- Chair for Technology & Innovation Management, WHU (#1 DE)
- Founder of PatentSight GmbH and the IsP® framework
- 50+ published articles, multiple best paper awards
- 25+ years advising 330+ companies across Europe
Most R&D investment fails to create leadership
Top R&D spenders are systematically outperformed by True Innovators — on revenue, margin, and market cap. The gap is not resources. It is strategy, execution, and culture.
95% of GenAI Investments Yield Zero Return
Despite $30–40B in enterprise investment, most organizations see no measurable business impact. Investment alone is not the answer.
Top Innovators Beat Top R&D Spenders
Revenue +37% vs +29%. Gross margin +49% vs +36%. Market cap +57% vs +47%. Systematic innovation leadership makes the difference.
Only 30% Are True Innovators
Our 25-year database shows only the top 30% achieve both high growth and high profitability through innovation — but the path is learnable and measurable.
Market Shapers Lead. Followers React.
True Shapers define categories rather than respond to them. This requires a fundamentally different playbook — grounded in benchmark data from 330+ companies.
Focused yet holistic scope
Innovation is the heartbeat and lifeline of sustainable competitive advantage
+25 years of scientific research and 330+ on-site company benchmarks reveal the key success factors of innovation management. In a fast-changing, competitive environment, continuous reinvention is the heartbeat and lifeline of profitable, long-term growth — for your business models and organisation.
Assessing your Innovation management against state-of-the-art benchmarks
Rather than relying on your own expertise alone, a rigorous benchmark process turns best-in-class comparisons into practical measures — an Actionable, Consumer-Inspired Innovation Strategy & Roadmap for Breakthrough and Profitable Growth. Innovation only reaches as high as the fundamentals on processes, organisation and culture allow.
From assessment to implementation, we guide your Innovation Leadership journey
Our affordable, highly efficient offer spans the full path: gap analysis, benchmark evaluation, actionable recommendations, and active on-site support through the subsequent implementation phase.
We don't advise.
We guide you all the way.
The Innovation success Panel (IsP®) is the most comprehensive science-backed benchmarking tool for innovation management in Europe — comparing your organization against 330+ real cases, delivering actionable strategies, not reports.
Scientific Foundation
25+ years of peer-reviewed research. 50+ published articles. Methodology built on what actually drives Innovation Leadership — not consulting frameworks.
Precise GAP Analysis
Direct comparison of your innovation management against global top innovators. We identify exactly which levers to pull — and in what order.
Results from Week 4
First actionable insights in 3–6 weeks. A prioritized roadmap ready for immediate implementation — not a study to be shelved.
Built-In Stakeholder Buy-In
Integrates assessments from interdisciplinary experts inside your organization, creating internal commitment from day one.
Applicable Company-Wide
Works at the corporate level or for individual business units. Covers mechanical engineering, electronics, chemicals, consumer products, and beyond.
Value Creation will increasingly involve collaboration among people, agents, and robots. This offers new and transformative opportunities in driving your Innovation Leadership.
Lean. Pragmatic. Fast.
Minimum disruption to your operations. Maximum clarity on where to go.
Science meets executive leadership
Three decades of combined expertise at the intersection of WHU research excellence, global C-level execution, and hands-on innovation management.
- 30 years as global marketing executive, president of 3 BSH divisions
- Built clear market leadership in EU, US, and China
- Transformed culture, processes and org structures for true disruption
- "Weltmarktführer" mindset — changing the game, not just playing it
- Senior executive driving growth through innovation breakthroughs
- 11 years shaping China's consumer market within a European multinational
- 25+ innovation benchmarks implemented across multinationals
- Consumer-inspired innovation with a truly global reach & China mindset / speed
Proven impact across industry leaders
Leading companies across DACH and Europe have used the IsP® to unlock growth, boost profitability, and achieve market leadership.
Mindset Shift for Innovation
Stronger buy-in, a culture of intrapreneurship, and genuine openness to breakthrough ideas — from C-suite to team level.
Revenue & Profit Growth
Measurable revenue and margin increases through differentiated products and new, high-value business models.
Market Leadership in 3 Years
Category market share grown from 17% to 40% in three years — in both Europe and China.
"Based on the IsP benchmark findings, we significantly improved our innovation management and pipeline to grow our top-line."CEO, Industrial Firm with Diversified Product Portfolio
"The IsP benchmark showed us in a straightforward and actionable way how to improve our management of innovations."CTO, Mechanical Engineering Firm
"A core outcome was a successful change management initiative leading to a culture that encouraged risk taking and true intrapreneurship."CPO, Large Consumer Goods Firm
"Learning from the key innovation success factors, we were able to focus on the most important aspects to improve our innovation capabilities."CTO, Hidden Champion, Medical Device Industry
A global network of specialized experts
Beyond the core team, Inno4Growth® draws on a curated network of strategic partners and domain specialists across all dimensions of innovation management.
Ready to become an Innovation Leader?
Request a confidential strategy conversation. We respond within one business day. No obligation — just a focused discussion about your innovation ambitions and the data on where you can go.
All conversations are strictly confidential. Your data is not shared with any third parties. GDPR compliant.