Innovation North (formerly the Innovation Learning Lab) is a Lab of Ivey researchers and Practice Partners who are co-creating a new approach to innovation – one that challenges traditional frameworks and invites leaders to imagine opportunities to positively impact their own organizations and the world.
The approach, known as The Compass, can help innovators solve complex problems by generating novel, actionable ideas. The Compass differs from other approaches to innovation because it is guided by a North Star, is highly iterative, and it is rooted in systems thinking. It is made up of four spaces: Problems, Awareness, Ideas and Actions. Discover how your organization can use The Compass by downloading this set of worksheets.
Lab Sessions are held quarterly until 2024. Innovation North designs gatherings that spark creativity, foster dialogue, and provide opportunities for reflection and learning. Innovation North has hosted world leaders in systems thinking such as Peter Senge and Otto Scharmer. The Lab have also been intentional about broadening perspectives and invited Melanie Goodchild to share an Indigenous perspective to innovation. Special topics, such as collaboration and systems mapping, have featured scholars such as Terry Irwin, Gideon Kossoff, Jorrit De Jong, and Andrea Romi. These sessions ultimately help to shape and evolve The Compass. Find out more about the Lab in the video below:
Innovation Projects are opportunities offered by the Practice Partners to apply The Compass to innovation challenges. These projects advance knowledge in systems-based innovation with shareable learnings, which informs research and allows our Practice Partners to practically integrate systems innovation into their strategy and ongoing work. Some recent projects include:
- Uncovering opportunities for farmers to improve soil health with the University of Guelph
- Reimagining the home insurance claims with Co-operators
- Developing an innovative financial instrument to tackle the biodiversity crisis with Cboe Canada (formerly The NEO Exchange) and RBC Foundation
Connect with Innovation North
Learn more about Innovation North at www.innovationnorth.ca or by following Innovation North on LinkedIn and Instagram. For more information or to explore partnership opportunities, contact info@innovationnorth.ca.