Mike will demonstrate how great stories transform great science
into market success. Without a story to bridge the gap between the technical and the tangible, even the most sophisticated innovations are at risk of failure. Join this workshop on: • Science and Story Together: The lab is where innovations and their stories must begin to ensure they resonate emotionally and intellectually. • Proven Tools for Success: Upstream 360’s 3-Second WOW and WHO-HOW-WOW frameworks simplify complexity and make innovations captivating. • Stories Drive Results: Great storytelling elevates science, turning technical break- throughs into mar ket successes.
FEI25 • 33
Day 1 Strategy & Transformation Track (continued)
2:45PM Activating Emotional Innovation
Craig Dubitsky founder+ceo, happy®
Craig Dubitsky is an innovator with a prov- en track record of reinventing customer experiences. By incorporating emotional innovation into branding and product de- velopment, he effectively solves customer problems and elevates outcomes. In this session, Craig will share his expertise and insights, covering: • Defining innovation: Realizing technical innovation only occurs when hearts and minds are involved
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• Bringing new to life to an organization by manifesting an idea and making it real • Reviewing lessons learned from challenger brands being acquired by large corporates • Achieving emotional innovation by learn- ing to solve for the area ‘under the curve’
4:15PM Session Provided by Suzy Check back for session details.
Firstname Lastname Title, Suzy
4:45PM Proxy Meetings: Small Group Problem Solving Meet with a group of like-minded individuals who are interested in collaboratively problem-solving on particular issues that remain in the way of advancing innovation within global business ecosystems. Check back for updates on specific organically developed real-time topics.
Day 1 EXCELLENCE & BEST PRACTICE Track
10:30AM Engaging Deliberate Rapid Prototyping
Tammy Butterworth Product Innovation Director, Welch’s Paige Palmieri Innovation Sr Scientist, Welch’s Sarah Princehorn Transformational Innovation Manager, Welch’s
Brian Leslie Interim Head, Transformational Innovation Christian Lavoie Senior Manager, Consumer & Market Insights, Welch’s Heidi Hitchen, Senior Manager, Consumer Insights, Welch’s
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Explore this dynamic approach to innovation, emphasizing the power of collabora- tive, cross-functional teams. We’ll delve into strategies for aligning diverse perspec- tives from product innovation, development, insights, and marketing to accelerate the prototyping process. Discussion will center on: • Early-stage alignment: Establishing a shared vision and clear objectives be- fore concrete plans exist. • Strategic stakeholder engagement: Identifying key players and crafting compelling narratives to secure buy-in. • “Last question first” methodology: Understanding ultimate goals to guide prototyping decisions. • “Quick win” focus: Demonstrating value and maintaining momentum without being hindered by data limitations. • Data-informed decision making: Balancing the need for speed with leverag- ing available data to inform prototyping choices. • Expanding influence: Scaling the rapid prototyping mindset across internal and external ecosystems. Expect lively interaction, real-world examples, and actionable takeaways for imple- menting deliberate rapid prototyping within your own organization.
11:00AM Partner Session
We’re leaving a bit of breathing room in the agenda to ensure that late-breaking sessions can be placed. Please contact elizabeth.hinkis@ informa.com or check back for session details.
Firstname Lastname Title, Company
FEI25 • 35
Day 1 EXCELLENCE & BEST PRACTICE Track (continued)
11:30AM Taking a Lead on Emerging Technology
Organizations are consistently challenged to proactively embrace emerging technologies and lead disruption from within. By acknowledg- ing calculated risk as essential for staying ahead of the curve this session exlores:
Sebastian Osswald Director, Emerging Technologies Lab, Miele
• Self-disruption as a strategy: Minimizing external threats by actively challenging internal norms and processes. • The synergy of technological and orga- nizational innovation: Driving progress through parallel advancements in both areas. • Navigating the complexities of emerg- ing technology integration: Adopting a flexible, adaptable approach to overcome challenges. • Breaking free from rigid corporate struc- tures: Fostering a mindset that prioritizes agility and creative problem-solving.
• Prioritizing impact: Identifying areas within the innovation cycle where emerg- ing technologies can deliver the greatest value. • Storytelling through stakeholder per- spectives: Showcasing the benefits of emerging technology adoption through real-world examples. • The urgency of staying ahead: Emphasiz- ing the long-term consequences of falling behind in the adoption of emerging tech- nologies. Attendees will gain valuable insights and practical strategies for driving innovation and navigating the evolving technological landscape.
12:30PM A Real-World Approach to Building Products That Matter
Learn our structured process for driving purposeful innovation in today’s era. Create impactful products that meet customer needs and align with your brand strategy.
Lauren Collier Chief Experience Officer, Finch Brands
1. Customer-Centric Innovation: Discover customer-centric innovations that improve daily life. Learn from case studies highlighting audience insights’ role in creating successful products. 2. Strategic Alignment: Discover the value of aligning innovations with brand identity. Learn to expand strategic brand frames for new opportunities while preserving core essence. 3. Market Viability: Learn to evaluate category success potential to prioritize innovation efforts toward areas with maximum opportunity. 4. Collaborative Ideation: Engage in our co-creation method merging teams and custom- ers. Join Bounce-and-Build ® sessions for creativity and collaboration. 5. Validation and Activation: Learn real-world concept validation and activation strategies, including brand identity and go-to-market techniques. What You’ll Learn: 36 • FEI25
1:45PM Inclusive Design as an Innovation Catalyst
Samantha Johnson was part of our Gen Z Focus Group as well as our Brunch with the Bots at FEI 2024. She’s back to share how she’s becom- ing a leader in Inclusive Design. This session showcases the fact that this design process has a rich history and can (should) be used no matter the product or service Inclusive Design as an Innovation Catalyst • Focusing on the central tenants of innovation: community, collabo- ration and communication • Understanding the similarities that the DisabilityTech ecosystem has with traditional innovation ecosystems • Avoiding obsolescence in Assistive Technology- or any technology, product, service- by co-designing with the end-user • Lessons learned from early prototypes- what worked, what didn’t and what remains in the product from Day 1 • Realizing advances in the design process methodology from Bar- rier-Free Design to Universal Design to Inclusive Design to what’s next
Samantha Johnson Founder & CEO, Tatum Robotics
2:15PM Harvesting Innovation Through Collective Intelligence
Colin Scott Senior Vice President, DownSelect® at Innventure
In an era where corporations invest over $720B annually in R&D, how do you identify which innovations are truly ready for har- vest? This interactive session reveals the system- atic approach to evaluating and commer- cializing breakthrough technologies that have the potential to transform high-po- tential corporate R&D into market-ready companies. Through real-world case studies and practical insights, learn how Innven- ture’s DownSelect® analysis harnesses da- ta-driven analysis to identify, evaluate, and access breakthrough technologies with $1B+ enterprise value potential across industries
through multinational corporation R&D, channel partners, and innovation networks. Key Takeaways: • Understanding systematic approaches to technology evaluation • Learning key criteria for identifying promising opportunities • Gaining insights into market-driven com- mercialization strategies • Discovering approaches to systematic risk mitigation through analysis Watch the Full Interview »
FEI25 • 37
Day 1 EXCELLENCE & BEST PRACTICE Track (continued)
2:45PM Innovation Insights for Future Growth Delve into the power of data-driven insights to fuel future growth and innovation. Move beyond traditional analytics and focus on: • Holistic Consumer Understanding: Leveraging existing data sets to gain a comprehensive view of customer behavior, motivations, and needs. • Bridging the Say-Do Gap: Analyzing pre-, mid-, and post-campaign data to uncover discrepancies between stated intentions and actual actions. • Ecosystem-Level Analysis: Integrating data across the business eco- system to understand how customers interact with media, perceive categories, and make purchasing decisions. • Privacy-Preserving Collaboration: Exploring the “data clean room” concept to enable secure data sharing and collaboration with exter- nal partners without compromising sensitive information. Attendees will learn how to extract actionable insights from diverse data sources, foster data-driven decision making, and unlock new op- portunities for innovation and growth.
Su-Feng Kuo Sr. Director, Global Clients Insights & Analytics, Visa
3:45PM 1:1 Starter Meetings
Expand your network of innovation experts and corporate changemakers through quick 1:1 starter meetings. Rapidly explore each other’s abilities and continue the conversation during the next break, cocktail or meal.
4:15PM Session Provided by ZS Check back for session details.
Firstname Lastname Title, ZS
4:45PM 1:1 Starter Meetings
38 • FEI25
Day 1 INTEGRATION & VALUE CREATION Track
10:30AM Using Innovation as a Differentiator
From the Author of “Get in the Game: How to Level Up Your Business with Gaming, Esports, and Emerging Technologies,” this session dives into how harnessing emerging technology and un- derstanding audience behavior can revolutionize your business. We’ll explore the paradox that old models often need innova- tion, but what’s new is often old. We’ll discuss how engagement and experience are overused terms, yet often misunderstood in practice. Ultimately, you’ll leave with a better idea of how to offer truly unique value to your audience. • Unpacking old business models • Realizing new business models in distinct areas of engage- ment • Competing on the breadth of the consumer experience • Driving a value proposition distinct from the competition
Jonathan Stringfield PhD, VP, Global Revenue & Business
Planning, Microsoft
11:00AM Partner Session
We’re leaving a bit of breathing room in the agenda to ensure that late-breaking sessions can be placed. Please contact eliza- beth.hinkis@informa.com or check back for session details.
Firstname Lastname Title, Company
FEI25 • 39
Day 1 INTEGRATION & VALUE CREATION Track (continued)
12:00PM Experimentation for Innovation
Session Description Here
Termeh Rassi Chief Strategy Officer, Editorial Director, Leonardo
Ben Knapp Dir. Inst. for Creativity, Arts & Tech., Prof., CS, Virginia Tech University
12:30PM Partner Session
We’re leaving a bit of breathing room in the agenda to ensure that late-break- ing sessions can be placed. Please contact elizabeth.hinkis@informa.com or check back for session details.
Firstname Lastname Title, Company
40 • FEI25
2:15PM Driving An Effective, Insight-Driven Innovation Pipeline For CPG You’re a fast-growing CPG company that has nailed your prod- uct offerings. Consumers and retailers are eating up what you stand for and the quality of your products (quite literally!). But what happens next? How do you develop an insights-led ap- proach to white space exploration that doesn’t just give you di- rection, but validated concepts to fill the pipeline? In this session, Dig Insights’ EVP of Trends & Innovation Erin Mays will walk you through our approach to trends-led innovation research. You’ll walk away with: • A step-by-step guide to turning trend territories into validated concepts • How and when to integrate consumer, business, and market insights into your innovation work • Real examples of CPG products that have been developed via our framework, and why they work Discover how this actionable case study demonstrates the pow- er of person-solving through human-centered design to identify value and ROI in any initiative. • Identifying the optimal timelines for a given initiative to ensure optimal outcomes • Creating myriad means to measure value in research and con- cept evaluation (or in any sort of development) • Discovering the true value for each ecosystem partner through dynamic interactivity • Employing techniques to explain the process, value and reali- zation to each ecosystem partner • Balancing the needs of ecosystem partners to ensure ROI of any given initiative 1:45PM Value Identification & Realization Through Human Centered Design This case study explores a common challenge: innovating around legacy technology. Faced with an inflexible system, the team meticulously tested and quantified the value of each com- ponent to unlock new possibilities.
Nicole Parks Senior Principal Human Centered Design Strategist, Medtronic
Erin Mays, EVP of Trends &
Innovation, Dig Insights
FEI25 • 41
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