Innovation Team Investing: Behind the Growth Board Decisions

Managing a portfolio of innovation teams is key in deploying Lean Startup at scale. Digesting the evidence they present demands a shift in how leaders operate. What’s going on in the minds of growth board members as they make investment decisions?

When we convene a growth board, we have a clear outcome in mind: Identify the opportunities in our pipeline that are worthy of continued financial support. The innovation teams that can demonstrate traction in the market get funding; those who can’t, don’t. 

On its face this is a simple proposition, so the job should be easy for growth board members. But over four years supporting and coaching dozens of innovation growth boards in large corporations and government agencies, I’ve seen that it’s actually anything but. This post examines where growth board members tend to struggle and how to mitigate those challenges. 

Read more on the Lean Startup Co blog here