Research reveals obstacles for innovative Brainport companies

Innovation is the beating heart of Brainport. The region is known for its technology, high-tech manufacturing industry, and creative thinking. Yet even this region faces challenges. Where is it doing well and, more importantly, where is it falling short? Consumer psychologist Marc Maas of Reversed investigated this. “Sometimes CEOs want to implement something quickly. This is something that innovation managers struggle with.”

Between May and September, Maas spoke to 12 innovation managers, R&D managers, CTOs, and founders of manufacturing companies in the Brainport region. In open conversations, they shared their experiences with product innovation. The conversations with the innovators show that many of the building blocks for successful innovation are already in place: knowledge, drive, and ideas. But some things are going wrong.

Companies that participated include: Brabantia, known for household products and smart living solutions; Lumosa, which focuses on innovative lighting and smart lighting solutions; and SpaceBorn United, focused on embryonic development in space.

Finding your way on a winding road

The in-depth interviews revealed several challenges. First, innovation rarely proceeds in a straight line. Plans shift and priorities clash. Innovation managers, for example, struggle with shifting roadmaps due to sales pressure. Maas: “Decisions are sometimes made prematurely or steps are skipped, for example, because a CEO or manager wants to implement something quickly. The consequences of this are noticeable: later in the process, delays or problems arise because crucial evaluation steps have not been completed. This is something that innovation managers struggle with.”

Need before blueprint

Strong ideas or technical possibilities are no guarantee of success; customer relevance must be demonstrated early on. This is an obstacle, according to Maas. "People responsible for product innovation often struggle with the same question: how can we be sure that a new product really meets a customer need? They want to demonstrate early on that a product addresses the right customer problem, even before any costs are incurred for development or prototyping. This is made difficult by the fact that these people often work in highly technically oriented teams; they are surrounded by engineers and technicians. That technical focus makes it more difficult to focus on the user's perspective from the outset."

Success lies in the shell

Thirdly, hardware thinking dominates in many manufacturing companies, which means that the ‘shell’ around a product – such as onboarding, service, software, and the proposition – receives insufficient attention. Yet it is precisely this overall experience that determines whether a product sells and continues to work. Maas: “There are different ‘shells’ around a product. These elements largely determine whether a product actually meets user needs. What is striking, especially in technically driven organizations, is that the product itself often gets the focus. As a result, the customer's overall experience does not receive enough attention.”

Balance between impact and business

Many participating companies want innovations that make a real impact – better for the planet, people, and animals – but customers must also want and be able to buy the product. The challenge lies in combining convincing evidence with a workable business case. “For this research, I spoke to many companies that have a strong focus on sustainability,” says Maas. “These are organizations that really want to do something good for the world, for example, by developing a product that solves a major problem for customers. At the same time, the product must also be marketable. The challenge lies in balancing purpose – creating an ethical and meaningful product – with market demand, so that the product is not only sustainable, but also actually purchased.”

The recommendations

In addition to the above topics, the in-depth interviews with the manufacturing companies also covered customer needs, research, collaboration, and experimentation. Based on this comprehensive picture, Maas formulated several recommendations:

1. Create a rhythm of innovation instead of roadmaps. Plan fixed stop-and-go moments in which teams reflect: continue, pause, or stop. This prevents endless pilots.
2. Prove the need before you design. Spend one day per quarter conducting field interviews with customers or users. Observe, listen, and take notes instead of just using questionnaires.
3. Appoint one owner for the total experience. Make someone responsible for everything the customer experiences: product, service, onboarding, support, and communication. Focus on the total experience, not just the product.
4. Make impact measurable. Translate sustainability goals into concrete customer value: less energy, maintenance, or hassle. Put numbers on the table.
5. Learn quickly and on a small scale. Have teams conduct three micro-experiments per quarter. Document what they learn, even if it goes wrong, and reward learning, not just success.
6. Bring disciplines together. Bring R&D, sales, and service together monthly in a single demo or customer review. Not to report, but to learn together.