About The Owls

The Owls Cooperative (Coöperatieve) U.A. is an impact driven and independent international knowledge and experience platform about innovations and breakthroughs. The Owls aim to keep the discussion about innovations and breakthrough processes going. Practical and meaningful realisation of this happens through research, training and advice to organisations, educational institutions and companies.

How it started

Who do so many innovations that started with so much ambition falter early on? And why is there so little sharing of knowledge or cooperation when it comes to innovation? From the start in 2011, as an international network organisation we wanted to stimulate innovation and breakthrough processes to achieve sustainable impact. They are the building blocks for a healthy, peaceful and more sustainable society. And what could be more constructive than contributing to that through initiating discussions and research. But foremost stimulate discussion on innovation through the transfer of knowledge from experienced experts to the next generation of leaders. The initiators of the Owls knew from experience and sub-studies that not sharing knowledge about innovations and breakthrough processes regularly led to early discontinuation or failure of ambitiously started innovation projects. Missed opportunities for new building blocks for a healthy society!

The Owls Project

The Owls Project subsequently conducted practical research in various social domains to find the effect of generic factors on innovations and breakthroughs. Next, they did dozens of interviews with people who were directly involved in breakthrough innovations. They were enthusiastic about sharing their knowledge and experience en often did so pro deo. From the resulting 26 international case studies, The Owls identified nice generic factors for success of failure. The outcome of the research resulted in discussions and presentations. The case studies were published in a series of books: Breakthrough: from innovation to impact. In view of the general interest in the method, The Owls have since developed an integrated business model and a toolkit: The Owls Breakthrough Method©. It is used in our services research, education, advice and coaching.

The Owls 2.0

In 2018 The Owls Foundation continued as a cooperation. In view of the increased focus on implementing The Owls' ideas and the desire to create ecosystems in cooperation with partners, a cooperation seem to offer the best possibilities. The Owls' main aim did not change from its inception: create environments that are stimulating for innovations and breakthroughs that achieve impact on society.

Our logo

The Owls in the name and in the logo remains in the cooperative because it symbolises wisdom. Characteristics of the owl, such as sight, physical condition and hearing, inspire the Owls and keep them sharp. The Owls’ logo is a contemporary take on an iconic design of British designer C.F.A. Voysey, one of the leading figures in the Arts and Crafts movement. The lines in the design flow from the mature owl, a seasoned professional, symbolising the transfer of knowledge and experience to the younger generation, the owlet.  The Owls is greatly indebted to the Voysey family for the use of the original design of The Owl. Field Marshall Lord Peter Inge, one of The Owls' advisors from the very start, happened to be a classmate of Voysey's great grand son. They renewed contact. Because of the social ambition of The Owls, John Voysey gladly agreed to the use of the design.