Innovation Types is a powerful feature in Accept Mission that helps organizations structure and analyze their innovation efforts. Out of the box, the system comes preconfigured with the Three Horizons Model (Horizon 1, Horizon 2, Horizon 3), a widely adopted framework for categorizing innovation initiatives based on their focus and time horizon. However, the system is flexible—companies can customize these types to match their own categorization methods.
This article explains the value of using Innovation Types, how to manage them in the platform, how to assign them to ideas and projects, and how to report on them.
🚀 Why Innovation Types Matter
In most organizations, not all innovations are created equal. Some are focused on improving what already exists (like optimizing current products), while others explore future opportunities or disruptive technologies. Categorizing your innovation efforts using Innovation Types allows you to:
Strategically balance your portfolio between short-term improvements and long-term bets.
Gain actionable insights via dashboards and reports segmented by type.
Communicate priorities clearly across teams and leadership.
Whether you're driving efficiency or chasing moonshots, Innovation Types help keep your innovation strategy aligned and measurable.
🌐 The Three Horizons Model (default setup)
By default, every company in Accept Mission starts with the Three Horizons Model:
Horizon 1 – Improve existing products, services, or processes
Horizon 2 – Expand into new markets or customer segments
Horizon 3 – Explore future opportunities and disruptive innovation
🧠 Examples of Each Horizon
Horizon 1 – Core Innovation
These are incremental improvements to existing offerings or operations.
Example 1: Automating the invoice approval process to save time.
Example 2: Updating a product UI to improve customer experience and reduce support tickets.
Horizon 2 – Adjacent Innovation
These initiatives extend your business into new areas using existing capabilities.
Example 1: Launching a simplified version of your product for small businesses.
Example 2: Expanding into a new region using an existing product line.
Horizon 3 – Transformational Innovation
These are future-focused, often disruptive bets with high uncertainty and potential.
Example 1: Creating a subscription-based business model in a traditionally one-time-sale industry.
Example 2: Developing a new platform using blockchain to disrupt supply chain management.
This model helps you map your innovation efforts along a timeline and risk spectrum—from quick wins to visionary bets.
🧩 Alternative: configure it based on the Ten Types of Innovation
In addition to the Three Horizons, companies can also configure Innovation Types using other strategic frameworks like the Ten Types of Innovation by Doblin (Monitor Deloitte). This model breaks innovation into 10 distinct areas, grouped into 3 categories:
🔧 Configuration (Internal Structure)
Profit Model – How you make money
Network – Partnerships or collaborations
Structure – Organizational alignment and talent
Process – Signature or superior methods
💡 Offering (Core Product or Service)
Product Performance – Features and functionality
Product System – Complementary products and services
📣 Experience (Customer-Facing)
Service – Support and customer experience
Channel – Delivery and access points
Brand – Representation and values
Customer Engagement – Meaningful interactions
⚙️ Managing Innovation Types
To view and manage Innovation Types:
Go to: Innovation Studio > Settings > Innovation Types
From here, you can:
Edit titles and descriptions to match your own strategy or naming conventions.
Reorder types using drag-and-drop to set their position in the list.
See how many ideas or projects are connected to each type.
Merge types when needed—just select an existing type and all associated items will be transferred.
💡 Example: If you want to rename “Horizon 2” to “New Market Growth” or add a type like “Sustainability,” you can easily do that here.
💡 Example: You can configure this list also to the 10 types of innovation if this structure is more relevant for you. If you want to use both you can of course always configure a custom field dropdown.
🔗 Connecting Innovation Types to Ideas and Projects
Assigning an Innovation Type is simple:
For Ideas
Go to: Innovation Studio > Ideas > Select an Idea > Detail Tab
Here, you’ll find a field to select the relevant Innovation Type.
For Projects
Go to: Innovation Studio > Projects > Select a Project > Detail Tab
Assign the Innovation Type in the same way as with ideas.
This allows you to later analyze which types of innovation are most active, where your focus lies, and how you are progressing.
💡 Example: A project introducing AI to automate workflows could be marked as Horizon 2, while a radical new product idea might be Horizon 3.
📈 Reporting with Innovation Types
Innovation Types are deeply integrated into your reporting tools:
Innovation Dashboard
Go to: Innovation Studio > Dashboard
Use the Innovation Type filter to view all KPIs—such as conversion rates, project success, or idea volume—by each category.
Power BI & API
Innovation Types are fully available through:
Power BI Connector
Public API
This allows for advanced reporting, benchmarking, and integration into your existing BI environments. You can, for instance, create custom dashboards to compare how Horizon 1 projects are performing vs. Horizon 3.
💡 Example: In Power BI, you could build a graph that shows the percentage of projects in each horizon, with budget allocations and impact levels.
✅ Summary
The Innovation Types feature in Accept Mission helps companies categorize, manage, and report on their innovation efforts. Starting with the widely recognized Three Horizons Model, it gives teams clarity and structure, while allowing full customization to meet specific needs.
Whether you stick to the Three Horizons, use the Ten Types of Innovation, or define your own structure—Innovation Types bring strategic alignment, actionable reporting, and a smarter innovation process.