I find Malcolm Gladwell’s tireless inquisitiveness and unique perspective on social phenomena to be highly though-provoking. I was therefore pleased to discover not only our mutual focus on re-imagining higher education, but that we both identified the same core pain point of the current system: The outrageously high endowment of leading universities.

Since its introduction in 2007, the iPhone has already gone through 10 generations.  That’s a new generation every year for a product that sets you back hundreds of dollars or long term carrier contracts each time.  So how is Apple able to convince us to upgrade so willingly and frequently?

It’s magical when two formerly separate worlds come together for the first time. It is the spark of intersectional innovations, creating new levels of customer value.  In Slingshot speak, we call it the ‘Innovation Shortcut’.  Here is a fun example between The Joffrey Ballet and JW Marriott.

Not long ago Disney’s innovation in its theme parks was largely limited to creating more thrilling rides.  This was both highly expensive and offered only short-lived distinction as competitors did the same.  Meanwhile, visitors’ greatest pain point, that of waiting in intolerably long lines, went unheeded for decades.  But then in 2000 the FastPass was introduced and started Disney on a whole new innovation direction.

How coincidental is this?  Or perhaps it’s by design.  The Austrian company Polaris is venturing into new territory for road transport.  It is fusing together the most fun components of automobiles and motorcycles.  The seemingly unusual combination of existing parts to create a new value proposition is perfectly Slingshot-esque.  But how about the name chosen for this new vehicle? You might have guessed it: Slingshot!