Simone Ahuja

Dr. Simone Bhan Ahuja is an innovation strategist, author, and keynote speaker whose work has influenced organizational approaches to creativity, resourcefulness, and growth. As the founder of Blood Orange, an innovation and strategy firm, Ahuja has spent more than 15 years studying and applying the principles of doing more with less. Her work began with grassroots innovators in emerging markets and entrepreneurs worldwide. Through ethnographic and academic research, Ahuja examined how individuals and companies in markets such as India and China address challenges despite limited resources.

Ahuja is the co-author of "Jugaad Innovation: Think Frugal, Be Flexible, Generate Breakthrough Growth," an international bestseller on frugal innovation. The book has been published in multiple countries and was described by The Economist as a comprehensive resource on the subject. She also developed and produced the television series "Indique — Big Ideas from Emerging India," which explores how innovation in India drives socio-economic development. The series, based on research conducted in partnership with the Centre for India & Global Business at the University of Cambridge's Judge Business School, airs on PBS stations across the United States.

Her book "Disrupt-It-Yourself: Eight Ways to Hack a Better Business — Before the Competition Does" examines how large organizations can empower intrapreneurs to drive innovation, engagement, and sustainable growth. Ahuja's influence has been recognized on the Thinkers50 Breakthrough Idea and Innovation Award shortlists, and she received a Pulitzer grant for her work on social innovation principles in India. She has participated in a Global Agenda Council hosted by the World Economic Forum.

Ahuja serves as a keynote speaker, innovation advisor, and consultant to organizations including 3M, UnitedHealth Group, Procter & Gamble, Target Corp, Stanley Black & Decker, and the World Economic Forum. She has advised MIT's Practical Impact Alliance and the Centre for India & Global Business at Judge Business School, University of Cambridge. Her work has appeared in Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, Stanford Social Innovation Review, Forbes, and other publications. Ahuja has advised numerous Fortune 500 companies, and her work has been featured in media outlets such as CNN, Wall Street Journal, Business Week, The Economist, and Economic Times. In addition to her work in innovation strategy, Ahuja practices improvisational comedy.