Innovation is more than building a solution :: Ravi Kurani

What is Innovation?

Ravi Kurani, Co-Founder of Sutro, discusses the distinction between problem-solving and solution-building, active listening and adapting, what does not constitute innovation, and how to manage energy and create a successful innovation strategy.

More about our guest:

Ravi Kurani is the founder of Sutro. He is based in San Francisco. Ravi was selected to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list in 2017 for the Energy category.Ravi attended the University of California, Riverside where he graduated with a B.S. in Mechanical engineering. He earned his MBA from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies and a Certificate in Sustainable Energy Conversion and Storage from Stanford University.Early in his career, Ravi interned at Under The Mango Tree, was a Frontier Market Scout at Village Capital, an Analyst at Hub Ventures, and a Project Coordinator at Building Wise. He was a Social Entrepreneurship Advisor at CORO Northern California and an Advisor to SAHGHATA GLOBAL.In 2011, he founded ImpactSpace, an open impact data initiative, is the open and free global database of companies, entrepreneurs and investors delivering social and environmental impact along with financial returns. In 2013, Ravi founded the water testing and data analytics company, Sutro. The company's main product has built a sensor-connected app that monitors the health of your swimming pool, notifies you if maintenance is required and orders pool supplies.
Know more about her and his company here:

• Ravi Kurani
• Sutro

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Episode Guide:

1:15 - What is Innovation?

1:44 - Solving a problem vs building a solution

2:43 - Importance of distinction: solution

5:33 - Company: Sutro

10:05 - "It's my baby" founder's mentality

12:24 - The value of 'listening" and 'pivot'

13:59 - What isn't innovation?

17:55 - Balancing and Managing one's energy

23:25 - Risk Predictability

26:24 - Risk acceptance and attachment philosophy

29:20 - Advice for innovators
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OUTLAST Consulting offers professional development and strategic advisory services in the areas of innovation and diversity management.