Innovation Executive Academy

The Innovation Executive Academy is an immersive 8-day program designed to help senior executives develop and sustain a strategic approach to innovation in an era of rapid technological change. Through expert-led talks, collaborative workshops, and real-world case studies, you will deepen your awareness of innovation, emerging technologies and their potential impact. Using Kendall Square as a dynamic learning environment, participants will engage in site visits to explore ecosystem dynamics firsthand and hear success stories from MIT’s innovation network. This program focuses on maintaining a forward-looking mindset—because, while technologies advance, the real challenge lies in cultivating a culture of innovation and overcoming organizational inertia.

Beyond individual technologies, the Academy equips leaders with a holistic framework for managing innovation, from small-scale experimentation to driving transformative change across an organization. You will learn how to draw inspiration from diverse ecosystems and apply those lessons to local and global contexts. The program empowers leaders to stay attuned to evolving trends and strategically integrate innovation, ensuring long-term success in a dynamic business landscape. By the end of the Academy, you’ll have actionable insights, a comprehensive perspective on innovation management, and the tools to lead with strategic clarity.

Participants will leave the Innovation Executive Academy with:

• A framework for innovation that can be applied across any sector.
• A broader perspective of innovation viewed through 3 lenses: strategic, political, and cultural.
• A concrete, personalized action plan that has been developed over the eight days.
• Strategies to overcome organizational resistance to change, drawing on frameworks that foster a culture of innovation and collaboration.
• The skills to align innovation with organizational goals, ensuring that incremental and transformational advances drive measurable results.
• A network of like-minded leaders and experts who can continue to collaborate and learn together beyond the program.
• An MIT Sloan Executive Certificate in Strategy & Innovation.
• A complimentary copy of the lead faculty’s new book on Accelerating Innovation: Competitive Advantage through Ecosystem Engagement (published via MIT Press on April 2025)

• Immersive learning in the heart of innovation: Using Kendall Square as a living laboratory, participants will engage in site visits and firsthand experiences with MIT’s innovation ecosystem, gaining practical insights from world-class experts and success stories.
• Cutting-edge frameworks and tools: Explore actionable frameworks to forecast and manage innovation and potentially disruptive technologies, foster a culture of innovation-driven entrepreneurship, and drive strategic change in your organization, across industries and regions.
• Designed for optimal learning and accessibility: This Academy is designed to accommodate the needs of busy professionals, including working parents, with a two-week structure of two 4-day sessions connected by a weekend. (Fly in the first Monday, and out on the second Friday.). We seek to foster an inclusive and engaging environment that encourages diversity and new thinking.
• This 8-day Academy confers an MIT Sloan Executive Certificate in “Strategy & Innovation”: This Academy is an efficient way to earn an Executive Certificate from MIT Sloan, and set you on a path to the 25-day Advanced Certificate for Executives (ACE) through other Academies and courses

This course is designed for senior leaders—or those aspiring to senior roles—in both public and private sector organizations who are eager to drive change through innovation. Ideal participants are decision-makers seeking to shape the future of their organizations or regions by fostering a culture of experimentation and agility. Whether you lead a multinational corporation, a government agency, a growing enterprise, or a dynamic team focused on innovation, this Academy equips you with the tools to anticipate disruptive technologies, manage innovation strategically, and inspire your teams to embrace transformation.

This program is especially relevant for executives responsible for crafting innovation strategies, navigating complex technological landscapes, or aligning cross-functional teams to tackle tomorrow's challenges. Participants should come ready to engage with forward-thinking peers, dive deep into actionable frameworks, and gain new insights into managing innovation at both the organizational and ecosystem levels.