10/28/2025 • by Jonas Kellermeyer
Viable Innovation is not Random – It is Systematic
Innovation was long the result of fortunate coincidence — a brilliant idea, a bold moment, a lucky strike. Today, things work differently. In a world that changes faster than ever before, innovation is no longer a matter of chance but an organized, methodical achievement. Innovation as a Service (IaaS) describes precisely this shift: a flexible, scalable model that allows organizations to outsource, enhance, or accelerate their innovative capacity — much like cloud services, but in the realm of ideas, strategies, and new business models.
What does "Innovation as a Service" actually mean?
“Innovation as a Service” is a modular service model that gives companies access to methods, tools, and experts without the need to build their own infrastructure. Instead of viewing innovation as an internal product of chance, it is established as a continuous, data- and research-driven process.
Typical building blocks of Innovation as a Service include:
- Trend and Future Foresight: Early identification of markets, technologies, and societal changes
- Strategic Consulting & Co-Creation: Development of new business models, service design, and prototyping
- Methodological Expertise on Demand: Access to Design Thinking, Lean Innovation, Delphi studies, and scenario analysis
- Implementation & Testing: From idea to validated MVP, supported by agile processes.
In short:
Innovation as a Service doesn’t just deliver ideas — it also provides the structure needed to turn them into reality.
Why Innovation as a Service is relevant now
Innovation cycles are getting shorter, and challenges are becoming increasingly more complex. Many organizations know they need to innovate — but have no idea how to make it happen. Internal innovation departments often reach their limits: lacking resources, limited perspectives, and too little time for genuine experimentation. This is where IaaS comes in:
- Flexible: Expert teams are assembled on a project basis.
- Scalable: Adaptable to each phase — from ideation to market launch.
- Efficient: No permanent fixed costs, yet maximum impact.
Ultimately, IaaS is the logical answer to the question:
“How do you innovate when everyday business leaves no time for the future?”
From Trend to Transformation
Innovation as a Service is more than just a service model — it’s a value-driven mindset. Companies that remain in constant motion gain the ability to integrate innovation into their processes rather than view it as a one-time event. The Innovation as a Service model is guided by the same principles that also apply in the field of future foresight:
- The future cannot be predicted, but it can be shaped.
- Progress emerges through participation, not top-down decrees.
- Technology is a tool, not an end in itself.
Those who embrace IaaS are choosing not just external support, but a new way of thinking, learning, and evolving.
Examples for Innovation as a Service
To put some meat to the metaphorical bones, we’ve prepared three brief and illustrative case studies that heuristically show the difference Innovation as a Service can make when applied effectively.
- Case Study 1 – Industry:
A mid-sized supplier uses IaaS to develop and validate new data-driven business models.
Through regular co-creation sprints with external experts, a market-ready prototype is created — complete with business logic and implementation plan. - Case Study 2 – Education:
A university engages an external innovation partner team to develop AI-supported learning environments and an algorithm-based matching platform.
Research expertise meets agile execution — turning loose concepts into fully functional systems. - Case Study 3 – Energy:
An energy provider leverages IaaS to pilot new circular economy services.
Through a methodologically trained approach to future foresight, scenarios are developed that actively shape societal transformation — creating space for new forms of economic activity.
Headline (optional)
With Innovation as a Service, companies gain more than just short-term projects — they invest in building a long-term innovation infrastructure. They learn to experiment faster (i.e., through rapid prototyping), take calculated risks, and continuously consider future developments.
Key advantages:
- Access to a vast network of experts and tools
- Rapid validation of ideas through data and prototyping
- Reduction of internal complexity and bureaucracy
- Development of an innovation-friendly organizational culture.
Thus, Innovation as a Service is not to be confused with outsourcing, but is rather empowerment on demand.
Conclusion – The Future is a Service
The future cannot be planned with absolute certainty, but it can be shaped — and that’s exactly what Innovation as a Service enables. Those who want to truly live innovation, rather than merely claim it, need structures that are open, agile, and capable of learning. IaaS is not a trend, but the operating system of modern organizations. It makes the future plannable, scalable, and tangible.
About the author
As a communications expert, Jonas is responsible for the linguistic representation of the Taikonauten, as well as for crafting all R&D-related content with an anticipated public impact. After some time in the academic research landscape, he has set out to broaden his horizons as much as his vocabulary even further.
