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Our new book: Untapping Innovation® out now
CES 2026 marked a clear turn away from spectacle and toward technologies designed to fit seamlessly into everyday life. Rather than headline-grabbing breakthroughs, the most compelling innovations focused on usability, trust, and integration into real human routines, signalling a more grounded and human-centred phase of progress.
As pressure on R&D teams continues to rise, the biggest gains often come from how we work day to day. These eight atomic habits show how small shifts in behaviour can strengthen commercial relevance and real-world impact in 2026.
The British Beauty Council’s “Future of Beauty” event this week was one of the most intelligently curated industry gatherings we’ve seen in quite a long time. Every panel was deliberate, with a mix of business leaders, founders, scientists and creatives who together told a story of an economically valuable industry, evolving faster than ever. For R&D leaders in FMCG, who don’t often get the luxury of stepping outside the business, there were some powerful takeaways on how consumer relevance, science, and creativity can work better together.
Packing Innovation On Show At London Packaging Week 2025
Two days at London Packaging Week left me energised by many examples of how packaging is evolving. As a user-centric product developer, I see this convergence between feeling and function as the most exciting design frontier – where empathy, inclusivity and circularity meet creativity and impact.
In volatile economic times, the organisations that will win are those that resist the temptation of premature numbers and instead base their early-stage decisions on clarity, deeper evidence, and meaningful human insight.
In today’s innovation landscape, R&D teams are navigating a complex, high-stakes environment. The pressure is on to deliver products that are not only advanced and scalable, but also deeply resonant with real human needs. In this context, AI is emerging as a game changing innovation co-pilot, accelerating critical delivery milestones.
So how can R&D teams continue to amplify emerging AI capabilities in a way that is strategic and effective, leading to consistent future breakthroughs?
Our team recently stepped into a world of perfumery at the Experimental Perfume Club (EPC), to immerse ourselves in a hands-on innovation experience. It was an exercise in creativity, decision-making and user experience.
As FMCG R&D leaders seek to develop breakthrough innovations in an increasingly competitive and cost-conscious environment, the latest Holland & Barrett flagship store offers a compelling case study. More than just a retail refresh, this space represents a radical rethinking of how consumers discover, engage with, and trust wellness products. No longer can R&D focus solely on the in-use experience of a product; the moment of discovery is now just as critical. Here are ten strategic lessons designed specifically for R&D leaders who want to be more user-led while managing the realities of innovation speed and cost.
Image Credit – Holland & Barrett.
In today’s competitive landscape, R&D teams are under more pressure than ever to deliver innovative, high-performing products—without blowing timelines or budgets. We’ll explore some common challenges R&D teams face and how a structured, MVP-driven approach can help overcome them.
“Untapped Innovation leverages user data and promotes collaboration to provide organisations with a road map for success through its Ideal Product Model Blueprint” The Independent
