The Disruptive Technologies & Innovation Foresight Minds (DTIM) 2025 conference in Berlin was a milestone event for Wellspring. With deep discussions on innovation strategy, and the best coffee and swag found at the Wellspring booth (as attendees told us!), DTIM proved to be more than just a gathering—it was a catalyst for fresh thinking in R&D and innovation management.
One of the most talked-about presentations was from Wellspring’s VP of Research, Huub Rutten and his compelling analogy:
An octopus has distributed intelligence, with brain function in its arms. This allows each arm to react independently to stimuli. However, when faced with sudden danger—or an opportunity like food—all arms must instantly coordinate and move in the same direction. If each arm acted independently in such moments, chaos would ensue. The octopus’s coordination is directed in a top-down manner from its central brain.
Huub’s insight struck a chord because it mirrors the challenge many organizations face today. Too often, innovation efforts operate in silos—individual teams pursue promising ideas, but without alignment around revenue stream targets and clear delivery time frames, these initiatives compete for resources, slowing down progress.
This is why leading companies are shifting toward top-down portfolio management and innovation management. Just as an octopus must unify its movements to survive, enterprises must align their innovation strategies with business growth objectives to accelerate effectively. A top-down approach eliminates internal bottlenecks, ensuring that all innovation efforts move in sync toward high-impact outcomes.
At DTIM, we saw this urgency reflected in discussions with innovation and R&D leaders from across the globe. The consensus? Organic does not deliver the growth we need today —therefore companies need structured innovation frameworks that drive faster, more coordinated results.
For Wellspring, DTIM 2025 was a powerful validation of our mission. Our innovation management software is helping organizations master these challenges, and the response to our approach was overwhelmingly positive.
If you missed us at DTIM and want to explore how Wellspring can help your organization move like an octopus—fast, focused, and strategically aligned—reach out today!
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