RSA - The Spirit of Innovation

The Spirit of Innovation

2nd Jun 2010; 18:00

(full recording including audience Q&A)
Please right-click link and choose "Save Link As..." to download audio file onto your computer.

RSA Keynote

Legendary journalist, author, editor and publisher Sir Harold Evans visits the RSA to ask: what is really required for successful innovation?

How do successful inventors and entrepreneurs make their breakthroughs, pursue the applications, and transform markets and societies?

What can we learn from the great innovators, men and women who had ideas, took risks, were often described as crazy, and yet contributed enormously to the wealth and well-being of our world, giving us cheap electricity, the aeroplane, the internet, the iPod and biotech medicines.

Has there been too much focus on the initial discovery and patenting phases of innovation? Should more emphasis be placed on the process of adapting the invention to the marketplace, and the importance of the personal qualities of flexibility, resilience and resourcefulness required to see this through?

In a world still reeling from the shock of the financial crisis, and struggling to rise out of recession, there could not be a more critical time to consider how we can re-awaken the spirit of innovation.

Speaker: Sir Harold Evans, editor-at-large, The Week magazine, former award-winning editor of the Times and Sunday Times, former President of Random House, best-selling author of My Paper Chase, They Made America and The American Century.

Chair: Ralph Simon, CEO, The Mobilium Advisory Group and Chairman Emeritus & Founder, Mobile Entertainment Forum - Americas

Suggested hashtag for Twitter users: #rsaevans