We have been ongoing about innovation (or the lack of it) for some time now. And though there is no question that the process and content industry is slow to move, and typically lacks that creative spark, there are glimmers of hope. Over the past year, we have taken close to 200 briefings, and if the truth be told, many of them are simply repetitions of the same old, same old. But occasionally, and for what it’s worth usually unexpectedly, we hear something new, something that grabs our attention. What we know for sure is that innovation is not the sole domain of startups, nor are major technology firms immune to producing new ideas. The rapid growth of AI, Cloud, and Blockchain is fueling new possibilities, but innovation isn’t dependent on new technology, it comes from looking at an existing situation and rethinking it, and in the process realizing there is a better way. Examples of unexpected innovation we encountered in the past year came from (among others) Kodak Alaris, Oracle, Nuxeo, Grooper, and Objective Corporation. Five companies that otherwise have very little in common…. Oracle surprised us with their supply chain blockchain initiatives that out of nowhere set a new bar. Nuxeo showed us some of the most user-friendly and practical AI we have seen. Objective provided an example of how a few tweaks can revolutionize a user’s experience. Grooper has thrown everything behind a radical rethink of data integration, and Kodak Alaris dramatically reinvented the implementation and maintenance experience. To be clear, we are not endorsing these products or companies; what is a fit in one organization may not work in another. But credit where it is due, they have all, in their own unique ways, reframed an existing problem and taken bold steps to improve and reinvent a solution. The goal of finding those diamonds in the rough means that 2020 is the Deep Analysis year of innovation. Ok, it’s not an official holiday or government-approved, but this is now our primary focus. In the coming months, you will see the launch of our “Innovation Index” service, and hopefully, many profiles and reports of innovation and change in the industry. So with that comes a call to action. We are genuinely excited when we spot something interesting in the market. Still, we are not soothsayers and recognize that there must be many more diamonds in the rough to uncover. If you are doing something innovative, something exciting then drops us a line and let us know. At Deep Analysis we keep an open door and, time allowing, we are always interested to hear about new developments Work with us today to ensure you are a disruptor not one of the disrupted!  Get trusted advice and technology insights for your business from the experts at Deep Analysis. [email protected]