Resources

Multi-year roadmap grid for themes, bets, milestones and dependencies.

Stage-gate tracker for ideas moving from discovery through pilot and scale.

Structured business case: problem, solution, market, financials and asks.

Log scouted technologies, sources, maturity and internal sponsor status.

Model org structures and role definitions for a corporate innovation team.

Monitor active pilots: owner, success criteria, spend, status and next decision.

Discovery interview script and probing questions for validating problems.

Log interviews, signals and validated insights across discovery efforts.

Charter template covering committee mandate, membership and cadence.

Plan and track program, pilot and venture spend against annual budget.

Capture what worked, what didn't and the scale/kill recommendation after a pilot.

Lightweight proof-of-concept terms covering scope, IP, data and pricing.

Intake form capturing the problem, proposed solution, evidence and resources needed.

Slide framework for pitching a new venture or program to your board.

Track CVC investments, stage, ownership, strategic rationale and follow-ons.

Created inside publicly-traded companies, this short PowerPoint deck collects worksheets, templates, and “cheat sheets” related to evaluating opportunities, fleshing out concepts, and conducting customer research.

Run-of-show, judging criteria and comms templates for internal challenges.

Revenue, cost and NPV model to support an innovation business case.

Adapted from the Business Model Canvas to better fit the needs of the corporate world, this Idea Canvas allows you to follow a high-level scientific process when evaluating ideas and then use the criteria from the Idea Canvas when testing or validating that idea. Developed by a Senior Director working in the retail industry.

Document your innovation thesis, focus areas, operating model and metrics.

Reusable agenda and minutes format for portfolio and governance reviews.

One-page briefing format for updating the C-suite on portfolio progress.

Lots of definitions and templates related to the project management process at WD-40.

Form for submitting ideas for projects to the innovation team at the student loan company ECMC. Includes definition of an “ideal project” — as well as what is less than ideal.

This worksheet shows some of the common activities that executives responsible for innovation engage in, as well as the benefits and possible risks of each activity. 

Single page form used by Clorox employees who need to request help from the open innovation team.

The goal of this worksheet, a component of InnoLead’s 2017 research report on scouting trends and emerging tech, is to help you think through some of the key questions, participants, risks, and indicators of success when you are setting up or seeking to improve a scouting operation.

A template used by Cancer Treatment Centers of America to collect information about an idea and to capture the key value and potential opportunity of ideas.

A questionnaire given to employees who have been nominated by their peers for an innovator’s award.

A four-page form for employees at the international law firm to submit ideas to the innovation committee.

The company’s “Advanced Concept Ideation Template,” outlining its brainstorming process and idea development. MTD is a manufacturer of outdoor power equipment.

A template for new project ideas, including funding requests, milestones, risk assessment, and strategy. HCA Healthcare is an operator of hospitals and surgery centers based in Nashville, Tenn.

A worksheet that evaluates an innovation team member on concepts such as project work, “outside-in perspective,” idea generation, and more. From the New York-based company that operates businesses in insurance brokerage, risk management, reinsurance services, talent management, investment advisory, and management consulting.

Examples of idea submission templates and crowdsourcing processes from a large global company with 30,000 employees.

If you’re looking for a generic investment template, this one was submitted by an InnoLead member. At 12 pages, it walks you through description, team, milestones, risks, financials, and more.