Structured Innovation. Measurable Results.
We partner organisations and businesses to realise new value and strengthen their Lean processes to manage and deliver competitive Innovation .
Diagnostic-led.
Lean-informed.
Outcome-focused and Standards-aligned.
Tailored Excellence
WHAT WE DO
Innovation Management Assessment
A structured evaluation of your organisation’s innovation capability across leadership, governance, systems and culture aligned with ISO 56001 Innovation Management principles.
The assessment identifies strengths, gaps and priority areas, ensuring improvement efforts are focused where they will deliver the greatest impact.
Innovation Consultancy
We support organisations in defining and embedding innovation as a core business capability.
Our work includes developing innovation strategy, establishing governance and management systems, and building the structures needed to identify, prioritise and deliver new sources of value.
We work closely with senior leadership teams to align innovation with business objectives and long-term growth.
Lean Consultancy
We help organisations improve operational performance by applying Lean principles to processes, workflows, and decision-making.
Our focus is on reducing inefficiencies, improving flow, and strengthening execution across teams resulting in faster delivery, better alignment and more consistent outcomes.
Training & Workshops
We support organisations in defining and embedding innovation as a core business capability.
Our work includes developing innovation strategy, establishing governance and management systems, and building the structures needed to identify, prioritise and deliver new sources of value.
We work closely with senior leadership teams to align innovation with business objectives and long-term growth.
The Team
Patrick Lawlor works with companies to strengthen and implement their innovation strategy by helping them develop and integrate more efficient processes into their business.
Sean McNulty works with EU organisations and businesses to coach and integrate Innovation Management systems into their existing operations.
Shane Hughes works with companies to develop a strategic approach to New Product Development and integrate this with existing Business Strategy Execution.
Execution Excellence
Experience & Leadership
Competitive Innovation team members have:
✔ Led innovation and Lean transformation initiatives across multinational organisations.
✔ Delivered national Lean Product Development and Innovation programmes.
✔ Authored The Ceos Guide to Competitive Innovation, Pub 2024 and IRDG’s Executing Winning Ideas 2017.
✔ Contributed to the development of ISO 56000/56002 Innovation Management series of guide standards.
Why Competitive Innovation
Innovation and Lean expertise combined
We integrate structured Innovation Management with Lean Product Development and performance improvement methodologies.
Standards-informed capability
Front-end innovation structuring and validation processes
Embedded systems, not short-term initiatives
We help organisations move beyond ad-hoc activity to structured governance, delivery and measurable outcomes.
Experienced Senior Practitioners
Our team brings decades of experience across multinational organisations, national innovation programmes and industry-led initiatives.
New Publication
The CEO’s Guide to Competitive Innovation
✔ Click to purchase a copy of The CEO’s Guide to Competitive Innovation and follow Joe’s journey as he works to overcome organisational challenges, maximise his people and drive meaningful change.
✔ Drawing on decades of advisory experience, the book explores practical approaches to bridging the gap between day-to-day operations and the innovation required for long-term growth.
✔ New book by Competitive Innovation consultants Sean McNulty, Shane Hughes and Pat Lawlor.
Knowledge Base
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Competitive Innovation specialise in?
We specialise in structured Innovation Management and Lean Product Development. Our focus is on helping organisations embed innovation as a measurable and sustainable capability rather than a series of isolated initiatives.
How is your approach different from traditional innovation consultancy?
Our work is diagnostic-led and standards-informed. We begin with a structured assessment before recommending intervention and we integrate Lean principles to ensure disciplined execution.
Do you work with SMEs or large organisations?
We work with both. Our experience spans multinational organisations, scaling SMEs and national innovation programmes. Engagements are tailored to organisational maturity and strategic objectives.
Do you deliver standalone workshops?
We can deliver targeted interventions, but our focus is on building structured systems that strengthen long-term innovation performance.
Can you service align with agency funding supports?
In some cases, organisations may be eligible to use Enterprise Ireland or IDA Ireland supports to engage our services, subject to agency approval.
❞
“Competitive Innovation has redefined how we look at the intersection of scale and agility. Their frameworks are not just theoretical—they are the operational blueprint for modern Irish enterprise.”
Leo Clancy
– Enterprise Ireland –