What is the common thread between Yamaha, Alibaba, Microsoft, Uber, and Amazon? These companies are all clear leaders in their industries, and all embrace innovation and entrepreneurial thinking as part of their overall business strategy. To survive and maintain a competitive edge, companies must continuously innovate and re-invent themselves. However, innovation in theory is one thing but applying it in practice to real-world business problems is quite another.
IMD has partnered with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) to bring you the Innovation In Action program. You will put innovation and your entrepreneurial thinking into practice with a real-world innovation challenge, bolster your leadership skills, and apply what you have learned to your own business with a concrete action plan.
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.
