Client Spotlight: InnovationForce

InnovationForce is building an “Amazon for Innovators”

Experts project that $3.2 trillion will be spent on AI-driven digital transformation, yet a staggering 85% of pilots fail. The problem? Most organizations struggle with the WHY and need to define what problems they are solving before moving directly into piloting new ideas.

Durham, NC based InnovationForce, founded in 2021, is solving that problem. Their AI model identifies the most critical problems organizations need to solve then instantly matches them with peer-validated solutions from across the industry. The result? Pilot timelines are cut in half with higher adoption rates. They are seeing an 800X ROI for some of their early customers.

Products in Development

Founded by Kim Getgen and HBS Professor Dr. Linda Hill, and recognized as Fast Company’s Top 10 Most Innovative Workplace Solutions of 2024, InnovationWorks is a vertically integrated SaaS platform powered by AI that extracts challenges from unstructured data like filings, strategy documents, and research reports—then instantly matches them to peer-validated, market-ready solutions or ideas. What used to take years of research and seven-figure consulting contracts now happens in real-time, starting at $9.99/per user/per month.

Recently, they showcased InnovationWorks AI at a popular energy conference attended by over 10,000 energy professionals where they demonstrated how their AI generated 1,200 energy challenges and matched them to 1,000 solutions from 600 providers. With the AI marketplace built in a few days, the matchmaking could be completed in a few seconds.

Their reach is already global with deployments from Portland, Oregon to the Philippines, with a goal of onboarding 15,000 users across 165 utilities and 700+ solution providers this year, resulting in $100M in ARR in five years.

Significance of the Innovation

“InnovationForce’s goal is to radically simplify innovation and to enable 1 billion knowledge workers to participate in a global marketplace, the Amazon of innovation, where they can solve the most complex problems our planet faces, cut pilot time in half, and exponentially increase the rate of new tech adoption,” says Getgen.

Flagship customer, Portland General Electric (PGE), published its first ever Innovation Impact Report and shared the following results: 62% reduction in pilot time, a $563,000 savings, where 50% of their pilots moved to “production at scale” adoption delivering an 800X ROI. The results have been third-party validated by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) based in Charlotte. The institute measured PGE before and after and found that they went from lagging the energy industry in innovation capabilities to leading it in about 18 months of working with InnovationForce.

Funding

Getgen says, “While the company has raised $1.1 million in angel funding, we were initially bootstrapped to get the MVP developed. Early customer revenue, most notably, $1.5 million in closed contracts from our first customers and our angel investors have funded product development to this point. Our pre-seed round is still open.”

Tips for Other Entrepreneurs

Getgen shared the following lessons learned so far in the company’s entrepreneurial journey.

Progress Beats Perfection: You’re building the plane while flying it and selling tickets mid-flight. It’s messy. But if you can prove real value early (even with an imperfect product), you build trust, traction, and momentum that money can’t buy.

Bootstrapping with Customer Revenue: Building with paying customers, rather than a “clean sheet of paper” to attract VC-backed dollars may be harder, but it can be rewarding. It forces clarity, speed, and a sense of urgency that equates to long-term value. 

SBTDC Assistance

“The SBTDC has been instrumental to our success—through pitch coaching, investor introductions, grant-writing support, and the internship program we’re piloting this summer,” said Getgen. She also shared that “As a Silicon Valley alum, I can say the support here is second-to-none.”

Plans going forward

“We’re continuing to raise additional capital and now focusing on the sales and marketing engine to hit $1 million in ARR in the next 6-12 months—while thoughtfully building the platform that could power innovation for the next 1 billion knowledge workers on InnovationWorks,” said Getgen.

Contact: Kim Getgen
Email: kim.getgen@innovationforce.io
Website: www.InnovationForce.io