American ingenuity drives trillions in U.S. GDP and supports tens of millions of jobs—all thanks to sustained private investment and public policies that support innovation, research, and creativity as ideas take shape. The Value Ingenuity initiative aims to tell the story of innovation and creativity from mind to market.
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Pathways to Ingenuity
How ideas become reality:
Step 1
Know-How: Creative Building Blocks
Before a writer sits down at their desk, a pharmaceutical company launches a new line of research, or a singer enters the studio to record an album, they must first build out their bank of abilities — education, experience, talent recruitment, training, and capacity-building measures. Whether at the individual or the firm level, actionable innovation and creativity require know-how, the practical knowledge or skill to shape a good idea.
Pathways to Ingenuity
How ideas become reality:
Step 2
Concept: Ideas to Action (Pure Science/Pure Creativity)
With their up-front investment in expertise and capabilities made, a creator can move to the idea phase — focusing on a particular technical challenge or artistic endeavor with a vision for a specific end-product. During this stage, innovators and creators develop ideas and evaluate them against other ideas to gauge which ones are both achievable and worth pursuing.
Pathways to Ingenuity
How ideas become reality:
Step 3
Version One and Beyond (Applied Science and R&D/Creative Refinement)
Ideas rarely spring to life as fully developed and functional products. Research and development both are crucial to an idea’s ultimate success. A singer writes her song and tweaks the tune; an author outlines and drafts his novel; a drug manufacturer tests how a chemical or biologic compound interacts with human cells.
Pathways to Ingenuity
How ideas become reality:
Step 4
Function: Finalizing Form
A final product has taken shape — it still needs a discerning eye before release. Focus groups, editors, and clinical trials help us understand how a product works — and will be received — in the real-world.
Pathways to Ingenuity
How ideas become reality:
Step 5
Commercialization: Making it to Market
It’s not enough to have a great, new product. Can it be produced and reach consumers and patients in a form that’s usable, affordable, and replicable — and provides the innovator or creator with a return on investment? The crucial commercialization stage is where innovation and creativity become real and sustainable.
