Area 631: what I learned in IBM’s start-up and innovation program

<p>In short: a team of six are given a problem, a client, and 3 months to design and build a working prototype or proof of concept. That prototype can then be launched as a IBM funded start-up via&nbsp;<a href="https://medium.com/design-ibm/design-at-the-heart-of-ai-f2a5a931690" rel="noopener">Hyper Blue</a>&nbsp;or be freely implemented by the existing client. Here&rsquo;s how the creator of the program describes it:</p> <blockquote> <p><em>&ldquo;At large enterprise companies, R&amp;D can sometimes take years to go from theory to application. To disrupt this process, IBM created an internal incubator called</em><strong><em>&nbsp;</em></strong><em>Area 631:</em><strong><em>&nbsp;6 IBMers&nbsp;</em></strong><em>working for&nbsp;</em><strong><em>3 months&nbsp;</em></strong><em>to generate&nbsp;</em><strong><em>1 breakthrough.</em></strong><em>&nbsp;IBM gives small, agile teams full control and full-time commitment to their project &mdash; with three months to go from a big idea to working prototype.&rdquo;</em></p> <p><em>&mdash;&nbsp;</em></p> <p><a href="https://medium.com/u/358e68cff7c7?source=post_page-----d87ed98f9549--------------------------------" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><em>Steven Astorino</em></a></p> ,&nbsp;<em>Canada Lab Director</em></blockquote> <p>In my case, the Area 631 project completed in July of 2021. It then went on to become an IBM owned start-up named&nbsp;<a href="https://www.conclude.ai/" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">Conclude.ai</a>&nbsp;. Unfortunately, pending patents prevent me from speaking about product details (sorry!). Instead, I can share 3 key insights:&nbsp;<strong>how to find the right interviewees, tips for working in a remote multidisciplinary team, and how not to be humble</strong>.</p> <p><a href="https://medium.com/design-ibm/area-631-what-i-learned-in-ibms-start-up-and-innovation-program-d87ed98f9549"><strong>Learn More</strong></a></p>