Companies and startups in the digital transformation tornado: the search for innovation

The unstoppable transformation of competitive paradigms, mainly a result of digital disruption, decision-making speed needs to change, becoming lean and agile to pursue innovation, namely digital innovation. Companies, therefore, seek new innovation management models promoting entrepreneurial approaches at all levels, engaging the entire company population, changing leadership styles, developing scouting and incubator programs for innovative ideas, taking inspiration and collaborating with multiple organizations particularly startups. The Italian hi-tech startup ecosystem increasingly witnesses the emergence of cases that have international relevance, a very good sign of the quality of the ecosystem overall. Startups are beginning to constitute not only the value proposition and business model innovation base, but also new strategic and entrepreneurial practices (such as Lean Startup approaches) to which consolidated companies can look to in terms of Corporate Entrepreneurship.
Research highlights Digital Innovation investment priorities and organizational challenges for companies in 2019, entrepreneurial dynamics, and the scenario of hi-tech startups funded in Italy by presenting the findings of the 2018 Hi-tech Startup and of the 2018 Innovation Survey conducted by Startup Intelligence and Digital Transformation Academy Observatories.