--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The most important innovators often don't…" description: "\"The most important innovators often don't need any technologies - just imagination and acute sensitivity to people's needs.\" — Geoff Mulgan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ab/geoff-mulgan-7252_imagination_the-most-important-innovators-often-don_1081062.jpg" --- # The most important innovators often don't need any… ![“The most important innovators often don't need any technologies - just imagination and acute sensitivity to people's needs.” quote by Geoff Mulgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ab/geoff-mulgan-7252_imagination_the-most-important-innovators-often-don_1081062.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ab/geoff-mulgan-7252_imagination_the-most-important-innovators-often-don_1081062.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ab/geoff-mulgan-7252_imagination_the-most-important-innovators-often-don_1081062.jpg) > “The most important innovators often don't need any technologies - just imagination and acute sensitivity to people's needs.” [Geoff Mulgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-mulgan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Innovation relies more on understanding people and imagination than on new tech itself. **In simple terms:** People‑first imagination drives innovation. Key Takeaway Focus on empathy and creativity. Themes innovation empathy creativity needs Mood inspirational practical Type advice thought‑leadership When to use this quote - product development - social entrepreneurship - policy design Key Concepts human‑centered design imagination sensitivity Questions to Reflect On - How can we train empathy in innovators? - What role does tech play today? A Different Perspective Tech can still be essential; balance is needed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Imagination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagination/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Important Innovators](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important-innovators-491729/) [Innovators](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innovators/) [Innovators Don](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/innovators-don-2743994/) [Need Technologies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/need-technologies-2743996/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Sensitivity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sensitivity/) [Technologies Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technologies-just-2743995/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/) ## Related quotes > [I don't feel that this concept of disruptive technology is the solution for everybody. But I think it's very important for innovators to understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-feel-that-this-concept-of-disruptive-technology-is-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Smart technologies are not just disruptive; they can also preserve the status quo. Revolutionary in theory, they are often reactionary in practice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeny-morozov/smart-technologies-are-not-just-disruptive-they-can-also-preserve-the/) [Evgeny Morozov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeny-morozov/) > [So many of the things I've predicted were technologies that were just sitting right in front of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-lederberg/so-many-of-the-things-i-ve-predicted-were-technologies-that-were-just/) [Joshua Lederberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-lederberg/) > [In general, I found that the more that debates can be about facts and data, the more likely government is to make sound decisions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-genachowski/in-general-i-found-that-the-more-that-debates-can-be-about-facts-and/) [Julius Genachowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-genachowski/) > [I guess I'd like to be known for being an innovator, fostering creativity, thinking outside the box. You know, keeping people playful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-bushnell/i-guess-i-d-like-to-be-known-for-being-an-innovator-fostering/) [Nolan Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-bushnell/) > [The idealist and dreamer will stubbornly go down with the ship. The serial innovator grabs the rudder and changes course.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-osborne/the-idealist-and-dreamer-will-stubbornly-go-down-with-the-ship-the/) [Larry Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-osborne/) > [What's the DNA of a marketer? We call it the 4-I's: instigator, implementer, innovator, and integrator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-comstock/what-s-the-dna-of-a-marketer-we-call-it-the-4-i-s-instigator/) [Beth Comstock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-comstock/) > [Apple has long been a leading innovator of mobile technology; I myself own an iPhone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/apple-has-long-been-a-leading-innovator-of-mobile-technology-i-myself/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) > [The most important truths always appear first as blasphemies or obscenities. That's why every great innovator is persecuted. And the sacraments look obscene, too,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-anton-wilson/the-most-important-truths-always-appear-first-as-blasphemies-or/) [Robert Anton Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-anton-wilson/) > [My father was an innovator. He's the first person who sang and set Rumi's poetry into music 35 years, 40 years ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hafez-nazeri/my-father-was-an-innovator-he-s-the-first-person-who-sang-and-set/) [Hafez Nazeri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hafez-nazeri/) > [What is interesting to me is to find ways to work with early-stage innovators to build from the edge and work on tomorrows ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julius-genachowski/what-is-interesting-to-me-is-to-find-ways-to-work-with-early-stage/) [Julius Genachowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julius-genachowski/) > [You can absolutely be what you can't see! That's what innovators and disruptors do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-bryant/you-can-absolutely-be-what-you-can-t-see-that-s-what-innovators-and/) [Kimberly Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-bryant/) > [I'm no innovator. If anything I'm a stealer, or borrower. I've stolen or borrowed from more people than you can shake a stick at.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bear-bryant/i-m-no-innovator-if-anything-i-m-a-stealer-or-borrower-i-ve-stolen-or/) [Bear Bryant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bear-bryant/) > [What counts alone is the innovator, the dissenter, the harbinger of things unheard of, the man who rejects the traditional standards and aims at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/what-counts-alone-is-the-innovator-the-dissenter-the-harbinger-of/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [Education, for most people, means trying to lead the child to resemble the typical adult of his society . . . but for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-piaget/education-for-most-people-means-trying-to-lead-the-child-to-resemble/) [Jean Piaget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-piaget/) ## More by Geoff Mulgan > [For most of human history, the main goal of states has been to conquer land and to achieve glory for their rulers, usually at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-mulgan/for-most-of-human-history-the-main-goal-of-states-has-been-to-conquer/) [Geoff Mulgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-mulgan/) > [Over 5,000 years, states have made surprisingly consistent claims about their duties. They have promised to protect people from threats; promote their welfare; deliver…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-mulgan/over-5-000-years-states-have-made-surprisingly-consistent-claims/) [Geoff Mulgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-mulgan/) > [The wrongful arrest of tens of thousands of British Muslims after the September 11 attacks can be explained by the very poor intelligence the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-mulgan/the-wrongful-arrest-of-tens-of-thousands-of-british-muslims-after-the/) [Geoff Mulgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-mulgan/) > [Understanding capitalism is in some ways simple. At its best, capitalism rewards creators, makers and providers: the people and firms that create valuable things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-mulgan/understanding-capitalism-is-in-some-ways-simple-at-its-best/) [Geoff Mulgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-mulgan/) > [By international standards, many of the U.K.'s policies for civil society are exemplary. However, there are concerns about constraints on civil liberties - particularly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-mulgan/by-international-standards-many-of-the-u-k-s-policies-for-civil/) [Geoff Mulgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-mulgan/) > [Bangalore has become a centre for healthcare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-mulgan/bangalore-has-become-a-centre-for-healthcare/) [Geoff Mulgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-mulgan/) > [The idea of entrepreneurship applies as much in politics, religion, society and the arts as it does in business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-mulgan/the-idea-of-entrepreneurship-applies-as-much-in-politics-religion/) [Geoff Mulgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-mulgan/) > [Deeper fulfilment is rather different from the happiness of seeing a good film or watching your team win at football, and it doesn't come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-mulgan/deeper-fulfilment-is-rather-different-from-the-happiness-of-seeing-a/) [Geoff Mulgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-mulgan/) > [With a fractured sense of self, we come to depend on what people feed back to us - often mediated through social networks -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-mulgan/with-a-fractured-sense-of-self-we-come-to-depend-on-what-people-feed/) [Geoff Mulgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-mulgan/) > [Predation is part of the everyday life of capitalism, in sectors as mainstream as pharmaceuticals, software and oil - where people's money, their data,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-mulgan/predation-is-part-of-the-everyday-life-of-capitalism-in-sectors-as/) [Geoff Mulgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-mulgan/) > [As a civil servant in charge of the government's Strategy Unit, I brought in many people from outside government, including academia and science, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-mulgan/as-a-civil-servant-in-charge-of-the-government-s-strategy-unit-i/) [Geoff Mulgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-mulgan/) > [Systems governed by only one set of rules are more vulnerable than those with variety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-mulgan/systems-governed-by-only-one-set-of-rules-are-more-vulnerable-than/) [Geoff Mulgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-mulgan/) > [States which used to communicate directly to their citizens now do so through the media, where their messages are reshaped by the logics of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-mulgan/states-which-used-to-communicate-directly-to-their-citizens-now-do-so/) [Geoff Mulgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-mulgan/) > [Teenagers learn best by doing things, they learn best in teams and they learn best by doing things for real - all the opposite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-mulgan/teenagers-learn-best-by-doing-things-they-learn-best-in-teams-and/) [Geoff Mulgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-mulgan/) > [Even many of the teenagers who feel confident on navigating the web simply don't have the skills needed to 'write and create' digital tools,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-mulgan/even-many-of-the-teenagers-who-feel-confident-on-navigating-the-web/) [Geoff Mulgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-mulgan/) [Explore all 93 Geoff Mulgan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-mulgan/) ## More Imagination quotes > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [A rock pile ceases to be a rock pile the moment a single man contemplates it, bearing within him the image of a cathedral.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/a-rock-pile-ceases-to-be-a-rock-pile-the-moment-a-single-man/) [Antoine de Saint-Exupery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-de-saint-exup-ry/) > [Imagination is the greatest nation in the world!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/imagination-is-the-greatest-nation-in-the-world/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [Merkel has realized that the euro is not working, but she cannot change the narrative she has created because that narrative has caught the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/merkel-has-realized-that-the-euro-is-not-working-but-she-cannot/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) > [Life is what you make it¦If one refuses to use ones imagination..it will be boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-what-you-make-it-if-one-refuses-to-use-ones-imagination-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Jonah Lehrer is one of the most talented explainers of science that we’ve got. What a pleasure it is to follow his investigation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-foer/jonah-lehrer-is-one-of-the-most-talented-explainers-of-science-that/) [Joshua Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-foer/) > [If you've got creativity, imagination, and intelligence, and you want to be hypnotised, then there's no reason you shouldn't be able to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-barry/if-you-ve-got-creativity-imagination-and-intelligence-and-you-want-to/) [Keith Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-barry/) > [“The power of imagination is strongest in the place of solitude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/the-power-of-imagination-is-strongest-in-the-place-of-solitude/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [A beard is something that is almost like a mirror to the viewer. When someone sees you wearing a beard, they're seeing something in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohsin-hamid/a-beard-is-something-that-is-almost-like-a-mirror-to-the-viewer-when/) [Mohsin Hamid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohsin-hamid/) > [I like fantasy, but I don't live and breathe fantasy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-schmidt-hissrich/i-like-fantasy-but-i-don-t-live-and-breathe-fantasy/) [Lauren Schmidt Hissrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-schmidt-hissrich/) > [While the world of reality has its limits, the world of your imagination is without boundaries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/while-the-world-of-reality-has-its-limits-the-world-of-your/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [Edgy is fine - I'm not a prude by any stretch of the imagination - but what's wrong with a good ol' belly laugh?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-burnett/edgy-is-fine-i-m-not-a-prude-by-any-stretch-of-the-imagination-but/) [Carol Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-burnett/) > [With VR, we have this same vision, which is create this ultimate platform for sharing your imagination. Our huge community of 300,000 developers creates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-baszucki/with-vr-we-have-this-same-vision-which-is-create-this-ultimate/) [David Baszucki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-baszucki/) > [I like the idea of letting the music do its own work and the stories being more expressionful - if that's a word -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-flynn/i-like-the-idea-of-letting-the-music-do-its-own-work-and-the-stories/) [Johnny Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-flynn/) [Browse all 9,060 Imagination quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagination/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The most important innovators often don't need any technologies - just imagination and acute sensitivity to people's needs.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Geoff Mulgan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-mulgan/the-most-important-innovators-often-don-t-need-any-technologies-just/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Imagination" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-mulgan/the-most-important-innovators-often-don-t-need-any-technologies-just/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ab/geoff-mulgan-7252_imagination_the-most-important-innovators-often-don_1081062.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ab/geoff-mulgan-7252_imagination_the-most-important-innovators-often-don_1081062.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4ab/geoff-mulgan-7252_imagination_the-most-important-innovators-often-don_1081062.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The most important innovators often don't need any technologies - just imagination and acute sensitivity to…” — Geoff Mulgan", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Geoff Mulgan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoff-mulgan/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The most important innovators often don't...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-mulgan/the-most-important-innovators-often-don-t-need-any-technologies-just/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoff-mulgan/the-most-important-innovators-often-don-t-need-any-technologies-just/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```