Critical Issues
Navigate the future of growth and
innovation with confidence.
innovation with confidence.
2025 Critical Issues
Each year, Growth Partners vote on the most important issues facing their industry, in their region of the globe. The annual Critical Issues become the key areas of focus for Partner discussion and Council events throughout the year.
Americas’ Critical Issues
Leveraging the Strength of Strategic Partnerships
Areas of Focus:
- Identifying your unique needs and selecting the ideal partner
- Harnessing ecosystems and cross-industry collaboration to drive mutual value
- Co-creating tailored solutions vs. broad offerings, ensuring optimized investments
Supporting Transformative Innovation
Areas of Focus:
- Fostering a founder’s mentality and engaging with key stakeholders leading innovation initiatives
- Structuring teams and processes to support each stage of the innovation journey
- Creating motivational strategies and incentives across divisions
Implementing Innovation
Areas of Focus:
- Effectively structuring and executing innovation initiatives
- Securing middle management buy-in
- Driving adoption following a successful proof of concept
Innovating with GenAI
Areas of Focus:
- Navigating the hype by balancing confidence and caution in the age of GenAI
- Upskilling and preparing your team for seamless adoption and effective use
- Optimizing resources and timing to align your GenAI capabilities with business needs
Effectively Structuring Ideation Management
Areas of Focus:
- Demonstrating proof of concept to ensure viability
- Identifying optimal business models
- Exploring next-gen technologies with limited resources
Seamlessly Integrating Startups into Your Innovation Process
Areas of Focus:
- Developing a flexible, adaptive partnership strategy
- Selecting, validating, and nurturing startup partnerships for long-term success
- Engaging with startups in a timely, responsive manner
- Crafting a strategic approach to relationship building
APAC’s & MEASA’s Critical Issues
Embracing AI-Driven Business Model Disruption
Area of Focus:
- Integrating AI in customer product offerings
- Leveraging AI-driven technologies to enhance efficiencies
- Understanding AI ethics – bias and intellectual property
Leveraging the Dynamics and Spread of Ecosystem to Lead Change
Area of Focus:
- Strategic partnership development
- Thought leadership and alignment
- Ecosystem enablement and measurement
Sustainability & Resilience through Digitalization
Area of Focus:
- Digital integration and security
- Resource efficiency and environmental impact
- Risk management and business continuity
Talent Management and Future of Work
Area of Focus:
- Navigating hybrid work models and adapting to changing workplace dynamics
- Fostering a diverse and inclusive workforce
- Upskilling and reskilling employees for emerging technologies and roles
- Managing limited resources effectively
Developing Capabilities to Benefit from New Business Opportunities
Area of Focus:
- Accelerating the timeline from ideation to end state
- Managing the organization’s risk appetite
- Identifying, validating, and prioritizing opportunity models
- Changing a risk-averse core culture
Cyber Resilience and Data Privacy Amidst Escalating Cyber Threats
Areas of Focus:
- Awareness/training/cultural transformation
- Cybersecurity advancements
- Adapting together to regulatory challenges