Ecosystem & Platform Building
When I joined Kajima as the first innovation hire, there was no playbook, no partner network, and no template for what an innovation function inside a nearly 200-year-old construction giant should look like. What there was: a building, a mandate, and an opportunity to build something from scratch.
Over two years, I built the governance, partner networks, and community programs, taking The GEAR Innovation Hub from a physical space to a functioning technology ecosystem.
The Challenge
Internally, I had to prove to executives that innovation could be a tangible value driver, not just a cost center. Externally, we needed to show that a traditional corporation could move quickly and operate as a credible partner rather than a stage for innovation theatre.
At the same time, there was no clear structure in place to support any of it. I had to build the frameworks from scratch that allowed academics, government bodies, and founders to actually plug in.
The Process
Ecosystem Architecture: Designed the core programs that powered The GEAR Innovation Hub: the Startup Residency accelerator for deep-tech validation and the Community Access Program (CAP) for broad ecosystem growth. Built the end-to-end partner lifecycle from qualification criteria, onboarding workflow, and performance tracking, allowing the ecosystem to scale in a structured and measurable way.
Turning the Physical Space into a Living Lab: Repositioned The GEAR Innovation Hub as a live testbed where startups could deploy and validate their technologies directly in the building. This shifted the nature of our partnerships from exploratory conversations to real-world proof points with measurable outcomes.
Academic Partnerships & Student Programs: Established MoUs with Singapore Management University (SMU), Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), Singapore Polytechnic, and Temasek Polytechnic across talent development, co-creation, and innovation education. Evaluated more than 100 student and early-stage projects through global competitions and innovation prizes, including the Lee Kuan Yew Global Business Plan Competition and the Kajima Built Environment Student Innovation Challenge, connecting young founders with the resources and networks to scale.
Government & Industry Partnerships: The MoU with JTC Corporation opened joint PoC opportunities, test-bedding, and access to broader regional and global networks. Also worked with the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) on regulatory and technical alignment, knowledge exchange, and ecosystem development.
Community & Experience Design: Designed and led over 100 building tours and workshops, collaborating cross-functionally with internal business units to showcase technical demonstrations at our research labs. Acted as a translator between technical teams and audiences from executives to students, helping them understand the business value of emerging technology.
The Results
The GEAR Innovation Hub grew into a network of more than 1,000 stakeholders and established 6 strategic MoUs that helped position it as a regional hub for built environment innovation. I evaluated hundreds of startups and initiated over 20 proof-of-concept projects, creating a steady pipeline of technologies moving from exploration into real-world testing.
To support this growth, I implemented systems to better track partner activity and program performance at scale. Across programs, building tours, and engagements, I consistently saw strong feedback, with NPS scores in the 70s, a strong indicator that we were delivering real value that kept participants engaged and coming back.
1,000+
Stakeholder Ecosystem
20+
Proof-of-Concept Initiatives
6
Strategic Partnerships
Failures & Lessons
When I introduced the Builders Circle to involve business unit leaders in innovation, I assumed they would immediately see the value. They didn't. Many saw it as outside their job scope, a distraction from their core work, and not clearly tied to their priorities. I had designed the program around what I thought was valuable, not what mattered to them.
So I changed my approach. I stopped pitching innovation as a separate initiative and started connecting it to their specific challenges. I shared examples of how other companies were using emerging technology to make day-to-day work easier, invited them to events where they could see the impact firsthand, and made participation as low touch as possible with flexible levels of involvement. Once they started seeing the relevance, engagement grew on its own. It taught me a vital lesson: you can't sell the vision until you've made it relevant.
Conclusion
What started as a fragmented set of innovation efforts became a structured, repeatable ecosystem. The early work was about earning trust, putting the right foundations in place, and showing consistent results. Once the ecosystem had momentum and the pilots yielded results, the story told itself. That shift provided the business case that gave leadership the confidence to spin out a standalone technology subsidiary.
One key takeaway from this experience is that a building is just hardware, but the ecosystem is the software that makes it run. By building the right “API”s for partnerships, I turned a corporate asset into a collaborative engine that continues to grow over time.
Ecosystem & Platform Building
When I joined Kajima as the first innovation hire, there was no playbook, no partner network, and no template for what an innovation function inside a nearly 200-year-old construction giant should look like. What there was: a building, a mandate, and an opportunity to build something from scratch.
Over two years, I built the governance, partner networks, and community programs, taking The GEAR Innovation Hub from a physical space to a functioning technology ecosystem.
Headquarters
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Founded
2006
Industry
E-commerce
Revenue
$1.578 billion (2019)
Company size
5,000+
The Challenge
Internally, I had to prove to executives that innovation could be a tangible value driver, not just a cost center. Externally, we needed to show that a traditional corporation could move quickly and operate as a credible partner rather than a stage for innovation theatre.
At the same time, there was no clear structure in place to support any of it. I had to build the frameworks from scratch that allowed academics, government bodies, and founders to actually plug in.
The app had a cluttered interface, making it difficult for users to navigate and find essential features. Users were facing issues with the onboarding process, which was affecting new user adoption rates. The app lacked personalization and customization options, making it less engaging and user-friendly.
The Process
Ecosystem Architecture: Designed the core programs that powered The GEAR Innovation Hub: the Startup Residency accelerator for deep-tech validation and the Community Access Program (CAP) for broad ecosystem growth. Built the end-to-end partner lifecycle from qualification criteria, onboarding workflow, and performance tracking, allowing the ecosystem to scale in a structured and measurable way.
Turning the Physical Space into a Living Lab: Repositioned The GEAR Innovation Hub as a live testbed where startups could deploy and validate their technologies directly in the building. This shifted the nature of our partnerships from exploratory conversations to real-world proof points with measurable outcomes.
Academic Partnerships & Student Programs: Established MoUs with Singapore Management University (SMU), Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), Singapore Polytechnic, and Temasek Polytechnic across talent development, co-creation, and innovation education. Evaluated more than 100 student and early-stage projects through global competitions and innovation prizes, including the Lee Kuan Yew Global Business Plan Competition and the Kajima Built Environment Student Innovation Challenge, connecting young founders with the resources and networks to scale.
Government & Industry Partnerships: The MoU with JTC Corporation opened joint PoC opportunities, test-bedding, and access to broader regional and global networks. Also worked with the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) on regulatory and technical alignment, knowledge exchange, and ecosystem development.
Community & Experience Design: Designed and led over 100 building tours and workshops, collaborating cross-functionally with internal business units to showcase technical demonstrations at our research labs. Acted as a translator between technical teams and audiences from executives to students, helping them understand the business value of emerging technology.
Research & Analysis: We conducted user interviews, surveys, and analyzed in-app analytics to understand the pain points and user needs. We also studied competitor apps and industry trends to gather insights
Information Architecture: Based on the research findings, we restructured the app's navigation and content, prioritizing features and information according to user needs.
Wireframing & Prototyping: We designed low-fidelity wireframes to visualize the new layout and navigation, iteratively refining them based on user feedback. Afterward, we built a high-fidelity, interactive prototype to test the design.
Usability Testing: We conducted usability tests with a diverse group of users to validate the design and identify areas for improvement. Based on the feedback, we made necessary adjustments to the design.
Visual Design & Style Guide: We developed a cohesive visual language, including color schemes, typography, and iconography, ensuring consistency throughout the app. We also created a style guide to maintain design consistency in future updates.
35%
Improved onboarding process
25%
Increase in user retention
84%
Increase in time spent on website
The Results
The GEAR Innovation Hub grew into a network of more than 1,000 stakeholders and established 6 strategic MoUs that helped position it as a regional hub for built environment innovation. I evaluated hundreds of startups and initiated over 20 proof-of-concept projects, creating a steady pipeline of technologies moving from exploration into real-world testing.
To support this growth, I implemented systems to better track partner activity and program performance at scale. Across programs, building tours, and engagements, I consistently saw strong feedback, with NPS scores in the 70s, a strong indicator that we were delivering real value that kept participants engaged and coming back.
1,000+
Stakeholder Ecosystem
20+
Proof-of-Concept Initiatives
6
Strategic Partnerships
The Results
The redesigned app features a clean, clutter-free interface, making it easier for users to navigate and access essential features.
The improved onboarding process resulted in a 35% increase in new user adoption rates.
The addition of personalization and customization options enhanced user engagement, leading to a 25% increase in user retention rates.
“ With our new visual branding and language in place, the new Shopify brand clearly captures the essence of our current and target customer base, our employees, and our values. ”
Tobias Lütke
CEO, Co-founder | Shopify
Failures & Lessons
When I introduced the Builders Circle to involve business unit leaders in innovation, I assumed they would immediately see the value. They didn't. Many saw it as outside their job scope, a distraction from their core work, and not clearly tied to their priorities. I had designed the program around what I thought was valuable, not what mattered to them.
So I changed my approach. I stopped pitching innovation as a separate initiative and started connecting it to their specific challenges. I shared examples of how other companies were using emerging technology to make day-to-day work easier, invited them to events where they could see the impact firsthand, and made participation as low touch as possible with flexible levels of involvement. Once they started seeing the relevance, engagement grew on its own. It taught me a vital lesson: you can't sell the vision until you've made it relevant.
Conclusion
What started as a fragmented set of innovation efforts became a structured, repeatable ecosystem. The early work was about earning trust, putting the right foundations in place, and showing consistent results. Once the ecosystem had momentum and the pilots yielded results, the story told itself. That shift provided the business case that gave leadership the confidence to spin out a standalone technology subsidiary.
One key takeaway from this experience is that a building is just hardware, but the ecosystem is the software that makes it run. By building the right “API”s for partnerships, I turned a corporate asset into a collaborative engine that continues to grow over time.
The StreamLine mobile banking app redesign successfully addressed the usability issues, resulting in a more intuitive and user-friendly experience. The improved UX/UI design led to increased user adoption, engagement, and satisfaction, demonstrating the value of a well-designed template for UX designers.