Innovation: Theory to Impact

PDMA Carolinas | June 16, 2026

Description

This session highlights the collaboration between Furman University’s Center for Innovative Leadership (CIL) and BMW’s IT Tech Office Innovation Strategy Team following BMW’s participation in the Professional Certificate in Corporate Entrepreneurship (PCCE). Drawing from the full suite of Furman innovation modules—from Mindset & Team Building to Course Corrections—the BMW team will demonstrate how these concepts were directly embedded into the BMW Open Innovation Process. We’ll showcase specific examples of how academic models enabled more effective ideation, validation, stakeholder engagement, and scaling of innovation initiatives across the organization.

The session demonstrates the power of bridging academic insight with real world application. Furman University’s CIL provided the structure; BMW’s Open Innovation Process provided the proving ground. Together, we showcase a compelling story of how organizations can build stronger innovation foundations, accelerate idea-to-impact pipelines, and cultivate teams that are prepared to lead the next innovation engine and transformation.

About the Speakers

Sarah Waylett

Sarah Waylett is the Director of Product Experience at Furman University's Center for Innovative Leadership responsible for all leadership & professional education product and program experience. She is obsessed with all things workplace transformation and change, especially workplace wellbeing; employee and customer experience; product and service development; and culture, community and learning.

Prior to Furman, Sarah spent 17 years as an Innovation Evangelist at Accenture driving market innovation and strategic positioning through product and service development across multiple industries and functions leveraging multiple frameworks including Design Thinking and Agile. Once those products and services were established, she designed learning and development experiences for thousands of consultants to engage, learn and adopt new products, services and ways of working.

Sarah is also thought leader in the innovation and resilience space as the creator and founder of Dreamgarten, where together, we cultivate fertile ground for innovation to take root and thrive. Sarah provides speaking and education focused on The Inextricable Link Framework™ accelerating innovation and cultivating resilience for humans and organizations alike. She also developed an evidence-based methodology for prevention and recovery from burnout using mindfulness and design thinking to help people learn how to manage the stress in their bodies as well as reframe the stressors that cause stress in the first place

Brooke Rennison

Leading Innovation Strategy within the BMW IT Tech Office, driving partnerships with universities, startups, and big tech to amplify innovation. We empower associates through entrepreneurial programs, manage communications and reporting, and lead an internal network of champions fostering a culture of innovation across the region. Our mission: balance digital disruption with industrialization and deliver impactful IT innovations.

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