Innovation starts with ideas, but the real challenge is turning those ideas into something that works, scales, and lasts. That takes more than inspiration. It takes leadership, experimentation, and the ability to drive change in complex environments. Innovation in Action is a hands-on, cross-industry program designed to help leaders move from inspiration to execution.
Built in partnership with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), the program draws on insights from the fast-moving world of sport, where evolving expectations and constant pressure demand relentless innovation. It distils lessons from some of the world’s most demanding, high-performance environments and shows you how to apply them in your own context, no matter your sector.
You’ll work through a shared, real-world innovation challenge, applying entrepreneurial thinking and testing new approaches in a collaborative, action-oriented environment. By the end, you’ll walk away with a tailored plan to bring innovation to life in your own organization.
It’s not just about thinking differently. It’s about doing differently – and making it stick.
Answer a few quick questions to discover if this program aligns with your goals and experience.
Talk with a Program Advisor to get personalized guidance and answers to your questions.
Innovation skills are best acquired through concrete hands-on experience
During the program, partnering with UEFA and the IOC, you will practice innovation and hone your entrepreneurship skills. The program is delivered as an immersive experience at the IMD campus as well as 2 days at UEFA and IOC Headquarters in Lausanne. You will get the chance to meet and get inspired by renowned keynote speakers from the entertainment industry and top-level professional athletes.
Throughout the program you will be working on a concrete, real-world challenge and explore innovative ways to rethink customer journey’s during and after major sporting events.
3 sessions of 4 hours – live virtual
1 one-hour coaching session – live virtual
- Session 1 (30 September, 1:30-5.30pm)
- Kick-off: meet your peers
- Session 2 (7 October, 1:30-5:30pm)
- Think like a designer
- Session 3 (14 October, 1:30-5:30pm)
- Understand what customers want
- Individual coaching session (week of 20 October)
6 days in the Lausanne area
27 October – 1 November 2025
- Visits to UEFA/FEI/IOC headquarters*
- Startup incubator
- 2 networking dinners
*Subject to change for each cohort
1 one-hour coaching session, live virtual
- Individual coaching session
Senior Strategy & Operations Salesforce, Switzerland
Innovation in Action was an inspiring program where I experienced a dynamic interplay between sophisticated theoretical principles and their direct application in real-world scenarios. The highlight? Connecting with incredible people driven to shape the future!
Head of Education, Federatia Romana de Fotbal, Romania
I totally recommend this course to anyone who leads a team, not only sport professionals. The diversity of the group and activities bring the athletic mindset together with managerial style. The power of the group is a main takeaway as well as the ability to use the innovation frameworks. Also, being creative and working in a group helped me better understand the value each person brings in forming a great and complex project.
Global Head Retail Innovation and Experience, LEGO Group, Denmark
I came out from Innovation in Action refreshed with new energy and now see innovation from different angles, in ways I have not done before.
Senior Sector Specialist: Manufacturing, Renewable Energy, Transport and Logistics, Absa Group
Innovation in Action challenges you to play a role as a leader amongst leaders and ultimately makes you question how you can use innovation in the space you are in to make a meaningful impact on business and on society.
Length: 3 liVe sessions over 3 weeks plus one week face-to-face at Lausanne campus, IOC, and UEFA headquarters.
