Outsourced innovation management is an arrangement where an external partner runs or supports your innovation function — strategy, process, governance and delivery — on your behalf. It lets organisations that cannot yet justify a full in-house innovation team still innovate in a managed, professional way, and gives those building a team a running start while internal capability matures.
What we can run for you
- Innovation strategy and portfolio governance
- The idea-to-impact process and decision gates
- Idea management and pipeline reviews
- Coaching of internal teams and sponsors
- Measurement, reporting and continual improvement of the system
You decide how much to hand over — from a light-touch fractional innovation lead to running the function end to end while you build internal capability.
When it makes sense
No team yet
You need to innovate seriously but cannot justify a full department.
Building capability
You want momentum now while you recruit and develop an internal team.
Specialist gap
You have people but lack experienced innovation management leadership.
Stalled function
An existing innovation effort needs experienced hands to get it working.
Designed to hand back
Good outsourced innovation management is not designed to create permanent dependence. From the start we build the structures, skills and documentation that let you take the function in-house when you are ready. Think of it as running the system and training your people to run it — so the capability stays with you.
Begin with a baseline. An InnoPulse assessment tells us — and you — exactly what your innovation function needs to focus on first.
Start the assessmentNeed an innovation function now?
Book a call to scope how much of your innovation function we could run or support.
Discuss an outsourced arrangementFrequently asked questions
What does outsourced innovation management include?
It can include innovation strategy, portfolio governance, the idea-to-impact process, idea management, coaching of your people, and measurement — scoped to how much you want to hand over.
Will we become dependent on you?
No. We deliberately build the structures, skills and documentation to hand the function back, so capability stays in your organisation when you are ready to take it on.
Is this just consulting by another name?
Consulting advises; outsourced innovation management runs. We can take operational responsibility for the innovation function, not only recommend what it should do.
How is it priced?
Arrangements are scoped to the level of involvement you need, from a fractional lead to full management. Speak to us about a model that fits your size and goals.
Last updated: 23 June 2026