# 255: Are You Crushing Open Innovation?

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/innovation-storytellers-3701797/255-are-you-crushing-open-innovation
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/innovation-storytellers-3701797/255-are-you-crushing-open-innovation.md
Podcast: [Innovation Storytellers](https://stenobird.com/podcast/innovation-storytellers-3701797)
Published: 2026-04-28T04:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://innovationstorytellers.com/podcasts
Audio file: https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/innovationstorytellers/Susan_April_26.mp3?dest-id=2720171
Processing state: not_requested
JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/innovation-storytellers-3701797/episodes/255-are-you-crushing-open-innovation
Duration seconds: 2497

## Resource

What does it really take for large organizations to keep innovating when speed, disruption, and AI are changing the rules faster than ever before? In this episode of the Innovation Storytellers Show, I'm joined by two returning guests whose work has shaped how many leaders think about innovation inside large organizations: Dr. Diana Joseph, CEO of the Corporate Accelerator Forum, and Dan Toma, co-author of The Corporate Startup and Innovation Accounting. Together, they return to discuss their new book, Open Innovation Works, and why open innovation has become a business necessity rather than a nice idea for the future. We unpack why so many organizations struggle to innovate once they grow beyond their original breakthrough, and why the answer often lies outside the four walls of the business. From startup accelerators and incubators to university partnerships and corporate venture capital, Diana and Dan explain how companies can choose the right innovation vehicle rather than simply copying competitors. They also explain why alignment within the organization is often harder than working with startups. The conversation also takes a timely turn toward AI, where both guests challenge the growing trend of creating isolated "AI departments." Instead, they argue that AI should be treated like any other business tool, embedded across every function rather than locked inside another silo. It is a practical, honest discussion about why so many AI projects fail, what leaders are getting wrong, and how innovation teams can stay relevant by tying their work directly to business growth and measurable outcomes. We also explore real-world examples from companies like Illumina and the lessons learned from cautionary tales like Borders and Amazon. At the center of it all is one simple…

## Actions

- request_transcript: `POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/innovation-storytellers-3701797/episodes/255-are-you-crushing-open-innovation/transcription-requests` — Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode.
- read_markdown: `GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/innovation-storytellers-3701797/255-are-you-crushing-open-innovation.md` — Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource.

A page view does not enqueue transcription. Agents should invoke `request_transcript` explicitly when they need this episode processed.

## Transcript

Full transcripts are not published on public pages unless there is a clear rights basis.