Are you ready to explore how digital advancements reshape industries and create new business opportunities? In this exciting episode of the Innovation Storytellers Show, I sat down with Robert C. Wolcott, Cofounder of The World Innovation Network (TWIN Global), and Kaihan Krippendorff, Founder of Outthinker Networks, to discuss their groundbreaking new book, “Proximity: How PROXIMITY is the New Digital Strategy All Innovators Need to Know.”
In our conversation, we delve into the concept of proximity and its profound impact on various sectors, including healthcare, agriculture, and transportation. Rob and Kaihan reveal how digital technology is pushing the production and provision of value closer to the moment of actual demand, thereby challenging traditional business models and supply chains. From the immediacy of 3D printing to the strategic possibilities of health monitoring devices and AI, we uncover how proximity is transforming our world.
Rob shares fascinating insights on the strategic shift towards “anything, anywhere, anytime,” emphasizing both the opportunities and challenges this new approach brings. Meanwhile, Kaihan illustrates the practical applications of proximity with real-world examples, such as the Coca-Cola Freestyle machine and on-demand pharmaceuticals, showcasing how proximity is already changing the game.
Name: Rob Wolcott
Title: Co-Founder
Company: The World Innovation Network (TWIN Global)
Linkedin | Website | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn Page for Proximity
Robert C. Wolcott is cofounder and chair of The World Innovation Network (TWIN Global). He is adjunct professor of innovation at the Booth School of Business, University of Chicago, and adjunct professor of executive education at the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University. His books include Grow from Within: Mastering Corporate Entrepreneurship and Innovation (with Michael J. Lippitz, 2009). Wolcott is an active venture investor in nearly thirty companies, many of which are leading the Proximity revolution.
Name: Kaihan Krippendorff
Title: Founder
Company: Outthinker Networks
Linkedin | Website | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn Page for Proximity
Kaihan Krippendorff is the founder of Outthinker Networks, a global think tank, and a professional speaker. His books include Driving Innovation from Within: A Guide for Internal Entrepreneurs. A former McKinsey consultant, he is a strategic adviser to numerous leading corporations.
Together, they are the the authors of bold new book PROXIMITY: How Coming Breakthroughs in Just-in-Time Transform Business, Society, and Daily Life , an insider’s look at how technology is eroding barriers of distance and time, pushing value closer and closer to demand – from 3D printing to lab-grown meats to drone-enabled healthcare.
