A word from Dion Chang, Founder & CEO of Flux Trends
What set off my interest in innovation was a remarkable Innovation Tour of the top 50 performing companies in NYC. Since then, I’ve been on a quest to not only find the Holy Grail of innovation – which all companies are searching for – but also to learn how to scale innovation within corporate structures. For the latter, I attended a masterclass in Silicon Valley, which dovetailed perfectly with my first innovation tour.
I brought these multiple insights back to South Africa and have incorporated them into the lecture modules I give at various business schools (GIBS, GSB at UCT and Duke CE).
However, I felt an obligation to translate what I learnt into something like my NYC experience, as that tour really expanded my understanding of different forms of innovation, made me think differently, and most importantly, gave me a clearer insight into how different companies enable the innovation process. Experiencing innovation first hand and speaking to the innovators – who gave generously of their time and insights – was an invaluable experience.
However, innovation on the African continent requires a unique approach. While developed economies have the luxury to embark on “innovation for innovation’s sake’, solution-based innovation is what the African continent excels at. We may not always have the infrastructure or funding that first world countries have, but we find solutions that solve problems: solutions which impact on and improve lives. In essence, I believe that Africa is set to become the epicentre of innovation for greater good.
As such, I was inspired to put together the first Flux Trends Innovation Tour in 2020. The response by delegates was overwhelmingly positive, so much so, that in addition to our private, curated company immersion experiences that we design for our corporate clients, we have decided to make these innovation immersion experiences a regular part of the Flux Trends calendar.
See below for our next tour dates and book your spot sooner rather than later, as seats are limited due to the highly personal and multi-sensory nature of these experiences.
The mantra of Flux Trends is ‘trends as business strategy’, and to fulfil this mission statement we focus on making people think differently, and in this case, specifically about the innovation process.
Our tours are designed to repeatedly shift your thinking by switching environments and industry sectors. Each stop on the tour might seem unrelated, but nothing on this tour is coincidental or arbitrary, from the food you eat, to the people you meet, to the places you visit, and even to the way you are transported. It is a process that will be fun and enlightening, but the real insights will only be processed in hindsight. This was my experience in New York and one that I would like to pass on to you.
I will be your tour guide, so not only will your thinking be shifted by the tour, but the all-important conversations that take place between each stop will be an opportunity to chat and delve into years of Flux research on the various facets and nuances affecting the future of business.
Think of the day as a healthy dose of innovation, garnished generously with foresight.
Join us on this journey of discovery.
Dion Chang, Founder & CEO of Flux Trends
Your tour starts the night before with an invitation to break bread and clink ice, at a meet-and-greet event. It’s a chance for Flux to welcome you with true African hospitality, provide you with a glimpse of things to come, as well as to meet your fellow explorers. (The tour has been designed to be intimate, so places on the tour are limited to 20.)
The tour itself is a whirlwind of unexpected businesses, in unexpected places, and interactions with unexpected innovators. Innovation comes in many guises. Expect to be surprised, moved, and inspired. We will provide you with a comprehensive post-tour contact list and key insight after-care pack but do not expect a pre-tour itinerary to be circulated!
Arrive with an open mind and an open heart and prepare to be changed and challenged by the reality and necessity of solution-based innovation in action.
Due to popular demand, in addition to our open innovation tour calendar Flux Trends also provides bespoke, curated innovation immersion tour experiences for corporate clients. Talk to us about your unique requirements and we will take you to meet your current and future clients and employees in their own spaces and help you broaden your horizons to the world of opportunity hidden in your own backyard.
Forward Think Your Business Into The Future Using Trends As Business Strategy.
