Venture Club Stories: Davide Ritorto, Management Engineer at Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A.

Davide’s innovation journey

Q: Can you tell us a bit about yourself and what drives your passion for open innovation and corporate strategy?

I'm Davide, an Under-30 Management Engineer from Italy. Today, I’m responsible for the Global Aftersales Strategy at Lamborghini and I also handle Project Management for the Urus and Lanzador models. 

Beyond that, I consider myself an ‘intrapreneur’ with a passion for (Open) Innovation and Corporate Venturing. My curiosity for innovation started early. I was that kid who always asked questions and wanted to understand how things worked. 

Over the years, through successes and failures, and especially after completing an International MBA focused on innovation, I’ve found that my true calling is helping companies manage innovation in all its forms. For me, it’s about building connections between corporates and ventures to create real value for customers and, ultimately, for the world.

In line with this mission, I also create a newsletter called Open Road Ventures, dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of Open Innovation and Corporate Venturing. Through it, I aim to provide innovators and intrapreneurs with weekly insights and trends to help them stay ahead in a rapidly evolving landscape.

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Q: You've held roles across various sectors, from automotive to startup mentoring. What common themes do you see in successful innovation across these diverse industries?

In my experience, successful innovation isn’t just about excelling in one area or industry anymore. It’s increasingly about cross-fertilisation. Companies today need to be open to inspiration from adjacent sectors or even completely unrelated industries when it comes to technology, business models, or service innovation. 

Another key theme I’ve noticed is the shift from being purely product-centric to building service platforms that offer a competitive edge. Even traditional product-focused companies need to invest in understanding how to create value through services. That’s why I’m such a believer in Chesbrough’s Open Service Innovation model; it really captures the importance of leveraging external ideas and platforms to drive success.

Innovation tools and approaches

Q: You've shared insights on LinkedIn about the importance of knowing your tools. Tell us about a tool or framework that has significantly shaped your approach to innovation.

Venture clienting is definitely a game-changer in the innovation space right now. It allows companies to experiment with new ideas and technologies in a more flexible way without taking on the same level of risk as they would with equity-based approaches like corporate venture capital or acquisitions. 

While the long-term upside might be capped, I think it's one of the best ways for companies to kickstart their open innovation and venturing journey. It’s a great way to bring agile development and lean startup methodologies into the corporate environment, which can be a real shift in mindset.

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Q: At Lamborghini, you developed strategies that integrated aftersales with broader innovation goals. How did you ensure that these operational processes also supported long-term innovation?

To effectively merge short-term operational needs with long-term innovation goals, it's crucial to integrate innovation into daily operations rather than treating it as a standalone project. Start by designing operational processes with flexibility at their core, enabling them to evolve with emerging technologies and new strategies.

Another key point is always to maintain a dual focus and meet immediate (basic) needs efficiently while simultaneously exploring how those processes can be enhanced or transformed over time. Regularly engaging cross-functional teams to identify opportunities for incremental improvements while keeping an eye on larger, transformational goals helps keep both aspects in balance. 

Building a culture of innovation 

Q: Having experienced both startup and corporate environments, what lessons from the startup world do you believe corporations must adopt to stay ahead in innovation?

Corporations looking to lead in innovation could really benefit from adopting a few key practices from the startup world. First off, embracing agility and flexibility is crucial. It allows companies to make faster decisions and adapt to market changes more easily. 

Second is fostering a culture of risk-taking. Startups often see failure as a part of the learning curve, and there’s a lot of value in corporations taking calculated risks as well. 

A third lesson is the power of lean teams. Working with fewer resources often pushes efficiency and creativity. Fourth, staying close to customers and really listening to their feedback can help shape new ideas and keep companies relevant. 

Lastly, fostering a collaborative environment where ideas can move freely across all levels helps break down silos and really drives innovation. Corporates that integrate these principles will be better positioned to innovate and stay competitive in a fast-moving market.
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Q: Many corporate innovators struggle with creating a culture that embraces risk and experimentation. How do you tackle this challenge in your work?

Cultivating a culture that embraces risk and experimentation is deeply rooted in both the company's ethos and its operational procedures. It often boils down to the prevailing mindset—essentially, the ‘this is how we do things here’ mentality—which can either drive or stifle innovation.

To address this, it’s crucial to create an environment where experimentation is encouraged and failures are seen as part of the learning process, not something to be feared. I recently shared my thoughts on overcoming the ‘not invented here’ syndrome in one of my newsletter posts, where I explored ways to break down these barriers and open up to external ideas. You can check it out here.

Lastly, building in feedback loops ensures that short-term wins are not just isolated successes but steps toward a larger innovation roadmap.
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Q. Speak to any innovation lead, and they’ll say failure is part of the process. What’s a failure you remember that ultimately became a catalyst for success?

One of the key lessons I've learned about innovation is avoiding the common 'Proof of Concept (PoC) trap.' Many companies fall into the habit of conducting countless PoCs with no clear plan to scale the solutions that show promise.

This trap often stems from the initial thrill of experimentation, where teams remain in a perpetual pilot phase, never fully transitioning to actual deployment. From my experience, this can create a false sense of progress, inadvertently hindering true innovation.

The key lesson here is recognising that while PoCs are valuable, they must be tied to a clear strategy for scaling if they’re going to drive real impact. That shift in mindset, moving from experimentation to execution, is a game changer in ensuring failures became stepping stones to larger successes.

Cross-functional and global innovation approach

Q: You often mention cross-functional collaboration in your posts. How do you foster effective communication between teams with different expertise and ensure they align with shared innovation goals?

To foster effective communication between teams with different expertise and keep everyone aligned toward shared innovation goals, I focus on building strong, multi-layered relationships across departments. This creates a network of perspectives and ensures that collaboration isn’t dependent on any one person or team. I also put a big emphasis on shared ownership of ideas and projects. When people feel like they have a stake in the outcome, they’re much more likely to get engaged and contribute. 

Turning sceptics into enthusiastic participants is all about making sure everyone feels equally invested in the success of the team, which naturally drives better collaboration and, ultimately, innovation.

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Q: You've worked globally and across different cultures. How do you adapt your innovation strategies to work effectively in diverse environments?

Working across different cultures has taught me that innovation strategies aren’t one-size-fits-all. To be effective in diverse environments, I’ve learned to stay flexible and listen closely to local insights. Every culture has its own way of approaching problem-solving and collaboration, so it’s important to adapt your approach accordingly. 

I focus on creating an inclusive environment where ideas from all backgrounds are valued, and I make sure to respect the local business norms and communication styles. At the same time, I aim to keep the core principles of innovation intact (e.g. things like agility, experimentation, and customer-centric thinking) while tailoring the execution to fit the local context. This balance between consistency and adaptability has been key to driving innovation globally.

Recharging and inspiration

Q: Outside of work, where do you go to recharge and find inspiration for new ideas?
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Outside of work, I’m still an explorer at heart. I’m a scuba diver. Though living far from the sea isn’t ideal for it. I also find a lot of inspiration in intercultural travel, as it opens my mind to new perspectives and ideas. 

I also have a passion for fast cars and slow food. It’s these experiences, whether underwater, on a plane or the road, that help me recharge and spark fresh ideas.
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Q: What are your top 5 go-to resources—books, people, experiences—that spark your creativity and fuel your passion for innovation?
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I have a mix of go-to resources. I like blogs and news sites like The Verge, Fast Company, TechCrunch, Morning Brew, Sifted, Futurism, Wired, and Farnam Street. Then there’s YouTube. I follow channels like Bloomberg Originals, Marques Brownlee and Y Combinator.

Podcasts are another great source of insights. Some of my favourites include FYI, Wired, Lex Friedman, a16z podcast, and Open Innovation Talks). Lastly, attending startup events can also be a great source of innovative ideas.
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Q: If you could innovate or redesign one everyday object, what would it be and why?
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If I could redesign one everyday object, it would be the wardrobe. Imagine a wardrobe that not only stores your clothes but also automatically cleans and irons them. After you wear an outfit, you simply hang it back, and the wardrobe cleans, steams, and presses it, making sure it’s ready to wear again. 

It could use eco-friendly technology like dry steaming to reduce water waste and sensors to detect fabric types and handle delicate items with care. This innovation would save time, eliminate the hassle of laundry and ironing, and make life so much easier, totally transforming how we manage our clothes.

Closing thoughts

A big thanks to Davide for taking the time to share his insights with us and our venture club community. For more Bundl Venture Club insights, be sure to sign up for our next roundtable. Hope to see you there!