Accelerating Corporate Innovation: The Competitive Advantage of Ecosystem Engagement

Innovation is a driver of productivity, competitive advantage, and enterprise value. But it does not happen in a vacuum. Corporate innovation requires connections among key stakeholders such as, entrepreneurs, universities, risk capital providers, government, and large corporations. These connections are increasingly taking place in “innovation ecosystems” and through programs such as accelerators, hackathons, prize competitions, and co-working spaces in which stakeholders and communities contribute and share resources.

How can leaders harness the power of these open innovation ecosystems around the globe or in a specific region of interest for their organizations? Based on MIT's research into the science of innovation ecosystems, this course equips executives and government leaders with the high-level frameworks and tools necessary to understand corporate innovation and entrepreneurship in the ecosystems around them, shift to a more effective ecosystem-based open innovation approach, and design programs to engage effectively with external stakeholders. Participants will also a receive a copy* of Budden and Murray's new book, Accelerating Innovation: Competitive Advantage through Ecosystem Engagement (2025). 

*A digital copy will be provided for live-online participants. A physical copy will be available for in-person participants

We do not recommend this course if you have already completed Corporate Innovation: Strategies for Leveraging Ecosystems (self-paced online) unless you are seeking a refresher of the content.

Drawing on recent MIT research, this highly practical course helps leaders:

• Understand why corporate innovation is a challenge in their organizational system
• Assess and identify innovation hub(s) a.k.a. ecosystems with which to engage (e.g., Boston, Israel, London, Berlin)
• Identify what their organization wants from the ecosystem and what they can give back to it, with metrics that can track such changes
• Understand who in terms of innovation ecosystem stakeholders to engage with in the ecosystem
• Upon successful completion of the course, you will earn a certificate of completion from the MIT Sloan School of Management. This course may also count toward MIT Sloan Executive Certificate requirements. 

Participants will also a receive a copy* of Budden and Murray's new book, Accelerating Innovation: Competitive Advantage through Ecosystem Engagement (2025). 

*A digital copy will be provided for live-online participants. A physical copy will be available for in-person participants.

This course is designed for executives in both public and private sectors, ranging from senior managers and corporate entrepreneurs to C-suite executives and future leaders.

The program will also be of value to entrepreneurs, regional development officers, investors, and government policymakers.

Participants must be interested in encouraging corporate innovation in their organizations or regions, especially through leveraging innovation ecosystems. Participants from both developed and emerging markets are encouraged to attend.

We do not recommend this program to past participants of Corporate Innovation: Strategies for Leveraging Ecosystems (self-paced online) unless you are looking for a refresher.