News You Can Use: All About Innovation

Recognizing Innovating Veterans
As the country honors our veterans this week, The Military Times recognizes veterans’ leadership in business and how they are leveraging innovation to drive entrepreneurship. Jeffrey Zients, director of the National Economic Council and assistant to the president for Economic Policy, discusses how veterans’ continued contributions create jobs and boost economic growth:

“Possessing the qualities necessary to start and operate a successful business, returning servicemen and women are 45 percent more likely to be self-employed business owners than non-veterans. As a result, nearly one out of every 10 small businesses in America today are owned and operated by veterans. These veteran-owned businesses generate more than $1.1 trillion in receipts each year and employ nearly 6 million workers.”

Seattle’s Innovative Start-Ups
GeekWire rounded up its top 10 innovative startups in Seattle, and Intellectual Ventures’ metamaterials spinout Kymeta made the list. Kymeta shares the spotlight with northwest companies that have developed, among other things, a harvester that converts grocery scraps to liquid fertilizer and a water filtration cup that removes toxins to make water safe for drinking.

Purpose-Driven Innovation
What’s behind the best innovations? In a community where everyone is constantly striving to innovate and invent, business leaders are always looking for new ways to give their companies a competitive advantage. George Bradt, managing director at Prime Genesis, argues that purpose-driven innovation leads to the best outcomes. He recommends that executives encourage employees to think outside of the box and be willing to tolerate concepts failing hundreds of times before a breakthrough.

@IVinvents shares IP and tech innovation news every week. Follow along, and let us know what you’ve been reading, too.