“Innovation doesn't happen in a vacuum. It happens in cycles”

In this chapter, we're diving into one of the most powerful and often misunderstood forces shaping innovation performance, the S-curve. Innovation doesn't happen in straight lines, it happens in cycles. Technologies evolve, markets shift, and every idea follows a natural rhythm, from emergence to acceleration, to maturity and eventually decline. Understanding this rhythm changes everything. It explains why confidence fluctuates, why value grows and then stabilizes, and why timing can be the difference between leading a market and missing it entirely. In Surfing the S-Curve, we'll explore how Freya and her team connect the life cycle of innovation to the XV model, transforming it from a static formula into a dynamic living system. This is a chapter about movement, timing and foresight, because the real art of innovation isn't just creating something new, it's knowing when to let go, when to optimize, and when to jump to the next curve.