Accelerating Desirable Futures

by Solving the World’s Most Wicked Challenges
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Our mission

Our mission is to envision, orchestrate and accelerate desirable futures worldwide by addressing complex systems-level challenges at the intersection of academia, industry, and policy.
Our toolkits (tools, methods and systems) aim to orchestrate complex multi-stakeholder ecosystems to help established firms, governments, universities and new ventures to better address today's urgent systemic challenges in areas like climate and economic renewal.
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Imperial College Business School, in partnership with the Royal College of Art and leading global industry players, has established Wicked Acceleration Labs.

1. We use collective imagination to envision desirable futures. 
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2. We skillfully orchestrate resources, capabilities, and ecosystems to empower holistic problem-solving. 
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3. We accelerate the implementation of solutions that address the world's most complex challenges.

How we can help you

Our world faces intricate and pressing problems. These challenges call for a grand coalition that includes industry, academia, government, and civil society. At Wicked Acceleration Labs, we work to equip these sectors with tools, methodologies, and processes to help address these complex systems-level global challenges. To solve these wicked challenges, there is a need for agile, adaptive, and systems-level interventions that involve the collaboration of diverse stakeholders, transcending international borders, industries, and governments. 
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We provide support to address the varying needs of different stakeholders:
Innovation Managers
For corporate strategy departments and innovation managers seeking radical and disruptive solutions, we offer specialized assistance in designing and orchestrating your moonshot programs. Elevate your innovation initiatives with our strategic guidance and support.
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R&D Managers
If you're an R&D Manager, leverage our expertise to strategically de-risk your future technology development using deep tech speculative design. Elevate your potential to develop a concept, secure investment, and offer specialised support.
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Non-Profits & NGO’s
Servicing non-profit organisations and social enterprises dedicated to the UN's SDGs, we can provide you with the tools to effectively engage in ecosystem collaboration with established companies, startups, and government entities.
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New Ventures
Collaborating with new ventures seeking to accelerate growth and expand business, our platform can support you in understanding your product-market fit, identifying your systems impact, and navigating industry accelerators.
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Policy Makers
We support policymakers in tackling significant systems-level challenges, and we provide policymakers with tailored frameworks, tools, and methodologies designed to effectively navigate ecosystem complexity and open innovation models.
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University Centers
We support university labs, centres, Technology License Offices (TLOs), and Knowledge Exchange (KE) leaders in their efforts to expedite the commercialisation of research. Our assistance includes providing unique wicked acceleration frameworks and a comprehensive toolkit tailored for deep tech acceleration and speculative design.
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What we offer

We bring together global leaders in academia, industry, and government to address complex challenges. We provide a variety of toolkits, methods, and initiatives to accelerate the creation of desirable futures:
Scale 360: Supporting International Communities in Achieving Circularity
Scale360°'s tested methodology and Circular Innovation Playbook
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Global Application of this methodology to any local context
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See how circular innovation can redefine your community's future
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Deep-Tech Acceleration Sprint: Cross-sector Innovation for the Future
Explore the impact of deep tech solutions on some of the worlds most pressing problems
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streamline innovation, transforming ideas into action and de-risk strategies
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Gain entrepreneurship skills and maximizing potential for innovation
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Wicked Acceleration Module: Enabling Learners to Tackle the Worlds Most Pressing Problems
Explore Dynamic approaches to tackling wicked problems
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engage with experts from Imperial college London and other wicked Acceleration labs partners
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develop innovative solutions tackling the worlds most complex and systems-level challenges
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Coropoate Acceleration Symposium: Showcase of Experts in Industry and Academia Solving Wicked Problems
explore the ways industry experts and thought leaders are tackling some of the worlds most pressing challenges
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Network with changemakers tackling wicked problems through academia, Industry, and Policy
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case studies and fireside discussions teaching key learnings of solving wicked problems
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Xploratory Alpha Health
Helping organizations in mental health adopt "moonshot" strategies and mission-driven approaches
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Alpha Health is dedicated to revolutionizing chronic disease management.
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Alpha Health Lab enhances organizational strategy by exploring, envisioning, and prototyping across various contexts.
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Proprietary Toolkits: Our Suite of Solution Models and Frameworks to Solve Wicked Challenges
Assessment of your current corporate venturing and intrapreneurial activities
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Development of an end-to-end process from ideation up to scaling
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Design of your Organisational Structure and Incentives to sustain Your solutio
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Challenges We Explore

Wicked Acceleration Labs works to support institutions in achieving the United Nations 16 Sustainable Development Goals. We have four domains where we focus our projects and research:

Earth and Climate


Wicked Acceleration Labs directs its efforts towards the Earth domain, aiming to develop sustainable solutions that address environmental challenges, climate resilience, and resource management to ensure a thriving planet for future generations.

Space


In the realm of space, Wicked Acceleration Labs explores cutting-edge innovations and projects that push the boundaries of space exploration and technology, contributing to advancements in human exploration and discovery.

Oceans and Water


Wicked Acceleration Labs is committed to the preservation and exploration of our oceans. Our projects focus on sustainable practices, marine conservation, and technological advancements to safeguard the health of our oceans.

Frontier Technology


Wicked Acceleration Labs delves into emerging technologies. Our focus is on harnessing the potential of these cutting-edge innovations to address complex challenges and drive positive change across systems.

Upcoming events

Subscribe to keep up to date with our latest events.

4th International Symposium on Corporate, Digital, and Wicked Acceleration

16, November, 9am - 8pm

The International Symposium on Corporate Acceleration and Digital Transformation is a premiere annual event at Imperial College Business School targeted at corporate venturing, digital transformation and wicked acceleration practitioners from across industries, including some of the leading scholars in this burgeoning area.This one-of-a-kind event will take place on 16 November 2023 at Imperial College London’s South Kensington Campus and at Scale Space in the White City campus.This 4th Symposium will feature a combination of keynote speeches, panel discussions, case study presentations, and fireside chats to share ideas and best practices on different modalities of acceleration, and to explore ways to address the greatest challenges of our time.

Learn more about the event
More events to be revealed soon!
We are fortunate enough to have a growing number of exceptional partners contributing to solving wicked challenges.

Simply get in touch and start a discussion!

If you have a wicked problem to solve, a shift to circular economy, a complex ecosystem to navigate, a sustainability challenge or simply wish to discuss how you can get involved as a potential collaboration partner, then get in touch so we can explore next possible steps.
Contact us

Who we are

Our team of experts bringing their wealth of skills and expertise from a wide range of background.
Executive Education and Knowledge Exchange Lead at Royal College of Art

Nick de Leon

Executive Education and Knowledge Exchange Lead
royal college of art

Erkko Autio

Chair in Technology Transfer and Entrepreneurship
Imperial college london
Nicolas Rebolledo Service Design

Nicolas Rebolledo

Design for Policy Platform Leader
royal college of art

Cristobal Garcia Herrera

Research associate & Corporate Acceleration Lead
imperial college business school

Mike Pinder

Honorary Practice Fellow and Lecturer
imperial college business school

Christopher L Tucci

Professor of Digital Strategy and Innovation
imperial college business school
John Makepeace Service Design research associate

John Makepeace

Service Design Research associate
royal college of art
Mattia Gobbo Service Designer

Mattia Gobbo

Service Design Research associate
royal college of art

Institutions involved

Imperial College Business School, in partnership with the Royal College of Art and leading industry players, has established Wicked Labs.

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accelerating desirable futures
Powered by: Imperial College London +  The Royal College of Art

Our objective is to ignite and sustain economic renewal through circular economy innovation, moonshot design and orchestration, corporate new venture engagement and deep tech acceleration.
©2021 Wicked Acceleration Labs. All Rights Reserved.

Any views expressed on this website are those of the Wicked Acceleration Labs Research Team and do not necessarily reflect the official position or views of Imperial College London or Royal College of Art.
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