Topic: Wearable technology and challenges to managing innovation in established companies

Anna Jen joined Innovation Navigation from SXSW in Austin, where she was presenting and participating in panels on Epson’s latest in wearable technology, Moverio BT-200 smart glasses and Pulsense activity monitors. Epson is best known for printing and imaging tools, and the innovation process for each of these new products, she explained, is an example of identifying new applications for Epson’s existing technology (the smart glasses are essentially “the world’s smallest LCD screens,” and Pulsense operates using green LED light) for a new market segment – in contrast to Google Glass and Fitbit, both focused on consumer opportunities, Epson’s devices are designed for enterprise applications. Innovation ecosystems were a theme of the day, and Jen highlighted that engaging with software and app developers early to understand the use case and user experience was key to Epson’s progress with both Moverio and Pulsense.

Anna Jen has over a decade of experience in technology strategy and marketing. Before her current role at Epson, she had leading roles in its photo imaging and photo-ware products, and in technology and retail marketing for Polaroid and mobile device strategy for Motorola. She holds a BSEE in Electrical Engineering from the University of Southern California and an MBA from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School.