Building Innovation Capacity
Since 2021, IntoActions has led a series of multi-week Innovation Labs for early-stage entrepreneurs and emerging innovation leaders from Saudi Arabia. These hands-on, immersive, team- and project-based programs have been delivered in both Riyadh and Silicon Valley.
The Innovation Labs are designed as intensive learning experiences that combine real-world challenges with practical tools drawn from design education and the learning and cognitive sciences. Participants work in teams, learn by doing, and apply new ideas directly to authentic problems.
The primary goal of the Innovation Labs is to equip young Saudi graduates and early-stage entrepreneurs with practical strategic innovation skills and the confidence to apply them in real-world contexts.
Key Learning Objectives
By the end of the Innovation Labs, participants are able to:
- Explain the four phases of the design thinking process and how they connect from start to finish
- Frame real-world challenges by observing users, conducting interviews, and questioning initial assumptions
- Use idea-generation techniques to move beyond obvious or first-pass solutions
- Create low-fidelity prototypes—such as sketches or simple models—to make ideas tangible and learn quickly
- Communicate ideas through clear, human-centered stories that engage and motivate others
- Build confidence in their own creative abilities through rapid, low-risk experimentation
- Practice a curious leadership mindset by using questions to challenge assumptions and unlock others’ ideas
- Build trust and psychological safety by listening carefully, staying present, and knowing when to step in—or step back
- Apply an integrated approach that connects strategic thinking, human-centered design, and implementation
Featured Image: Innovation Lab Participants during a field visit in Riyadh.
Image Credit: © IntoActions. Photo by Reinhold Steinbeck