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Re-Thinking Travel: Disrupting an Industry with Start-Ups
As the world’s biggest aviation group, Lufthansa doesn’t stop investing in the future and in world-wide innovation.
One way Lufthansa does this is through the establishment of the Lufthansa Innovation Hub in the heart of Berlin, Continental Europe’s vibrant start-up and digital technology epicentre. The Innovation Hub comes armed with an innovation fund to help it in its mission to develop talented new ideas within as well as outside the group.
Even more impressive is that, its arsenal further includes knowledge from experts in the aviation field, compiled data for new travel solutions, as well as a user base of over 100 million travellers.
One way Lufthansa does this is through the establishment of the Lufthansa Innovation Hub in the heart of Berlin, Continental Europe’s vibrant start-up and digital technology epicentre. The Innovation Hub comes armed with an innovation fund to help it in its mission to develop talented new ideas within as well as outside the group.
Even more impressive is that, its arsenal further includes knowledge from experts in the aviation field, compiled data for new travel solutions, as well as a user base of over 100 million travellers.
This places the Lufthansa Innovation Hub in a unique position to scout for promising new start-up and digital companies who have good travel products and ideas which can then be further developed on a joint basis.
Sebastian Herzog, Managing Director & Chief Strategist, of the Lufthansa Innovation Hub GmbH, gives his insights about the Hub’s operations and future focuses.
Together with 20+ German and International speakers he will join the annual Global Innovation Leaders 2016 summit in March 2016, and talk about start-up collaboration.
As the Chief Strategist at the Lufthansa Innovation Hub, can you explain how it fits into Lufthansa’s overall strategic vision and the future of transportation services?
While Lufthansa traditionally sees itself “only” as an airline - digital transformation drives the connectivity and interdependence of all mobility services. Products such as “flights” will be way more integrated in the future - perhaps even fully seamless and frictionless. In such a scenario, it is important to understand and build ecosystems while proving the ability to share data and partner. This is exactly where the Innovation Hub comes into play.
“It is about combining the disruptive thinking-&-acting of the start-up ecosystem with the strong brand, reach-power and big data of the big corporate Lufthansa.”
Sebastian Herzog, Managing Director & Chief Strategist, of the Lufthansa Innovation Hub GmbH, gives his insights about the Hub’s operations and future focuses.
Together with 20+ German and International speakers he will join the annual Global Innovation Leaders 2016 summit in March 2016, and talk about start-up collaboration.
As the Chief Strategist at the Lufthansa Innovation Hub, can you explain how it fits into Lufthansa’s overall strategic vision and the future of transportation services?
While Lufthansa traditionally sees itself “only” as an airline - digital transformation drives the connectivity and interdependence of all mobility services. Products such as “flights” will be way more integrated in the future - perhaps even fully seamless and frictionless. In such a scenario, it is important to understand and build ecosystems while proving the ability to share data and partner. This is exactly where the Innovation Hub comes into play.
“It is about combining the disruptive thinking-&-acting of the start-up ecosystem with the strong brand, reach-power and big data of the big corporate Lufthansa.”
You have a relatively long history at Lufthansa, and as it seems from your motorcycle trip across Africa, an appetite for adventure. What made you decide to take the rather adventurous step and create the Lufthansa Innovation Hub?
Creating the Lufthansa Innovation Hub was and still is an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
It also is an emotional rollercoaster with ups and downs way more intense than in any job I had before. And it is unique. It is about combining the disruptive thinking-&-acting of the start-up ecosystem with the strong brand, reach-power and big data of the big corporate Lufthansa.
At the upcoming Global Innovation Leaders 2016 summit, your presentation is titled: Re-Thinking Travel: Disrupting An Industry With Start-Ups. What are some of the key insights participants will gain from your presentation, and what do you hope to take-away from the event?
Participants will get an in-depths understanding of why and how Lufthansa decided to interact with Startups and apply start-up-methodology for our own projects. Hopefully this will set an inspirational contrast in the world of many me-too corporate accelerators and me-too corporate-incubators. Speaking for myself: I am hoping to leave the Global Innovation Leader Summit with fresh thoughts and new inspiration ready to apply the day after.
Sebastian Herzog has developed and built the Lufthansa Innovation Hub GmbH in Berlin. As former interim Managing Director and now Chief Strategist he initiates intensive collaboration with start-ups, develops creative and innovative travel-products and gets things done. The former positions held at Lufthansa include those of the Executive Assistant to the CEO of the Lufthansa Group and the Manager for Market & Fleet Development. Sebastian has spearheaded numerous internal innovation initiatives. He is increasingly looking at airlines as an open platform – both in terms of infrastructure and data – and is persistently rethinking the entire travel chain to make collaboration with start-ups more attractive and effective. Having founded his own company, Sebastian constantly moves between the corporate culture and the start-up spirit. Additionally, he is a start-up mentor; a speaker and a panellist at various events about future travel and innovation.
Creating the Lufthansa Innovation Hub was and still is an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
It also is an emotional rollercoaster with ups and downs way more intense than in any job I had before. And it is unique. It is about combining the disruptive thinking-&-acting of the start-up ecosystem with the strong brand, reach-power and big data of the big corporate Lufthansa.
At the upcoming Global Innovation Leaders 2016 summit, your presentation is titled: Re-Thinking Travel: Disrupting An Industry With Start-Ups. What are some of the key insights participants will gain from your presentation, and what do you hope to take-away from the event?
Participants will get an in-depths understanding of why and how Lufthansa decided to interact with Startups and apply start-up-methodology for our own projects. Hopefully this will set an inspirational contrast in the world of many me-too corporate accelerators and me-too corporate-incubators. Speaking for myself: I am hoping to leave the Global Innovation Leader Summit with fresh thoughts and new inspiration ready to apply the day after.
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AboutSebastian Herzog has developed and built the Lufthansa Innovation Hub GmbH in Berlin. As former interim Managing Director and now Chief Strategist he initiates intensive collaboration with start-ups, develops creative and innovative travel-products and gets things done. The former positions held at Lufthansa include those of the Executive Assistant to the CEO of the Lufthansa Group and the Manager for Market & Fleet Development. Sebastian has spearheaded numerous internal innovation initiatives. He is increasingly looking at airlines as an open platform – both in terms of infrastructure and data – and is persistently rethinking the entire travel chain to make collaboration with start-ups more attractive and effective. Having founded his own company, Sebastian constantly moves between the corporate culture and the start-up spirit. Additionally, he is a start-up mentor; a speaker and a panellist at various events about future travel and innovation.
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Any facts, figures or references stated here are made by the author & don't reflect the endorsement of iU at all times unless otherwise drafted by official staff at iU. This article was first published here on 19th December 2015.
