The biggest challenge in finding the right innovation partner isn’t a lack of options—it’s knowing which consulting firm can truly deliver results tailored to your business.
The best innovation consulting firms don’t rely on one-size-fits-all approaches. Instead, they bring in seasoned experts who specialize in your industry, craft tailored strategies, and use proven methodologies to deliver real impact. These consulting firms excel because they focus on what matters: understanding your unique challenges, leveraging their experience, and adapting their engagement models to fit your needs.
In this article, we spotlight ten innovation consulting firms that are quietly helping Fortune 500 companies like Walmart, Amazon, and Apple, stay ahead of market shifts and emerging trends. From their client successes to their niche expertise, these firms are redefining how companies approach innovation. If you’re looking for a partner who can help you spot opportunities, navigate risks, and execute strategies with precision, these are the ones to watch.
Crazy Might Work
| Website | https://www.crazymightwork.com/ |
| Location | Sydney, Australia |
| Type of Services | NASA 4-Dimensional Leadership Program, Strategic Innovation in Aged Care & Community Services, Appreciative Inquiry, Biomimicry, Change Agency, Cross-Sector Collaboration, Crowd Sourcing, Design Thinking, Game Design, Innovation Simulations, Innovation Consulting Keynotes and Facilitation, Innovation Playbook, LEGO® Serious Play®, Strategic Storytelling, Systems Thinking |
| Clients | Novartis, Medtronic, Allianz, AON, various government agencies |
Crazy Might Work’s NASA 4-Dimensional Leadership Course uses leadership lessons from space frontiers like NASA to transform the corporate workplace.
Paul Hawkins developed this program inspired by the book ‘How NASA Builds Teams by Charlie Pellerin, the former Director of Astrophysics at NASA. Paul’s career took him to over 20 countries. During this time, he tackled challenges ranging from mergers and acquisitions to establishing global shared services. In 2015, he founded Crazy Might Work to bring his expertise to innovation consulting.
The innovation consulting firm was recognized as the “Most Outstanding Business Consultant Company—NSW” at the 2022 APAC Business Awards. Its clientele includes government agencies, space exploration pioneers, and Fortune 500 corporations like Novartis and Medtronic.
GreyB
| Website | https://www.greyb.com/ |
| Location | Singapore (HQ), India |
| Type of Services | Industry Analysis, Competitor Intelligence, Technology Due Diligence, Partnership Scouting, Intellectual Property Intelligence, Startup Scouting, Innovation Scouting and Open Innovation Services |
| Clients | BASF, Hogan Lovells, AB InBev, LafargeHolcim, UPS Global Innovations, Swisscom, Norton Rose Fulbright, Panasonic, Pierce Atwood, and Prüfer & Partner, Saint-Gobain, Sandoz, Yetter Coleman, Baker Botts, Bugnion, Cooley, DLA Piper, and Dority & Manning, Fenwick & West, Fives Group, Fry’s Electronics, Goldman Ismail Tomaselli, Grab, Greenberg Traurig, Guardian IP Consulting, HealthBeacon, and Henkel |
GreyB uses patent data to track emerging technologies, industry shifts, and innovation opportunities. The innovation consulting firm combines patent intelligence with market insights to empower R&D teams from top-tier companies to make informed strategic decisions.
Deepak Syal founded GreyB with a vision of making innovation accessible for every employee in an organization.
GreyB’s recent initiative, “Scouted by GreyB,” uncovers startups tackling challenges like sugar reduction, carbon capture, and biofuels. These interviews showcase the potential of startups to drive sustainable innovation and help industry giants find strategic partners for impactful collaborations.
GreyB has provided freedom to operate search services to various Fortune 500 companies, helping them launch their innovations confidently in the market.
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Angelo Advising
| Website | https://lindsayangelo.com/consultant |
| Location | Seattle, WA & Vancouver, Canada |
| Type of Services | Keynote Speaking & Workshops, Innovation Strategy, Market Research & Insights, Trend Scanning, Whitespace & Opportunity Assessment, New Concept Development & Incubation, Growth Strategy Development |
| Clients | LEGO, Unilever, TED, Snapchat, lululemon, WeWork, Future Stores, Permira, USAA, Norwest Venture Partners, National Research Group, Cannes Lions, Canada Post, City of Edmonton |
Angelo Advising is led by Lindsay Angelo, a consultant with over 15 years of experience in trend analysis, innovation, and strategy development. She has worked with trailblazing organizations, from startups to global giants like Lululemon, the LEGO Group, Snapchat, Unilever, and WeWork.
During her six years at Lululemon, Lindsay was key in driving the company’s global growth strategy. She uncovered new market opportunities and helped establish Lululemon’s position as a leader in yoga wear worldwide. Her impact has earned her recognition as a TEDx Speaker and one of 425 Magazine’s “Women to Watch” in 2019.
Whether working with entrepreneurs or industry leaders, Lindsay’s ability to identify opportunities and navigate complexities makes her a trusted advisor.
Ancona + Associates (A+A)
| Website | https://ancona-a.com/ |
| Location | Portland, OR |
| Type of Services | Experience Strategy, Brand & Identity Design, Digital Design, Exhibit Design, Retail Design |
| Clients | Adidas, Apple, Nike, Intel, Lewis, Samsung, British Waterways, Boots, Johnson & Johnson, NASA, Marks & Spencer, John Lewis |
A+A’s experience strategy is built on designing large, interactive, hybrid spaces that blend stories, media, and architecture. The consultancy has expertise in museums, sports, and technology.
Founded by Tomas Ancona in 1986, the consultancy draws on his extensive background in the commercial and cultural sectors. In 1997, Tomas joined Nike as Global Creative Director. He led a team of 60 designers and managers there and oversaw the design of seven iconic Niketown stores worldwide.
The consultancy crafts multi-dimensional design solutions across physical and digital landscapes. A+A developed a retail strategy for Samsung to launch interactive stores across Europe. Each store’s design was tailored to local preferences and cultural contexts. For Adidas, A+A developed the “Right for You” (RFY) platform, a digital tool that helps teams share ideas, integrate athlete data, and track product design. This platform improved personalized basketball shoe performance for Adidas.
C’EST WHAT? LLC
| Website | https://www.cestwhat.org/ |
| Location | Portland, OR |
| Type of Services | Innovation Consulting, Future Trends & Foresight, Design Thinking, Innovation Strategy Development, Creative Workshops & Concept Development, Team Capability Building, Co-Creation & Ethnography, Brand Consulting, Marketing Consulting |
| Clients | Pottery Barn, Hyatt, Levi Strauss & Co, Tillamook, Nike, Adidas, Stoller Wine Group, Hershey, Banana Republic, Del Monte, American Signature Furniture, OMSI |
C’EST WHAT? guides businesses toward the future by identifying trends and crafting strategies that shape what’s next. The innovation consulting firm enables organizations to look 3–7 years into the future. Organizations can turn this foresight into actionable innovation plans and stay ahead of the curve.
The firm was founded by Michael Perman in 2017. Before that, he held leadership roles at major consumer brands like Gap Inc. and Levi Strauss & Co.
His experience spans consumer goods, fashion, retail, food, and hospitality. His diverse background also includes training as a wine sommelier, adding a unique perspective to his work.
Beyond consulting, Perman serves on the board of Fair Trade USA, advising on innovation and marketing strategies.
MHD Innovation
| Website | https://www.mariahalseduloquin.com/ |
| Location | Ile de France, France |
| Type of Services | Circular Design Sprints, Virtual Design Sprints, Design Sprints, Startup Engagement, Open Innovation Consultancy, Sustainable Innovation Consultancy, Startup Scouting |
| Clients | Rolls-Royce, Aviva Insurance, Sanofi, WorldPay, Syngenta, Compass Group, BeMyApp, Hackathon.com, DeepWork, Limelights, Beefy.Finance, AllianceBlock, Covalent |
MHD Innovation helps organizations create fast, impactful, and sustainable solutions. It fosters an innovation-driven culture that enables teams to design, test, and build new business models and product systems in just five days.
The consultancy is led by Maria Halse Duloquin, an experienced innovation consultant, coach, and certified design sprint master. Maria has a background in marketing across gaming, NGOs, FMCG, and automotive sectors. She has collaborated with top media and advertising agencies to grow blue-chip brands through print and digital campaigns. She developed Blockchain, VR/AR, and AI expertise by hosting virtual conferences and collaborating with top innovation leaders, including Netflix data scientists and Google’s Head of AI.
One standout service is Hackathon Consulting—48-hour events where teams solve challenges, develop tech solutions, and pitch for prizes. Maria has facilitated hackathons for major companies like LVMH, Intel, and Mercedes-Benz, helping teams address real-world problems.
ID8 Innovation
| Website | https://id8innovation.com/ |
| Location | San Francisco, CA Nashville, TN |
| Type of Services | Business Strategy Alignment, Strategic Partnerships, Customer Discovery, Venture Studio Partnership, Corporate Venture Capital, New Venture Creation, Innovation Activation, Market Landscape Research |
| Clients | Nestlé, Harley-Davidson, CarMax, Canon Inc., GS1 U.S., HCA Healthcare, Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority |
Built by a team of experienced entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and industry leaders, ID8 Innovation focuses on identifying and validating opportunities that drive meaningful change.
Since its founding in 2017, the consultancy has worked with Fortune 500 companies, non-profits, and government agencies to launch innovation projects, form strategic partnerships, and create new ventures. In May 2024, it collaborated with Unlimit Ventures to launch a venture studio to advance AI-powered hardware. This collaboration aims to build next-generation companies that integrate hardware, software, and artificial intelligence to address customer pain points.
ideate+execute
| Website | https://ideateandexecute.com/ |
| Location | Palo Alto, CA |
| Type of Services | Business Consulting, Management Consulting, Project Management |
| Clients | Google, Yahoo, Kellogg’s, Walmart, Choice Hotels, Citibank, Hilton Hotels, City of Palo Alto, Realtor.com, Verizon Media, Wells Fargo |
Ideate+Execute specializes in product and project management, serving clients across financial services, hospitality, technology, and retail sectors.
Led by Chris Kalaboukis, the innovation consulting firm delivers cutting-edge solutions that blend innovation with strategic execution. Chris is a futurist, inventor, and seasoned product manager with a knack for turning concepts into patents. He holds 377 patents with over 1,900 references to his work. He’s a serial entrepreneur who guides startups from vision to launch. Through his blog and podcast, thinkfuture, he shares insights on emerging trends and creative strategies.
Chris’ latest venture, PolyScopeMedia, demonstrates his passion for merging human ingenuity with machine intelligence. His platform AI Daily delivers latest news on AI. He also runs 10xYOU, a platform that empowers individuals to optimize their lives with AI. 10xYOU helps you focus on earning more, saving time, and finding happiness.
Voltage Control
| Website | https://voltagecontrol.com/ |
| Location | Austin, TX |
| Type of Services | Design Sprints, Innovation Workshops, Liberated Conferences |
| Clients | Humana, Apple, NASA, Adobe, Prudential, EPA, Nike, Fidelity, Charles Schwab, Liberty Mutual, Church & Dwight Co., Dropbox, The University of Texas at Austin, U.S. Air Force, Strava, Stanford University, The World Bank, AARP, GAP, Michigan State University, Microsoft, PwC, Meta, Google, Autodesk, Atlassian, SAP, Lockheed Martin, Salesforce, Cisco |
Voltage Control helps organizations streamline processes, launch products, and rethink services through workshops, certifications, and events. It is led by Douglas Ferguson, an experienced entrepreneur and technologist. The company has worked with clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to startups and government agencies.
Voltage Control used a design sprint to help Adobe align its mobile strategy in just five days, combining expert input, collaborative brainstorming, and real user feedback. Cisco also collaborated with Voltage Control to develop an engaging virtual training program for its Security Business, leveraging innovative facilitation techniques and technology to enhance learning and build community.
Voltage Control’s approach focuses on collaborative leadership and practical learning. This has enabled clients like Nike, Google, and the U.S. Air Force to build flexible, innovative teams ready to tackle complex challenges.
The Innovation Habit®
| Website | https://theinnovationhabit.com/ |
| Location | New York, United States |
| Type of Services | Innovation Consulting, Executive Leadership, Entrepreneurship, Product Development, Business Model Innovation, Creative Problem Solving, Design Thinking, Cognitive Science, Quality Management, Information Technology, Management Consulting |
| Clients | Prudential Financial, Allergan, Astellas, NASA, Rutgers University, University of California Berkeley Haas School of Business, American Nurses Association, Procter & Gamble, New York Life, American Society for Quality (ASQ) |
Charlie Garland created The Innovation Habit® system with help from BJ Fogg, a well-known Stanford University professor. The system blends Fogg’s Behavior Design Model® with popular innovation tools like design thinking, creative problem solving, lean, agile, and Cognitive Buoyancy®. It also includes unique methods like Explorative Inquiry™ and The Innovation Cube™.
Charlie developed the entire portfolio of innovation tools by working with diverse business leaders. He worked with doctors to reduce diagnostic errors and with NASA to increase astronauts’ cognitive function in preparation for future missions to Mars.
The consultancy offers coaching with a 100% money-back guarantee.
Conclusion
These innovation consulting firms bring a fresh perspective backed by diverse industry insights, assisting companies in sharpening their vision and exploring untapped markets. From finding broken processes that slow you down to exploring fresh strategies, these experts offer data-driven insights and tools you need to fuel innovation. They work alongside your team to develop growth plans, prototype new products, and turn your innovative ideas into reality.
This list represents only the tip of the iceberg. Our research dives further into a diverse list of innovation consultancy firms, both big and small, and explores their impact on the future of innovation. Access the complete list to find out the best innovation partner for your organization. Download the full list by filling out the form below.
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Authored by: Tamanpreet Kaur, Market Research
