Creative Business Innovation

Creative Business Innovation at the Ars Electronica Futurelab offers a highly customizable process designed to promote creativity and best practices in innovative projects. This approach helps create unique, tangible future prototypes through diverse collaborations. By blending artistic vision with business strategies, we support a wide range of partners worldwide, including those in industry, academia, and governmental entities. 

The process 

In the consulting phase, we get to know our partners, their visions, and their challenges. We start with overall strategy and planning, then move into ideation. During the conceptualization phase, we use our Art Thinking methodology and Art Thinking Collection tools to organize ideation workshops such as Creative Compass, Future Vision, Future Scenario, and Bridge 2040, all tailored to our partners’ needs. 

Together with our partners, we envision the future of society, identify creative questions, and explore the seeds of research. This may encompass creating unique technologies, creative prototypes, artistic installations, architectural designs, new experiences, novel communication methods, social programs, educational initiatives, and governmental efforts. 

In the experimentation phase, our interdisciplinary R&D team of specialists in art, science, and technology not only conducts experiments for technological prototypes. We also develop cultural programs, initiatives, and platforms, blending technological novelty with social impact to achieve tangible outcomes. 

The outcomes

In the realization phase, we leverage our expertise in experience design to present a prototype that stimulates conversations with the public on future issues. These discussions can occur in various venues, including the Ars Electronica Festival and Center, as well as at partner locations such as company headquarters, museums, exhibitions, schools, and universities. Futurelab collaborations are featured prominently at the Ars Electronica Festival through Open Futurelab and Futurelab Night and many are permanently showcased at the Ars Electronica Center, the museum of the future. 

Dissemination and evaluation of the joint research outcomes are another aspect of the Creative Business Innovation process. Insights gathered from societal feedback are analyzed and summarized in the Future Report. These insights are then utilized to update and recalibrate our creative compass, enabling the project to evolve continuously. They also provide inspiration for the next Art Thinking cycle in a long-term collaboration. Incorporating new perspectives through conversations with diverse artists, researchers, and the public helps us navigate through the ever-changing futures. 

Highlights