We live in an age of increased complexity, velocity and demand for multidisciplinary thinking. So much of what we do today requires the careful balance of both generalists and specialists to make great work happen.

It excites me to see more and more organizations embrace this approach by bringing together people from multitudes of fields and perspectives, enabling a new depth and diversity of visioning and problem solving.

A bill in the state legislature could help the University of Hawaii develop and commercialize its research. Senate Bill 2943 would provide the university the authority to engage in the economic promotion activities already conducted by other state agenciecs. This would allow it to create, promote and participate in economic enterprises that use university research and provide workforce opportunities for affiliated university workers.

Image: A bill in the state legislature could aid University of Hawaii’s endeavors to develop… more COURTESY UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII

There seems to be a pervasive myth that venture capital is the pinnacle of building a company. The conventional “wisdom” is that young entrepreneurs should come up with an idea, write a business plan, go out and raise venture capital, and voila, they will strike it rich! Many young entrepreneurs think that if you can raise money through venture capital, you can make millions with no downside. Get a high valuation, pop some champagne, and then go home a success. But I can’t think of a worse way to start a business than with other people’s money.

Every business is, willingly or unwillingly, a competitor on a software playing field, no matter which sector it’s in. You’re competing against platforms like Uber in transportation, Google in automotive, Airbnb in hospitality, LinkedIn in recruiting, Netflix in television, and the list goes on. In a world underpinned by ever more powerful, affordable, and public technology platforms, software is still king. And its importance as a source of value will only continue to grow.

Every new business dreams of becoming the premier brand in their space, like Starbucks is to coffee, and Apple is to consumer electronics, but they have no idea how difficult that is to achieve. In fact, only 100 of the 10,000 multimillion-dollar consumer companies around the world can claim to be an “apostle brand” – one that inspires enduring trust, loyalty, and endorsement.

Today, I am starting a new column here at Small Business Trends. In addition to my regular weekly articles that focus on data-driven discussions of entrepreneurship, I am going to cover my experience as an angel investor in two new monthly columns. Below, we will focus on the top three things that angel investors look for when evaluating a potential investment in a startup company.

Image: http://smallbiztrends.com

Companies can outsource innovation. They can launch accelerators, incubators and hackathons.  They can even invest in startups with options to own the company down the road. They might even form commercial partnerships which blend their products with those of newer, shinier players.  But when it comes to innovating from within, most companies struggle.

David Belo trained as a mechanical engineer and he’s worked on cars for most of his career. He’s not a typical gearhead, though. He’s also studied computer science and physics, and his specialty is in the field of simulation: figuring out how to virtually reproduce the real world, in all its complexity and unpredictability, with enough realism that drivers can practice split-second decisions and engineers can test precision parts under high stress. Belo worked at the General Motors proving grounds before being hired by McLaren, a pioneer in the use of racing simulators—and in figuring out how to apply simulation technology outside the world of auto racing.

It takes time to nurture revolutionary, disruptive technology, and rather than writing off the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) after the highly critical report from the European Court of Auditors (ECA), the Commission should stand firm, renew its support and be patient, says Richard Templer, professor at Imperial College London and former director of the UK arm of EIT’s Climate-KIC.

Image: Richard Templer, UK climate researcher; Photo credit: Climate-KIC 

Since World War II, the U.S. has been an innovation superpower. In virtually every advanced field, whether it’s information technology, biotechnology, agriculture, or renewable energy, America holds a leading position. Other nations may challenge in one field or another, but no one can match its depth and breadth.

Before I went all-in on my first startup experience, I had the unique pleasure of selling access to Warren Buffett’s fleet of private jets. My mid-20s were spent cold calling billionaires, celebrities, and athletes and every now and then, closing a deal that helped them avoid the TSA and arrive at their destination in style. It was an incredible job with some amazing perks, and in the process I learned a lot.

SAN FRANCISCO -- On Tuesday, April 19, four Northern California cities and a cluster of tech startups confirmed a set of new collaborations to assist citizens and departments on critical issues in the region.

The partnerships were announced as part of the San Francisco Mayor's Office of Civic Innovation’s Startup in Residence Program (STiR). After a two-year hiatus, the program returned officially on Jan. 28 with support and participation from the neighboring cities of Oakland, San Leandro and West Sacramento. The group intends to borrow the startups’ entrepreneurial flare for problem solving by physically embedding them inside city departments for 16 weeks, tasking them with co-developing solutions with staff, and presenting them at a demo day this September.

Image: At the launch of San Francisco's regional Startup in Residence Program, Chief Innovation Officer Jay Nath urges attending technologists and startups to innovate in tandem with city departments. JASON SHUEH

Venture capital: It’s not just for breakfast anymore. Or maybe it is, if you are one of the biggest cereal (and other foodstuff) makers in the world.

The New York Times reported Monday that General Mills has created a venture capital unit that aims to help take the old guard into the vanguard, with an eye on investing in health-conscious items and also broadening its online presence.

In one notable placement, according to The Times, the firm led a $3 million placement in Rhythm Superfoods, which is a food-centered startup that makes kale chips, among other items.

The venture crash is coming! Alarmist headlines have recently popped up regarding the drop in venture capital suffered in 1Q. In actuality, more than $18 billion was invested during the quarter through venture deals in the U.S. alone, according to the PitchBook Platform, representing an uptick from capital invested in 4Q.

Image: http://www.valuewalk.com

Previously we reported on the steady increase in the number of women founders and the universities that produce them. In this study, we looked at two new questions.

First, we set out to determine how many women are true investing partners at the leading venture and micro-venture firms. While everyone knows that the number of female investing partners is very limited, we aimed to establish a well-defined baseline against which to measure future progress.

The University of Michigan’s endowment has bolstered its alternative assets with more than $100 million in commitments to venture capital and real estate funds. Michigan also plans a new commitment of $50 million, subject to approval, to CD Capital Natural Resources Fund III, a London-based pool that will invest in early-stage mining opportunities, according to the agenda for the Board of Regents meeting on April 21.

Sustained innovation comes from developing a collective sense of purpose; from unleashing the creativity of people throughout your organization and from teaching them how to recognize unconventional opportunities. Here are seven strategies for sustaining innovation in your organization. The need for constant reinvention is a given in today’s business environment. And while a breakthrough product or concept can catapult an organization ahead of its competitors, in these fast-paced times, that advantage is often short-lived.

Can innovation help achieve the new global development agenda? Can it help address growing humanitarian needs worldwide? The stakes are high: Last year, U.N. member states endorsed the ambitious Sustainable Development Goals, and in May 2016, the World Humanitarian Summit sets out to reshape aid.

Image: Participants in an event organized by the United Nations Development Program to showcase how the organization is investing in innovation. How can others leverage innovation to meet the Agenda 2030? Photo by: UNDP / CC BY-NC

Pensions in are an incredibly sensitive subject. Earlier this year — relatively minor — retirement reforms in Southern African caused wide-spread panic. That was largely to do with people’s ability to access their pension funds in the way they want. But if the Southern African Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (SAVCA) is to be believed, there’s room for improvement in the way funds invest people’s pensions too.

Back in July 2015 we were accepted into the IMPACT accelerator. We had a faint idea of what accelerators do. But it is only now, the day our acceleration ends, that we believe we understand what their value is. And it is not only the monetary grant, the mentoring and the learning. There is something much subtler no one tells you about. It’s what makes the acceleration experience worthwhile for years to come.

Image: Gregor (founder) and Marko (CEO) winning an entry ticket to IMPACT.