Skip to Content
  • Offices

    Offices

    North & Latin America
    • Atlanta
    • Austin
    • Bogota
    • Boston
    • Buenos Aires
    • Chicago
    • Dallas
    • Denver
    • Houston
    • Los Angeles
    • Mexico City
    • Minneapolis
    • Monterrey
    • Montreal
    • New York
    • Rio de Janeiro
    • San Francisco
    • Santiago
    • São Paulo
    • Seattle
    • Silicon Valley
    • Toronto
    • Washington, DC
    Europe & Africa
    • Amsterdam
    • Athens
    • Berlin
    • Brussels
    • Copenhagen
    • Dusseldorf
    • Frankfurt
    • Helsinki
    • Istanbul
    • Johannesburg
    • Kyiv
    • Lisbon
    • London
    • Madrid
    • Milan
    • Munich
    • Oslo
    • Paris
    • Rome
    • Stockholm
    • Vienna
    • Warsaw
    • Zurich
    Middle East
    • Doha
    • Dubai
    • Riyadh
    Asia & Australia
    • Bangkok
    • Beijing
    • Bengaluru
    • Brisbane
    • Ho Chi Minh City
    • Hong Kong
    • Jakarta
    • Kuala Lumpur
    • Manila
    • Melbourne
    • Mumbai
    • New Delhi
    • Perth
    • Seoul
    • Shanghai
    • Singapore
    • Sydney
    • Tokyo
    See all offices
  • Alumni
  • Media Center
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • Brazil | Português

    Select your region and language

    Global
    • Global (English)
    North & Latin America
    • Brazil (Português)
    • Argentina (Español)
    • Canada (Français)
    • Chile (Español)
    • Colombia (Español)
    Europe, Middle East, & Africa
    • France (Français)
    • DACH Region (Deutsch)
    • Italy (Italiano)
    • Spain (Español)
    • Greece (Elliniká)
    Asia & Australia
    • China (中文版)
    • Korea (한국어)
    • Japan (日本語)
  • Saved items (0)
    Saved items (0)

    You have no saved items.

    Bookmark content that interests you and it will be saved here for you to read or share later.

    Explore Bain Insights
  • Industries
    Main menu

    Industries

    • Aeroespacial e Defesa
    • Agronegócio
    • Química
    • Construção e Infraestrutura
    • Bens de Consumo
    • Serviços Financeiros
    • Healthcare & Life Sciences
    • Máquinas e Equipamentos Industriais
    • Mídia e Entretenimento
      Industries
      Mídia e Entretenimento
      • Media Lab
    • Metais
    • Mineração
    • Petróleo e Gás
    • Papel e Embalagens
    • Private Equity
      Industries
      Private Equity
      • Due Diligence
      • Exit Planning
      • Firm Strategy & Operations
      • Portfolio Value Creation
    • Setor Público e Social
    • Varejo
    • Tecnologia
    • Telecomunicações
      Industries
      Telecomunicações
      • Capital Expenditure
      • Telco Digital Transformation
    • Transporte
    • Turismo & Lazer
    • Energia & Renováveis
  • Consulting Services
    Main menu

    Consulting Services

    • Customer Experience
    • Sustainability
    • Innovation
    • M&A
    • Operations
    • People & Organization
    • Private Equity
    • Sales & Marketing
    • Strategy
    • AI, Insights, and Solutions
    • Technology
    • Transformation
  • Digital
  • Insights
    Main menu

    Insights

    • Industry Insights
    • Services Insights
    • Bain Books
    • Webinars
    • Bain Futures
    View all Insights
    Featured topics
    • Tariff Response
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Thriving in Uncertainty
    • Executive Conversations
    • Macro Trends
    • M&A Report
    • Healthcare Private Equity Report
    • Paper & Packaging Report
    • Technology Report
    • CEO's Guide to Sustainability
    • CEO Insights
    • CFO Insights
    • COO Insights
    • CIO Insights
    • CMO Insights
    View all featured topics
  • About
    Main menu

    About

    • What We Do
    • What We Believe
    • Our People & Leadership
    • Client Results
    • Awards & Recognition
    • Global Affiliations
    Further: Our global responsibility
    • Sustainability
    • Social Impact
    • World Economic Forum
    Learn more about Further
  • Carreiras
    Main menu

    Carreiras

    • Trabalhe Conosco
      Carreiras
      Trabalhe Conosco
      • Find Your Place
      • Nossas áreas de trabalho
      • Equipes integradas
      • Estudantes
      • Programas e estágios
      • Eventos de Recrutamento
    • A Vida na Bain
      Carreiras
      A Vida na Bain
      • Blog: Inside Bain
      • Histórias de carreira
      • Nossas pessoas
      • Onde trabalhamos
      • Apoioao seu crescimento
      • Grupos de afinidade
      • Benefícios
    • Impact Stories
    • Nosso Processo Seletivo
      Carreiras
      Nosso Processo Seletivo
      • O Que Esperar
      • Entrevistas
    FIND JOBS
  • Offices
    Main menu

    Offices

    • North & Latin America
      Offices
      North & Latin America
      • Atlanta
      • Austin
      • Bogota
      • Boston
      • Buenos Aires
      • Chicago
      • Dallas
      • Denver
      • Houston
      • Los Angeles
      • Mexico City
      • Minneapolis
      • Monterrey
      • Montreal
      • New York
      • Rio de Janeiro
      • San Francisco
      • Santiago
      • São Paulo
      • Seattle
      • Silicon Valley
      • Toronto
      • Washington, DC
    • Europe & Africa
      Offices
      Europe & Africa
      • Amsterdam
      • Athens
      • Berlin
      • Brussels
      • Copenhagen
      • Dusseldorf
      • Frankfurt
      • Helsinki
      • Istanbul
      • Johannesburg
      • Kyiv
      • Lisbon
      • London
      • Madrid
      • Milan
      • Munich
      • Oslo
      • Paris
      • Rome
      • Stockholm
      • Vienna
      • Warsaw
      • Zurich
    • Middle East
      Offices
      Middle East
      • Doha
      • Dubai
      • Riyadh
    • Asia & Australia
      Offices
      Asia & Australia
      • Bangkok
      • Beijing
      • Bengaluru
      • Brisbane
      • Ho Chi Minh City
      • Hong Kong
      • Jakarta
      • Kuala Lumpur
      • Manila
      • Melbourne
      • Mumbai
      • New Delhi
      • Perth
      • Seoul
      • Shanghai
      • Singapore
      • Sydney
      • Tokyo
    See all offices
  • Alumni
  • Media Center
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • Brazil | Português
    Main menu

    Select your region and language

    • Global
      Select your region and language
      Global
      • Global (English)
    • North & Latin America
      Select your region and language
      North & Latin America
      • Brazil (Português)
      • Argentina (Español)
      • Canada (Français)
      • Chile (Español)
      • Colombia (Español)
    • Europe, Middle East, & Africa
      Select your region and language
      Europe, Middle East, & Africa
      • France (Français)
      • DACH Region (Deutsch)
      • Italy (Italiano)
      • Spain (Español)
      • Greece (Elliniká)
    • Asia & Australia
      Select your region and language
      Asia & Australia
      • China (中文版)
      • Korea (한국어)
      • Japan (日本語)
  • Saved items  (0)
    Main menu
    Saved items (0)

    You have no saved items.

    Bookmark content that interests you and it will be saved here for you to read or share later.

    Explore Bain Insights
  • Industries
    • Industries

      • Aeroespacial e Defesa
      • Agronegócio
      • Química
      • Construção e Infraestrutura
      • Bens de Consumo
      • Serviços Financeiros
      • Healthcare & Life Sciences
      • Máquinas e Equipamentos Industriais
      • Mídia e Entretenimento
      • Metais
      • Mineração
      • Petróleo e Gás
      • Papel e Embalagens
      • Private Equity
      • Setor Público e Social
      • Varejo
      • Tecnologia
      • Telecomunicações
      • Transporte
      • Turismo & Lazer
      • Energia & Renováveis
  • Consulting Services
    • Consulting Services

      • Customer Experience
      • Sustainability
      • Innovation
      • M&A
      • Operations
      • People & Organization
      • Private Equity
      • Sales & Marketing
      • Strategy
      • AI, Insights, and Solutions
      • Technology
      • Transformation
  • Digital
  • Insights
    • Insights

      • Industry Insights
      • Services Insights
      • Bain Books
      • Webinars
      • Bain Futures
      View all Insights
      Featured topics
      • Tariff Response
      • Artificial Intelligence
      • Thriving in Uncertainty
      • Executive Conversations
      • Macro Trends
      • M&A Report
      • Healthcare Private Equity Report
      • Paper & Packaging Report
      • Technology Report
      • CEO's Guide to Sustainability
      • CEO Insights
      • CFO Insights
      • COO Insights
      • CIO Insights
      • CMO Insights
      View all featured topics
  • About
    • About

      • What We Do
      • What We Believe
      • Our People & Leadership
      • Client Results
      • Awards & Recognition
      • Global Affiliations
      Further: Our global responsibility
      • Sustainability
      • Social Impact
      • World Economic Forum
      Learn more about Further
  • Carreiras
    Popular Searches
    • Agile
    • Digital
    • Strategy
    Your Previous Searches
      Recently Visited Pages

      Content added to saved items

      Saved items (0)

      Removed from saved items

      Saved items (0)

      Fortune

      How Bain Helps Build the Next Generation of Billion-Dollar Businesses

      How Bain Helps Build the Next Generation of Billion-Dollar Businesses

      We work with established companies to adapt and make their big, innovative ideas a reality.

      • min read

      Article

      How Bain Helps Build the Next Generation of Billion-Dollar Businesses
      en

      This article is part of a series of sponsored content created in partnership with Fortune, available on our Breakthrough hub.

      COVID-19 has accelerated the proliferation of digital platforms and new technologies like never before. As a result, companies are having to reimagine their business models to meet the rapidly evolving needs of their customers—and fuel the growth they need to stay competitive. 

      “The pace of change is only going to get faster, making more business models obsolete and creating new growth opportunities,” says Mikaela Boyd, a partner with Bain & Company and head of its strategy practice for the Americas. 

      Today, forward-thinking companies are working to build large, new core businesses to drive innovation and meet quickly evolving industry and consumer demands. In a recent survey by Bain & Company, CEOs projected that over the next decade, 40% of the value their companies create would come from entering new markets and launching new business models.

      To help companies establish successful new cores, Bain recently rolled out a new name for its corporate venturing, product, and business-building solution: Innovation & Business Building. The service pairs companies with Bain strategists, designers, engineers, and venture ecosystem experts to support every phase of business building. Together, they create “engine two” businesses and strengthen organizational muscles to accelerate new business ventures from seed to scale. 

      Here, Boyd discusses how Bain is setting companies up for long-term success.

      Why is business building rising to the top of the strategic agenda?

      Simply put, business building drives growth and value. To win in today’s marketplace, companies need to proactively identify, validate, and capitalize on signals of change. In the past, organizations often relied on incremental investments in their strongest core businesses, whether it was expanding a product line or moving into new customer segments, but those that want to succeed in the new era have to think differently. 

      Is that what inspired the recent rollout of Innovation & Business Building?

      Yes. Innovation & Business Building is really the evolution of the business building, innovation, and design capabilities that we’ve been building and delivering on for years at Bain. The name reflects a doubling-down on our commitment to help companies envision and build for the future.

      The ultimate goal is to create the next generation of “scale insurgents”—those that combine the benefits of size with the nimble, focused energy of a startup. We do that by partnering with clients to build up their muscles and connective tissue so that corporate venture teams can innovate, validate, create, and scale new growth engines over and over again. In our experience, those are the biggest obstacles: scale and repeatability. 

      In your conversations with CEOs, what are some of the key challenges they face in building new products and businesses?

      Companies are often too reactive to the latest trend and chase shiny objects with innovation. We work with them to commit to “investment themes,” bold beliefs about the world that guide sustained investment. Doing that well requires an innovation strategy that continuously unpacks market and customer insights to reveal clear visions for where to play.

      Another common pitfall is trying to go it alone. Our research shows that more than 70% of successful ventures use mergers and acquisitions (M&A) to directly acquire the desired new venture, establish new capabilities, or expand to new geographies. Our startup and venture capital ecosystem provides a pulse on where an industry is headed as well as deep connections that lend access to partnership and acquisition opportunities. 

      The last major challenge we encounter is talent. We tell CEOs that their biggest talent pools are internal “hidden talent.” What do I mean by “hidden talent”? In most large organizations, business units have a natural tendency to keep their best talent close. The “unlock” is to identify those individuals who arrive at unique insights, tell it like it is, and bring energy and a growth mindset to every scenario. In our experience, most companies harbor these stars within their organizations. The better you get at business building, the more hidden talent will emerge. So it’s a virtuous cycle.

      Can you explain more about what the business building process is and how Bain supports it? 

      At the beginning of the business-building journey, we help companies do two big things: (1) We work with leadership teams to identify the raw, unmet customer need that sits at the center of creating a great business; (2) building on that raw need, we help them shift gears with the right acceleration to scale quickly.

      For example, we recently helped a financial services company develop, build, and scale a new enterprise solution in less than 10 months. We began with two rapid workshops to align on the target space, resources, and governance. We then conducted a large startup ecosystem scan as one of a number of inputs to examine the space—ensuring we had a clear view of the different ways the market might evolve. 

      What we uncovered together was a subtle shift in the market that led us to explore a novel partnership model for their business. We made introductions to private equity and venture capital funds to establish exclusivity and began proof-of-concept testing with several partners. The new distribution model expanded the top of the funnel and lowered acquisition costs, creating a win-win for the company and its partners. Bain’s software engineering team established the high-level platform architecture, and we stood up six multidisciplinary, agile squads spanning strategy, engineering, product, and design personnel from both Bain and the company to build and launch the platform a few months ago. The market feedback has been unbelievably positive, and the new business is already well ahead of growth projections. 

      What are some of the other results you’ve seen so far?

      We’ve worked on more than 150 new growth engine projects over the past five years and have a 90% concept-to-launch rate. A few recent results stories include a technology company where we helped to design and launch a new hardware business that led to a 30% stock price increase after the announcement. We helped a coalition of companies combine their unique data assets to create a sustainability-focused data and insights offering that is on track to deliver $100 million in revenue by 2025. 

      What are the long-term goals for Bain with Innovation & Business Building?

      We aim to be the partner of choice for the world’s boldest thinkers. Bain has long been committed to building iconic businesses that transform the way we live and work, and Innovation & Business Building builds on that history. We want to help both incumbents and insurgents build, transform, and develop sustained market leadership positions by giving them access to all the cumulative intelligence and capabilities that we’ve collected from decades of experience with the leading global organizations. 

      We’re proud that the companies we work with have built successful businesses and repeatable innovation programs. Business building is now a part of who they are and what they do. This is the continuous reinvention that business today requires. 

      If you want to learn more, feel free to get in touch with Mikaela Boyd.

      Related Consulting Services
      • Innovation & Business Building
      • Strategy
      Strategy
      What CEOs Bring Home: A Holiday Special

      As the year winds down, Founder’s Mentality: The CEO Sessions takes a festive turn.

      Read more
      Strategy
      Rediscover The Art of Business Building: Tanuja Randery, Managing Director EMEA, Amazon Web Services

      Big companies are built to deliver, but in a world where technology shifts daily and customer needs change overnight, delivery alone isn’t enough. Business building has to become part of the culture. 

      Read more
      Strategy
      Simplify: Stuart Gent, Partner, Bain Capital

      How on earth can we simplify when business complexity feels inevitable? 

      Read more
      Strategy
      Beyond Efficiency: Prompting AI To Innovate

      AI won’t spark real innovation until we stop using it to validate ideas and start using it to break them.

      Read more
      Strategy
      Built to Be Bold: Why the Best Innovators Run Two Systems

      The most innovative companies don’t avoid risk—they design for it.

      Read more
      First published in agosto 2022
      Tags
      • Innovation & Business Building
      • Strategy

      How We've Helped Clients

      Turning an Operational Complexity into a Multimillion-Dollar Market Opportunity

      See more related case studies

      A Banking Leader Seizes a New Opportunity in Wealth Management

      See more related case studies

      Speed at Scale: The Thermo Fisher story

      See more related case studies

      Quer saber mais?

      Ajudamos líderes do mundo todo a lidar com desafios e oportunidades cruciais para suas organizações. Juntos, criamos mudanças e resultados duradouros.

      Bain Insights. Our perspectives on critical issues global businesses face in today's challenging environment, delivered monthly.

      *I have read and understand Bain’s Privacy Notice.

      Please read and agree to the Privacy Policy.
      Bain & Company
      Contact us Sustainability Accessibility Terms of use Privacy Cookie Policy Sitemap Log In

      © 1996-2026 Bain & Company, Inc.

      Contact Bain

      How can we help you?

      • Business inquiry
      • Career information
      • Press relations
      • Partnership request
      • Speaker request
      See all offices