{"id":1903,"date":"2019-11-18T08:30:10","date_gmt":"2019-11-18T08:30:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs-staging.imperial.ac.uk\/ighi\/?p=1903"},"modified":"2019-11-18T11:05:04","modified_gmt":"2019-11-18T11:05:04","slug":"top-tips-for-budding-innovators","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs-staging.imperial.ac.uk\/ighi\/2019\/11\/18\/top-tips-for-budding-innovators\/","title":{"rendered":"Top tips for budding innovators"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"
Photography by Fergus Burnett<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Having an idea that could make a difference is only the beginning of becoming the next big innovator.<\/p>\n

As we gear up for the opening of our 2019\/20 IGHI Student Challenges Competition on 7 January, we\u2019ve gathered some top tips from IGHI and Imperial College London\u2019s many experts in innovation to help you bring your ideas to life.<\/p>\n

These innovative individuals draw upon a wealth of experience and knowledge that they\u2019ve built up from establishing their own start-ups or working in innovation.<\/p>\n

Read on for their words of wisdom, and if you\u2019re inspired by these, why not submit your global health project for our Student Challenges Competition<\/a> in January, for the chance to win \u00a310,000?<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"A1. Ideas start small <\/strong><\/h2>\n

\u201cIf you have an idea you wish you could pursue, and you believe it could have a positive impact on global health, don\u2019t be afraid to take the leap. And don\u2019t fear failure \u2013 see it as the process through which your idea becomes the best version of itself. Every idea starts small. So just embrace the process of shaping it into something meaningful and enjoy the journey of seeing it coming to life.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr Ana Luisa Neves<\/strong><\/a>
\nResearch Fellow in Clinical Analytics and Patient Safety
\nPatient Safety Translational Research Centre, IGHI<\/p>\n

2. Be adaptable\"\"<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\u201cAs an innovator, in any field, you need to be perseverant and adaptable \u2013 have conviction in your idea, but always be open to change and suggestions.\u201d<\/p>\n

Uddhav Vaghela and Simon Rabinowicz<\/strong>
\nFounders of VUI Diagnostics<\/a>
\nRunners-up of IGHI\u2019s Student Challenges Competition 2019 and winners of Imperial\u2019s Venture Catalyst Challenge<\/p>\n

\"\"3. Strike a balance between learning from others and originality<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\u201cTake inspiration and ideas from people and companies that have done similar things. But at the same time, keep an open mind in applying ideas from far away sources and non-related fields that can be juxta-posed to strengthen your aims.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hutan Ashrafian<\/strong><\/a>
\nScientific Advisor
\nIGHI<\/p>\n

4. Understand your customer\"\"<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\u201cThe most important lesson we have learned is actually one that everyone told us from the beginning: Know your customer! \u201cAnother equally important tip is that you should delegate your work where you can.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kai Riemer and Laura Braun<\/a><\/strong>
\nFounders of Capta
\nWinners of IGHI\u2019s Student Challenges Competition and the Venture Catalyst Challenge 2019<\/p>\n

\"\"5. Are you really addressing a problem?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\u201cBe clear about the problem you\u2019re trying to solve and who owns it. Don\u2019t fall into the trap of having an idea and then tying yourself up in knots trying to justify it and convince people. Be problem-focused rather than solution-led; everything else flows from there. Talk to people and confirm whether what you think is the problem is actually a problem. You\u2019d be amazed at how many early-stage ideas flounder because what we convince ourselves that people are looking for turns out to be wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben Mumby-Croft<\/strong>
\nDirector of Entrepreneurship, Imperial Enterprise Lab<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/h2>\n

<\/h2>\n

\"\"6. Make your solution usable<\/strong><\/h2>\n

“Make sure you have really understood the needs and work patterns of users, so you have designed something that not only solves a problem but does so in a way that people will actively want to use.”<\/p>\n

Dr Will Cavendish<\/strong><\/a>
\nGlobal Leader, Digital Services, Arup
\nVisiting Professor, IGHI<\/p>\n

\"\"7. Don’t listen to the naysayers\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n

“Develop resilience. When you hit individuals who represent barriers, don\u2019t waste your time trying to persuade them. Work around them. Eventually, even the laggards will join!”<\/p>\n

Professor Julia Riley<\/a>
\n<\/strong>Founder of Coordinate My Care,
\nConsultant in Palliative Medicine at the Royal Marsden and Royal Brompton NHS Trusts
\nVisiting Professor, IGHI<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Having an idea that could make a difference is only the beginning of becoming the next big innovator. As we gear up for the opening of our 2019\/20 IGHI Student Challenges Competition on 7 January, we\u2019ve gathered some top tips from IGHI and Imperial College London\u2019s many experts in innovation to help you bring your […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1013,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11640],"tags":[371],"class_list":["post-1903","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-design","tag-innovation"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs-staging.imperial.ac.uk\/ighi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1903","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs-staging.imperial.ac.uk\/ighi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs-staging.imperial.ac.uk\/ighi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs-staging.imperial.ac.uk\/ighi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1013"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs-staging.imperial.ac.uk\/ighi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1903"}],"version-history":[{"count":17,"href":"https:\/\/blogs-staging.imperial.ac.uk\/ighi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1903\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1936,"href":"https:\/\/blogs-staging.imperial.ac.uk\/ighi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1903\/revisions\/1936"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs-staging.imperial.ac.uk\/ighi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1903"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs-staging.imperial.ac.uk\/ighi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1903"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs-staging.imperial.ac.uk\/ighi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1903"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}