How to Create a Culture of Innovation?

You are one among millions of other young people from all around the world that see themselves as future entrepreneurs. Like any other life form, the entrepreneur is a species that should know how to change, adapt and evolve in order to embrace a culture of entrepreneurship and join the habitat of successful startups and companies.

A lot of people think that Silicon Valley is the model of innovation and culture. Many others say that Berlin, Dubai, or Thames Valley are turning into innovation hubs. Yet, the real habitat of innovation existed many centuries ago in another valley, Arno Valley.

The Italian Renaissance

Arno River flows through Florence, a city filled with art, culture, history, architecture, and sculptures. Florence is a synonym of creativity. It was built by the House of Medici, a family talented on spotting and sponsoring talent and new ideas. They decided to see life from another point of view. The dark Middle Ages were over and people focused on humanism art and a rebirth of interest in classical antiquity. New ideas spread and Renaissance started.

The message we get from the Italian Renaissance is that a model and culture of innovation can develop anyplace. It is important to seek for talent. Companies in Silicon Valley start searching for talent in colleges. This is the same as the story of the Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel. Pope Julius II wanted to rebuild Rome to its former glory and he asked Michelangelo to do that. He was young and an inexperienced painter, but he was a talented sculptor and thanks to the support of the Medicis, he had created a reputation. Despite the lack of experience, he painted the Sistine Chapel, one of the most influential artworks of all time.
German entrepreneur Guenter Faltin says in his book "Brains versus Capital" that we don’t have to look at Florence of Renaissance.
“Our own era contains similar elements. Cultural-creative skills are playing an ever-larger role in the economic success of start-ups. In his studies Karl Vesper points out that the concept-development phase is analogous to the artistic-creative process,” he says.
You must try to develop a new culture of innovation depending on your context and in order to inspire you here are some great quotes from the masters of Italian Renaissance, Leonardo da Vinci, and Michelangelo.

Michelangelo

"The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short, but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark."
"I am still learning."
"I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free."

Leonardo da Vinci

"There are three classes of people: those who see. Those who see when they are shown. Those who do not see."
"Time stays long enough for anyone who will use it."
"He who loves practice without theory is like the sailor who boards a ship without a rudder and compass and never knows where he may cast."

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