Structured innovation activities thanks to Germany's leading digital lab

We supported the Lufthansa Executive Board in identifying and establishing structures and requirements for innovation projects. After the Lufthansa Innovation Hub was founded, we helped setting up the team, established contacts on the global start-up scene and provided support for early projects. The Lufthansa Innovation Hub has received several awards and plays a crucial role in defining the travel experiences of the future.

Customer
Lufthansa

Industry
Travel

Portfolio
#Business Strategy
#Organizational Development

Challenge

Structured responses to the digital transformation in the aviation industry

The travel industry was one of the first to be strongly affected by digital changes. Airbnb had changed the hotel landscape, and competition between holiday search engines intensified. Lufthansa – one of the world's largest airline groups – was looking for structured responses to these new opportunities and challenges.

As in many large businesses, they were asking questions like: how closely can and must innovation fit in with our core business? To what extent can innovation be structured? What roles and methods are best suited to Lufthansa? Our job was to find the answers.

Solution

The LIH as a bridge to a global ecosystem in the field of travel and mobility

We analysed all of the relevant frameworks and developed four different solution spaces. Following the prioritization of the Innovation Hub by the Executive Board, these were further cemented. To achieve this, we employed desk research and actively established contacts on the Berlin corporate innovation scene. By doing so, we enabled our client to make contacts and to learn from the experiences of others. We analysed which roles for corporate innovation hubs were promising and which were already at capacity – and developed a concept that brought the contacts and partnerships with mature start-ups to the fore. We helped with the creation of the decision template, which was based on a six-month testing phase and finally approved by the main company. One of our colleagues provided support for the team on site during the test operation. After this, we helped with designing the initial business model, and made contact with an experienced founding team and the first employees for the hub.

„TLGG's established understanding of innovation and entrepreneurship and their connections in Berlin were essential to finding and adopting the initial direction and structure of the LIH.“ Gleb Tritus, former managing director of the LH Innovation Hub

Results

Named Germany's best corporate innovation lab three times in a row and a crucial element in the digitalization of the aviation industry.

The Lufthansa Innovation Hub has successfully evolved over the past seven years. With locations in Berlin and Singapore, the hub is active in the areas of Discover, Build, Partner, Invest and Transform, and has set up over 20 ventures. With Rydes, for example, which was established in 2021 and has grown very quickly, businesses are able to offer their employees a sustainable travel subscription. With Compensaid, private and corporate clients can support climate-neutral fuels or environmental protection projects and offset their carbon footprint. With investments in TripActions, Hopper and cargo.one, the LIH also enables Lufthansa to be involved in rapidly growing start-ups. What's more, the hub has initiated various collaborations and has become one of the most distinguished sources of research in the travel and mobility sector. The Lufthansa Group's Innovation hub also supports internal transformation and provides information on topics such as methodological expertise. During the coronavirus pandemic, the Hub helped to develop quick digital solutions.

consecutive Capital Awards for Best Digital Lab

3 x

locations

ventures developed in-house

20 +

plus numerous initiatives and investments

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