Types of Innovation – The Ultimate Guide with Definitions and Examples

Innovation comes in many forms beyond technological advancements. Most innovations are small, gradual improvements on existing products, processes, and services, while some can be groundbreaking inventions or business models that change industries. Knowing what types of innovation are available and suitable for a business can help discover the ones that can improve the organization's ability to grow and respond to changing customer needs. This post covers four common types of innovation: incremental, disruptive, sustaining, and radical. Additionally, it introduces the Ten Types of Innovation Framework, which can help analyze a business's competitive environment and reveal potential opportunities to develop viable innovations across all levels of an organization.