Innovation: understanding the real business challenges in 2026

Updated March 2026 - Innovation is not only about technology, R&D or digital transformation. In a company, it also touches the organisation, the product and service offering, the operating processes, customer relationships, margins and the ability to remain competitive over time. The businesses that extract the most value from innovation are not necessarily those that innovate the most — they are those that manage innovation like a real business project.

See also research tax credit (CIR), public innovation funding 2026 and how AI can accelerate your business growth in 2026.

A company can innovate along several dimensions simultaneously, and management teams sometimes underestimate the full scope:

• ▸by the offer: new products, new services, new variants or evolutions of the existing range that open new market segments or better meet the needs of existing customers;
• ▸by the processes: operating method changes that reduce waste, reduce cycle time, improve quality consistency or lower the cost base;
• ▸by the distribution channels: reaching customers differently — through digital, through new partnerships, through new geographies — without necessarily changing the core product;
• ▸by the business model: changing how value is captured — moving from one-time sales to recurring revenue, from products to services, from direct to platform models.

For a management team, innovation raises very concrete questions that go well beyond R&D decisions:

• ▸how to prioritise projects: which innovation initiatives deserve internal investment and management attention, and which can wait or be deprioritised without affecting competitive position?
• ▸how to finance experimentation: innovation involves spending before returns materialise — how to finance the trial phase without undermining short-term profitability or cash position?
• ▸how to protect profitability during the transition: new product launches and process changes consume management bandwidth and operational resources. The risk of disrupting what already works is real;
• ▸how to bring the teams along: organisational changes required by innovation often face internal resistance. Change management is as important as the technical or commercial decision.

Hayot Expertise advice: innovation creates value when it is connected to a logic of prioritisation, funding and economic return. Without that connection, it remains a stated priority rather than a real operational lever. The organisations that get the most out of innovation are those that manage it — not just those that talk about it.

When working with clients on innovation strategy and finance, we recommend analysing four dimensions:

1. ▸the economic objective of each project: what specific metric does this innovation improve — revenue, margin, customer retention, cost per unit — and by how much?
2. ▸the human and financial resources committed: is the allocation of resources proportional to the expected return and the risk involved?
3. ▸the support schemes and tax regimes available: innovation funding in France includes the CIR, the JEI regime, BPI financing, ADEME support and regional mechanisms — are the eligible projects actually claiming what is available?
4. ▸the ability to scale: can the successful pilot be industrialised at a cost and speed that justifies the initial investment?

We can help you frame your projects and measure their real economic impact.

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In 2026, innovation is a cross-functional business challenge. It mobilises strategy, finance, organisation and execution simultaneously. The companies that extract the most value from it are those that manage it rigorously — with clear prioritisation, proper funding and measured outcomes.

Want to prioritise your innovation projects and their funding more effectively?
We can help you make the right calls.

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