About this Innovation Strategy series
This Innovation Strategy FAQ is part of a 4-part series is part of a 4-part series by RevelX on innovation strategy—designed for leaders who want to move beyond buzzwords and build a future-ready organization.
In this series, we explore:
- Why innovation strategy matters
- How to build one in practice
- How RevelX integrates AI in innovation strategy
- The most important question stakeholders ask about innovation strategy (FAQ)
Whether you’re shaping your first innovation roadmap or refining your strategic focus, this series will give you the tools and perspectives to lead with confidence.
1. What is an innovation strategy?
An innovation strategy defines how an organization uses innovation to ensure long-term relevance and growth. It outlines what to innovate, why it’s necessary, and how innovation will be executed through projects, capabilities, and partnerships.
2. Why is having an innovation strategy important?
A strong innovation strategy helps organizations:
- Anticipate disruptions
- Allocate resources effectively
- Align innovation with business goals
- Embed innovation across the entire organization
- It transforms innovation from “nice to have” into a growth engine.
3. What are common reasons innovation strategies fail?
Based on RevelX research, the top three reasons are:
- Short-term focus over long-term vision
- Lack of awareness about external disruptions
- No ownership of innovation at leadership level
4. How many organizations have a well-defined innovation strategy?
According to our benchmark of almost 1000 companies:
- Only 40% have a clearly defined innovation strategy
- Among high performers, this rises to 76%
- Low performers: only 16%
5. What is the Innovation Strategy Canvas?
It’s a practical framework developed by RevelX that helps organizations build a complete innovation strategy. It includes six key building blocks:
- Drivers of disruption
- Innovation readiness
- Ambition & themes
- Roadmap
- Enablers
- Innovation North Star & targets
Download the canvas hier and watch the on-demand webinar to learn how to use it.
6. What is the difference between business strategy and innovation strategy?
While closely related, business strategy and innovation strategy serve different purposes and operate on different time horizons:
Business Strategy
- Defines the overarching strategic ambition
- Typically has a 3-year horizon
- Focuses on turnover and profitability growth targets
- Prioritizes short-term growth through existing propositions
- Translates into commercial and organizational plans for the next cycle
Innovation Strategy
- Supports and aligns with the overall business strategy
- Should look further into the future (5+ years)
- Focuses on business model transformation and agility
- Prioritizes future growth through innovation enablers and new propositions
- Translates into a roadmap of innovation projects across multiple horizons
In essence, business strategy is about running the business, while innovation strategy is about reinventing it. A mature organization needs both—working in tandem—to stay relevant and competitive in the long term.
This distinction is also a core element of the RevelX Playbook voor innovatiestrategie.
7. How can I assess my company’s innovation readiness?
You can use the free Benchmark Innovatiebereidheid from RevelX. It evaluates your innovation capabilities across leadership, culture, portfolio, and more.
8. What is RevelX’s approach to building innovation strategies?
We work in co-creation with client stakeholder teams, typically over 2–3 interactive workshops. We bring:
- Best practices from 100+ strategies
- External inspiration from other industries
- Proven tools like the Strategy Canvas and many more Innovation frameworks
We don’t just deliver a document—we build shared ownership and decision-making power.
9. How is AI integrated into RevelX’s strategy work?
AI is used to enhance, not replace, the strategy process. We use AI to:
- Analyze disruption trends and customer shifts
- Accelerate ideation and clustering in workshops
- Identify gaps in innovation portfolios
- Simulate risk/ROI for strategic projects
The result? Sharper insights, faster alignment, and more data-driven strategy development.
10. Can AI write my innovation strategy for me?
Technically—yes. But that misses the point. The real value lies in living the strategy process with your team: surfacing assumptions, aligning ambition, and creating ownership. AI supports that journey, but doesn’t replace human leadership.
11. How do I know if my organization is innovation-ready?
Use the Benchmark Innovatiebereidheid to assess your maturity across 7 dimensions. You’ll get a personalized score, peer comparison, and concrete next steps.
12. What’s the first step I should take today?

Rob Nouwens
Klantgerichte commerciële leider met meer dan 10 jaar commerciële leidinggevende ervaring binnen de snelle technologie- en cloudsector. Hij stimuleert bedrijfsgroei door (kanaal)verkoop-, go-to marketing- en marketingstrategieën op te zetten en uit te voeren. Combineert strategisch denken met een energieke hands-on en can-do mentaliteit.
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