Mission-Driven Innovation System™
Lead innovation that actually delivers.
A practical leadership blueprint for turning technology ambition into real, scalable impact — without burning out your teams.
Mission-Aligned Leadership
Turn innovation from scattered initiatives into a coherent, purpose-driven system aligned with long-term strategy.
Designed for Complexity
Navigate uncertainty with frameworks built for the "Never Normal" — where prediction fails and learning wins.
From Ideas to Impact
Move beyond projects and processes. Build innovation systems that scale, deliver, and create measurable value.
01 — The Problem
Why most innovation efforts fail.
- — Agile is implemented, but results plateau.
- — Innovation labs are built, but breakthroughs don't scale.
- — Projects start with excitement and end in quiet termination emails.
Despite decades of frameworks, 70–90% of corporate innovation initiatives fail to deliver intended impact.
You don't lack talent. You don't lack ambition.
You lack alignment between mission and system.
02 — The Shift
From innovation fatigue to mission-driven breakthrough.
Mission-Driven Innovation connects leadership behavior, strategy and roadmapping, governance and budgeting, digital enablers (AI, simulation, virtual experimentation), and mission and values into a coherent system designed for the "Never Normal" world.
Lead missions.
Instead of managing projects.
Design for learning.
Instead of controlling uncertainty.
Build tomorrow's model.
Instead of optimizing yesterday's.
Pricing
Mission-Driven Innovation System™
The complete system — book, frameworks, and leadership blueprint.
One-time
$29.95
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What You Get
Inside the system.
- 01Lead innovation when the old playbook no longer works.
- 02Turn bold missions into actionable innovation systems.
- 03Move from scattered initiatives to strategically aligned portfolios.
- 04Design governance that enables speed without losing control.
- 05Balance long-term technology maturation with short-term performance pressure.
- 06Orchestrate innovation across ecosystems — not just within your firm.
- 07Align funding, risk-sharing, and incentives with mission ambition.
- 08Build structured learning loops that accelerate progress under uncertainty.
- 09Lead visibly in times of volatility and systemic transition.
- 10Create innovation capacity that delivers both performance and purpose.
About the Author
Anita Friis Sommer
Written by a leader who has done the work — redesigning innovation systems by aligning purpose, structure, governance, processes and digital capabilities around a shared mission.
- — COO, Novo Nordisk Foundation CO₂ Research Center
- — Associate Professor in R&D and Innovation Management
- — Former Head of Sustainable Operations, LEGO Group
- — Co-developer of the Agile–Stage-Gate® model
Who It's For
Built for leaders shaping technology portfolios.
CTOs and CIOs
R&D Directors
Innovation Leaders
Sustainability & Transformation Executives
Corporate Strategy Leaders
Board members responsible for technology portfolios
FAQ
Questions, answered.
When will the book be released?+
Mission-Driven Innovation is scheduled for release in Q3 2026. Early access members receive launch updates first.
What's included with early access?+
A 20% subscriber discount at launch, exclusive insights, early access to selected content, and invitations to talks and masterclasses.
Who is this system for?+
Senior leaders in R&D, operations, product development, and transformation navigating complex innovation environments.
How is this different from Agile or Stage-Gate®?+
It builds on them — integrating Agile, Stage-Gate, and systems thinking into a unified operating model aligned with strategy and governance.
Community
Join the Mission-Driven Innovation community.
Updates on the book release, exclusive insights, early access to selected content, and a 20% subscriber discount at launch in Q3 2026. No noise. No spam.