EDG is a well-established company with more than 20 years of experience in managing innovation in companies, having developed different workshops and various methods to support innovation. EDG have an impressive client list which includes Apple, Intel, Lufthansa, Swisspost and Audi, amongst others.

ABC Accelerator was established in Ljubljana two and a half years ago as a startup accelerator and now has offices in Munich and Silicon Valley, and has also established the Enterprise Accelerator to work with talent in the region. ABC-EDG is a venture of two strong players from either side of the Atlantic, EDG is rich in experience from the corporate world and ABC is experienced in the fast-paced startup ecosystem.

Shift from the digital to the hyper-digital era

The world is changing quickly and companies are realising that they need to keep up with the pace and develop new models in order to survive. The digital era is over and we have moved to the hyper-digital era where everything is connected, machines have sensors and they communicate with each other. It is therefore key to observe what is happening in the world, what the disruptions are and the risks that threaten. Companies need to see the signals and then look for the potential or as Lisa Friedman, EDG's co-founder says, "You need to understand where the future is going before you start developing". The next important step is to then think about the role the company wants to play in the future and what it wants to become. All this is done through a series of short workshops where ABC-EDG help a company identify the trends and the potential and then set the strategy.

Companies need to speed up their processes and this is the objective of ABC-EDG.

ABC and its Enterprise Accelerator present a system of innovation and incubation, they have been running three to six months programs for companies to change the internal innovation processes and the mindset! The hackathons that ABC organises as the first step of the program, serve as an idea generator and potential first projects.
"We've been doing this for a long time but it was really good to partner up with ABC, they have a disciplined approcah and that's why their projects are likely to succeed. Creative people with ideas don't always know how to turn them into working products and so they need ABC's help to succeed", says Lisa Friedman. " At BTC City, there is the possibility to test new products in a real environment ... we haven't seen this anywhere in the world but ABC has it!"

Companies need to make the prototype, test it and gather the knowledge. They need to build the knowledge base and the capability for the rest of the company. Companies need to start with one unit, with the pioneers, and then spread to the rest. You cannot do this without a group of people that innovate together to build the future, and this is when ABC enters. Innovation is the key for the company's survival. It's important for the leaders to see this and get on board as quickly as possible to lead the way.

EDG: "Innovate early, innovate often, innovate everywhere".

Every company is at a different point and they know that they need to change and innovate but generally they don't know how. The ABC-EDG partnership presents a unique way for companies to onboard the hyper-digital train to the future. Their experience, their knowledge and special energy make it a powerful holistic solution.