“Practical Innovation” on International Women’s Day 2024
In anticipation of International Women’s Day tomorrow, we salute “Practical Innovation.” our esteemed client and a leading entity in the realm of Israeli innovation, predominantly managed and operated by women.
Tal Leizer, CEO and founder, established the company in 2010 following her tenure as CMO and PDM at notable food companies, including Shemen Industries Ltd. and Soglowek. The inception of Practical Innovation aimed to inject groundbreaking innovation into the product launch process—a challenge many businesses find daunting—thereby fueling a significant growth engine tailored to each business and its unique capabilities.
The cornerstone of the methodology Leizer developed is “practicality,” executed in five phases: ideation across various innovation levels, guiding each innovative concept towards application methods pertinent to the company, leveraging new components and technologies to develop marketable commercial products, promoting only ideas that are commercially viable from a business perspective, and ensuring a swift time-to-market of up to three years.
The team at “Practical Innovation,” predominantly composed of talented women from a wide array of disciplines and research fields, operates within the industrial realm of real tech—a sector traditionally dominated by men. This unique dynamic positions these women at the forefront of conceptual development against the backdrop of an industry typically characterized by male and technology-centric leadership.
Tal underscores the importance of bolstering traditional industry: “Startup Nation is synonymous with high-tech, representing a mere 9% of the workforce. The vast majority are employed in services and industry. A robust economy is built on the foundation of traditional industry.”
Indeed, the majority of the company’s projects are rooted in conventional technological domains such as plastics, metals, textiles, petrochemicals supplements, recycling, food, and agriculture. Over its 14 years of operation, Practical Innovation has successfully aided numerous companies in flourishing and expanding through the development of new products and market penetration.
A natural inquiry arises regarding the predominance of women within “Practical Innovation.” Tal notes that recruitment targets both genders equally, with candidates undergoing a task-based screening process. Interestingly, it emerged that women frequently outperformed their male counterparts in these tasks: “Women are exceptionally creative and skilled, capable of juggling multiple tasks, leading processes, and adopting a multidisciplinary approach, often examining problems from various angles,” Tal concludes.
When questioned about the characteristics of female leadership, she responds, “Female management is grounded in pragmatism and efficiency, devoid of ego. Our goal is to complete projects swiftly, effectively, and with excellence.”
And what do statistics reveal about female leadership? A report by the Ministry of Economy and Industry (prepared for this year’s International Women’s Day) indicates that “women business owners manage risks more conservatively and intelligently than men, opting for smaller loans, thereby reducing their business closure risk by 50% or more… Despite their high commitment to their businesses and understanding of business management, women tend to be more risk-averse regarding credit.”
Among the innovative products brought to market with Practical Innovation’s assistance are: the “twist” version with new jokers and more sustainable plastic for the Rummikub game by Kodkod, a premium Full Wrap tortilla for the Lord Sandwich company—low in carbohydrates and high in quality protein, and Caniel’s development of a new generation tuna can featuring a lid that facilitates easy oil drainage. An extensive list of developments can be found here.
