According to the report “The state of new business building”, carried out by Leap by McKinsey, the development of new businesses, products and services by companies is one of the main priorities on the strategic agenda of companies throughout the world. world. According to this new analysis, 21% of managers he considers it his top priority (twice as much as last year), while for 55% it is one of the three growth imperatives.
The impact of the creation of new businesses is increasingly evident, so much so that the managers surveyed have indicated that 50% of global revenues in 2026 will come from business models, services or products that don’t exist yet. Digitization, adoption of new technologies and sustainability are the three factors with the greatest impact on growth derived from the construction of new projects.
According to the report, the motivations behind this new wave of intrapreneurship in Europe They are the increase in organic growth, the possibility of mitigating the effects of disruptions and the adaptation to the changing needs of customers and the market provided by the construction of new businesses and products. In fact, eight out of 10 executives (79%) state that they are prioritizing the construction of new businesses as a means of protection against disruption in their industry and to generate new revenue streams to meet the demand of the customer-market binomial.
“The implementation of innovative initiatives from within companies responds to a strategy of growth and increased profitability. According to our analysis, seven out of ten companies that opted for the construction of new businesses as their main strategy grew at higher rates than the average of other companies in their sectors”, points Santiago Fernandez, partner of McKinsey & Company in Spain.
Sustainability, a new differentiation factor for growth
The report also identifies the areas of opportunity to develop construction strategies for new business projects and points to sustainability as one of the differentiating factors for growth.
“Undoubtedly, the pandemic has accelerated and globalized the phenomenon of new business building, but in the near future new challenges will arise that respond to the demand of customers and the market itself, and companies must incorporate the development of new products and services issues such as climate change and more inclusive leadership”, adds Santiago Fernandez.
According to the results of the survey, currently only 15% of companies are monitoring the objectives related to the carbon footprint or other environmental impacts of their new projects, but up to 93% of the managers surveyed declare that they are seeking to address sustainability issues in their new business models. In addition, almost half (46%) of European business leaders recognize that sustainability is one of the top three trends to address through intrapreneurship.
The report points out that, however, four out of five new companies fail to exceed a turnover of more than 50 million dollars in their first four years. Having the experience and support of the parent company is another key factor in guaranteeing the profitability of new entities or services in the long term. The report reveals that organizations that have three or more experiences creating corporate ventures they manage to generate income 1.4 times higher than their peers less experienced in creating new businesses.
Leadership is another of the key aspects, analyzed from a double perspective in the report. On the one hand, the analysis underlines the active role of the CEO of the central company in calibrate investments and growth expectations, prioritizing long-term profitability. At the same time, the report warns that only 14% of new business projects are led by women, identifying an opportunity for inclusion and diversity. According to the report, companies led by women outperform their peers by 10% and greater diversity on boards provides greater opportunities for growth.
