Innovation vs transformation: bridging the gap

At a recent event, a senior UK military presenter delivered a keynote speech that left a lasting impression on me. They said:

"Innovation is doing things better, and transformation is doing better things."

It’s a simple phrase, but one that gets to the heart of a persistent challenge. Because while innovation is often talked about, it’s rarely easy—and rarely implemented quickly. In defence, where missions evolve rapidly and demands are high, innovation efforts can stumble. We’ve all seen it:

• Protracted timescales – by the time new capabilities reach users, they’re often out of date.
• Limited adoption – new solutions are sometimes forced upon users without early engagement, leading to inefficiencies or poor adoption.
• The ‘Valley of Death’ – great ideas struggle to transition from concept to reality.

So how do we avoid those pitfalls? Perhaps innovation in defence should aim to be less like a high street brand with drops of shiny new stuff every two years and instead embrace an approach that’s resourceful, agile, and mission-driven.

At CGI, we take a pragmatic, hands-on approach to innovation, one that focuses on solving real-world challenges to deliver outcomes at pace.

Purpose-built for outcomes

This is where our Space, Defence, and Intelligence Innovation Lab brings together experts with advanced research backgrounds. Importantly, they’re selected for their problem-solving mindset and passion for technology. They stay ahead of emerging trends by doing hands on work, always looking for ways to responsibly apply the latest advancements to real-world challenges.

We focus on what matters most: enabling our defence clients to deliver their missions more effectively. That means less blue-sky thinking and more focus on boots-on-the-ground problem-solving— integrating the right mix of technologies, cross-discipline expertise, insights and collaboration to deliver impact faster.

Our Innovation Lab is a significant investment in talent, secure facilities, and cutting-edge infrastructure. It’s a space where we rapidly develop proofs of concept and live demonstrations helping apply emerging technologies to real-world operational challenges.

We bring together a fusion of technologies and expertise under one roof, including:

• Advanced Data Analytics
• Immersive Reality
• Covert and Novel Communications
• Edge Computing and IoT
• Artificial Intelligence.

Crossing the gap - together

By integrating these technologies and aligning with client challenges, we ensure our innovations are not only technically sound but also mission ready. We don’t just build in isolation, we work side by side with clients, iterating based on feedback to ensure solutions are aligned, adopted, and impactful. Rather than getting stuck in the ‘Valley of Death,’ we aim to rocket across it - Evel Knievel-style (helmet on; risks managed).

For us, innovation that sits on a shelf and gathers dust is a failure. Our objective is clear: help our clients do things better and do better things. Get in contact to understand more about how we could help cross the rift.