The Innovation Lab’s Hologram: More Show Than Substance
The 25-year-old in the hoodie adjusted the VR headset for the eighth time that afternoon. Another cohort of executives, this one from the regional finance division, shuffled through the ‘Innovation Zone,’ nodding politely, cameras flashing. They clutched their coffee cups, their expensive shoes squeaking softly on the polished concrete floor, careful not to smudge the pristine whiteboard where ‘disruption’ was scrawled next to a messy diagram of a blockchain. It was Tuesday, again, and the tour bus had just unloaded its precious cargo, ready for the ritual performance. This isn’t innovation; it’s corporate tourism, a meticulously staged show where the real product isn’t a breakthrough, but the appearance of one.
Another tour, another triumph of optics over output.
The air hummed with the low thrum of a 3D printer endlessly fabricating obscure plastic widgets, a constant, soothing drone designed to convey progress. Here, amidst the beanbags, the kombucha taps, and the vibrant graffiti art covering an entire wall, our team often felt like exhibits ourselves. We pitched ideas, solid ones – like a data-driven system that could optimize our client Cheltenham Cleaners’ logistics by a staggering 22 percent, reducing fuel costs by $1,202,222 annually. We provided precise projections, showing a return on investment within 122 days. Yet, getting a budget of $20,002 approved for actual implementation felt like asking for the keys to the company jet.
And why? Because true innovation, the kind that







