let`s innovate
I DO LEAN STARTUP IN CORPORATE ENVIRONMENT!
With my experience in connecting the agile startup&innovation ecoystem with the rigid structure of a large corporate,
I am able to operate in both worlds with proven track record.
GEORG BAUMGARTNER
Head of Digital Innovation @Salzburg AG/Austria
Passionate leader in shaping the agile transformation of a large corporate with >5 years in executive management position as head of department and >10 years of experience in business model innovation and value creation.
With a human centered approach and solution oriented mindset I love to connect, motivate and facilitate people and teams for creating outstanding value and results.
I introduced innovation management for the leading Austrian energy and technology company Salzburg AG. Starting as a one-man-show in 2016 from scratch, I built a high performing team of innovators and added value by introducing a corporate venture capital program for diversified growth in promising ventures. Besides cooperation and investing in Startups, Austria`s most successful corporate startup “MYFLEXBOX” was developed by an high ambitious founder team under my enablement during this period.
On strategic level I was part of 2 reorganizations in 5 years where I gained valuable experience in co-leading the development of a new business unit. Since 2021, I am part of the Leadership team of the business unit "Digital Solutions", where I am able to further implement our strategic vision and also make myself responsible for driving the change and proactively shape the agile transformation at Salzburg AG.
Due to my experience in different professions during my career, I can offer a unique skillset that allows me to cover a broad range of roles and functions (from strategic to operative tasks).
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- Strong communication skills and open mind attitude
- Exploring new business opportunities
- Human centered and design thinking
- Systemic Coach
- Development and implementation of new organizations
- Build and lead teams
- Cooperation and co-creation
MY APPROACH
I follow the lean paradigm: An iterative, open ended lean product & service development process, driving corporate innovation by introducing entrepreneurial tools, methods an mindset.
In my comprehensive approach I consider SEVEN KEY ELEMENTS to introduce sustainable innovation activities in corporate environment.
EXPLORE
"It´s not the customers job to know what they want"
(Steve Jobs)Global trends determine the demands of tomorrow. Therefore it is necessary to regularly screen and assess trends and adapt the scope of your own business strategy. A tailored trend radar helps to identify the fields of activity and emerging technologies that have potential impact on your business. That is a relevant foundation of the ideation process.
- Customer Needs
- Trends and Technologies
PARTNER
"I believe in COLLABORATION rather than COMPETITION"
(Cynthia Chiam)When you face complex tasks, bringing together people with different expertise, unleashes incredible outcome. Especially the collaboration with startups is a fertilizing experience for corporate employees, whilst startups receive expert support and a business know how boost.
- Co-Creation
- Startup Cooperation
PROTOTYPE
"A prototype is the conversation you have with your ideas"
(Tom Wujec)Visualize and transform first ideas as soon as possible and get into lean iteration to further develop your business model and improve from prototype to prototype: build-measure-learn.
- Rapid Prototyping
- Business Model Creation
TEST
"Testing one user early in the project is better than testing 50 near the end"
(Unknown)It is very important to get early market feedback on your assumptions. Create a valuable customer experience through continuous validation of your prototype.
- Customer Validation
- Problem-Solution Fit
EXECUTE
"If you can`t describe what you are doing as a process, you don`t know what you are doing"
(W. Edwards Deming)Successful innovation is not a lucky guess. It is the outcome of an clearly structured and well managed process. The innovation funnel has to be kept loaded, project teams guided throught development stages, resources provided, promoters involved and much, much more.
- Structured Process
- Acellerate Innovation Portfolio
TRANSFORM
"Innovation is the ability to see change as an opportunity
- not a threat"(Steve Jobs)
Conventional corporates undergo significant change during the digitization era. Agile development is more than just a new project management method. Besides new tools and formats most of all an entrepreneurial mindset for innovation needs to be introduced.
- Agile Coaching
- Entrepreneurial Mindset
ENABLE
"Leadership is an action not a position"
(Donald McCannon)To unfold the agile way of working, a more flexible management style is required. The new leadership is based on trust, individual responsibility and appreciation.
- New Leadership Mindset
- Self organizing teams
ACHIEVEMENTS
A selection of my past work.
Innovation Space
Creative collaboration also needs stimulating physical space. Therefore I designed and implemented the "InnovationsZone" at Salzburg AG in 2018 and further office solutions with new work aspects.
Innovation Program
With more than 700 applied Startups in the last 3 years, the "Salzburg AG Innovation Challenge" as an anual Acceleration Program changed the corporate culture sustainably.
Partnering
To support local Startups in the early phase, we implemented a Corporate Venture Capital Funds in 2019. Since then Salzburg AG gains from the growth of new emerging tech companies.
Lean Startup
With strong support and constant reshaping I empowered my Innovation team and enabled them to develop a promising new business as a startup in corporate environment.
MYFLEXBOX
Company Building
Click on the link above, to find out more about MYFLEXBOX
- Salzburg AG`s corporate startup.
Flex Power Hub
Proof of market
In cooperation with Cognify a digital data hub for energy trading was developed. Follow the link to get more information about it.
Agile Academy
Competence Building
To build up agile competences inhouse, the Agile-Academy was launched with modular trainigs on operative and strategic level.
Innovation Unit
Team Development
Development of 2 innovation units during the past 5 years at Salzburg AG in different organisational context.
MY INNOVATION NETWORK
Successful Innovation is not a one-man-show. An open innovation attitude is key to continuously get new impulse, partnerships and experience transfer. "Sometimes you give, sometimes you take" is my motto to flourish collaboration.
Here is a range of my innovation ecosystem network partners and masterminds.
innoX network
Ecosystem
Member and event partner of the largest innovators network in D-A-CH region for corporates. The community brings together more than 830 Innovation Managers on innovation journeys and steady innovation experience exchange.
Startup Salzburg
Ecosystem
Joint Events and startup mentoring with one of the most important enabler of the local Ecosystem in Salzburg Area.
Fachhochschule Salzburg
Cocreation
Together with the "Zentrum sichere Energieinformatik" at Fachhochschule Salzburg a blockchain usecase for energy communities was implemented. Publication:
https://www.energieforschung.at/projekte/1095/prosumer-und-nutzeranbindung-im-verteilnetz-mittels-blockchain
What A Venture
Innovation Consulting
Two successful Innovation Challenges (#2 and #3) with Austrias leading innovation expert and venture builder.
Sharkbite Innovation
Innovation Consulting
One sucessfull Innovation Challenge (#4) and Intrapreneurship-Programs established at Salzburg AG.
V_labs
Venture Building
With Austrias leading company builder and expert in implementing radically innovative business models we partnered in events and developed the concept for the myflexbox spin off.
TRENDONE
Trend Tool
With TRENDONE´s insights and global trend landscape a specific trend radar for Salzburg AG was implemented.
FHStartup Center
Ecosystem
In good connection to get early access to promising talents and business ideas. Already three fellows from FHStartup Center are in cooperation with Salzburg AG.
Setting Milestones
Academy Partner
To build up agile competences inhouse, we established the Agile-Academy program at Salzburg AG 2020 with modular trainigs on operative and strategic level. In the first year more than 30 Scrum Masters and Product Owners became certified to accelerate agile teams at Salzburg AG.
