In the pre-VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity) world, companies were able to make financial decisions by extrapolating from the past because the business context evolved linearly. Today, this is no longer the case: business contexts change dramatically, new players become the new norm, and even players from other industries can emerge as new threats. To face this new context, ESADE and Singularity University (SU), the global learning and innovation community founded by NASA and Google, have launched a joint programme to empower executives with inspiration and tools to lead the transformation of their companies. The new programme, called ‘Journey to Business Transformation’, looks at virtual reality, artificial intelligence, robotics, big data, 3D printing and digital biology as technologies that will redefine the rules and business models of many sectors in the near future.

‘Journey to Business Transformation’ is a 5-day immersive learning experience partially delivered at Singularity University, which is located at NASA Research Park in Silicon Valley, the global epicentre of exponential technologies. The first edition will run from 22 to 26 January 2018 and will feature faculty and speakers from Singularity University, ESADE, the Aspen Institute and companies, start-ups and venture capitalists from Silicon Valley.  

A practical roadmap on how to approach disruption and transform companies

According to Ivan Bofarull, Director of Insights & New Strategic Initiatives at ESADE, ‘Senior managers from incumbent companies are redesigning their companies’ operating systems focusing on growth, betting on audacious and ambitious new projects called “moonshots”. Organisations usually fail to adapt to a new reality where their main critical skill is constant learning, but they also often fail to successfully launch and land their moonshots. There can be no new operating system if you are unable to land your moonshot back at your company, enabling it to evolve and transform. The new joint ESADE-SU programme will give executives the tools they need tackle all these issues at once.’

‘Journey to Business Transformation’ will offer its participants new frameworks for innovation and the exponential economy, an immersion in the most relevant exponential technologies, and new connections with entrepreneurs, executives and venture builders in Silicon Valley. It will also offer a practical roadmap on how to approach disruption, as well as the opportunity to belong to both the ESADE and Singularity University communities.