What Are These Game-Changing Inflections?

I started examining this notion of what makes business ideas great, more specifically the external factors that imbue an idea with greatness, starting with timing (“What Makes a New Business Idea Great? — Timing”). There are specific moments in history when there are major market shifts, which Mike Maples jr. refers to as inflections, i.e. external events that create the potential for radical change in how people think, feel, and act.

So, to better understand this concept, if we look back over the past 25+ years, what have been those major inflections that have given rise to the corporate giants of today?

The Rise of the Internet (mid-1990s):

• What began as way for government researchers to share information easier, the internet has revolutionized how information is accessed and shared, enabling new forms of commerce and communication.
• Resulting Corporate Giants: Google, Amazon, eBay

The Smartphone Era (late 2000s):

• The widespread accessibility and adoption of smartphones, particularly with game-changing features like GPS and high-quality cameras, enabled location-based services and social media platforms to flourish.
• Resulting Corporate Giants: Instagram, Uber, Lyft, WhatsApp

Cloud Computing (mid-2000s):

• The proliferation of cloud computing enabled businesses of any size to launch and scale efficiently while accessing powerful computing resources on-demand. This transformed not only how businesses (and even consumers) planned for IT infrastructure, but also how they are managed.
• Resulting Corporate Giants: AWS, Salesforce, Dropbox

Social Media Boom (late 2000s to early 2010s):

• Social media platforms changed how people connect, share information, and consume ever-new content, creating new marketing and networking opportunities.
• Resulting Corporate Giants: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn

COVID Pandemic (2020–2022):

• The pandemic, during which the world was shut at home, accelerated the adoption of remote work, e-commerce, online learning and innovation in supply chain solutions.
• Resulting Corporate Giants: Zoom, Shopify, Coursera, Flexport

What are the emerging inflections today? We all know AI, but what else should we be aware of?

Being able to spot these emerging shifts, and anticipate the new opportunities that will arise, will help you to understand what type of business idea is truly great.

Make Innovation Work

Core Strateji is a strategy consulting firm that specializes in supporting leading companies to transform into ambidextrous organizations. Are you ready to move your innovation activities forward?

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