Why Google’s Innovation Strategy is Failing

Google spends over $45 billion on R&D a year, yet its graveyard of failed innovations keeps growing – Google+, Glass, Stadia, and countless others. But here's the surprising truth: this pattern isn't unique to Google.

Even with unlimited resources and top talent, tech giants struggle to innovate alone. The era of solo innovation is dead.

Consider this: in 1985, breakthrough innovations required input from 2-3 organizations. Today, that number has exploded to 15-20 organizations for cutting-edge technologies. Tesla, often praised for vertical integration, relies on 300+ suppliers, multiple university partnerships, and data from millions of drivers.

The innovation game has fundamentally changed. Modern breakthroughs emerge from complex webs of collaboration between competitors, startups, universities, and governments. Companies clinging to the lone wolf approach are falling behind.

CRISPR gene editing technology, often attributed to a single lab, actually required dozens of universities, multiple government grants, and countless biotech firms working in parallel. SpaceX's reusable rockets build on NASA research, hundreds of suppliers, and open-source contributions.

The message is clear: your organization's innovation potential isn't limited by your internal resources – it's limited by your ability to orchestrate an ecosystem of partners.

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To learn why Google's strategy is failing, listen to this week's show: Why Google's Innovation Strategy is Failing (And What It Means For Your Business)