In an era defined by rapid technological advancements and shifting market dynamics, innovation is a necessity for businesses striving to stay ahead. We sat down with Roshina Nandra, our Global Head of Innovation, to explore the essence of innovation strategy, the role of advanced technologies in business adaptability and how we at Endava are embedding innovation into our core operations to shape a more adaptable future.
From fostering a culture of experimentation to leveraging emerging technologies like quantum computing, Roshina shares valuable insights into how organisations can drive meaningful change and maintain a competitive edge in an increasingly digital world. Let’s jump in.
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Roshina, what would be your own definition of an innovation strategy?
An innovation strategy is a deliberate, structured approach to thinking differently and driving meaningful change. It’s not just about chasing the next big trend or trying out something that sounds cool – it’s about identifying real problems experienced by real people, exploring new possibilities to solve those problems for them and aligning innovation with business goals.
Successful innovation strategies balance creativity with execution – knowing when to experiment and when to scale, ensuring that bold ideas turn into tangible impact.
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Why is innovation so important in helping businesses remain adaptable in the AI-driven digital shift?
AI is fundamentally changing how businesses operate, compete and engage with customers. The companies that thrive won’t just be those that adopt AI but those that continuously innovate around it – reimagining workflows, augmenting human decision-making and unlocking new value.
After all, we’re not just talking about better automation, we’re talking about systems that can plan, act and refine their own decision making autonomously, continuously optimise their operations and solve problems before they occur. The risk of not innovating around AI is quite simply becoming obsolete in a world where AI-driven competitors are operating with unprecedented speed, intelligence and efficiency.
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What is Endava’s approach to innovation?
I like to think of innovation as one of our core values; it's something embedded in how we work, not just a separate function. More than ever, we see innovation as a growth engine, both for our clients and for Endava itself. Our approach has evolved. In the past, it was heavily focused on technical innovation – experimenting with emerging technologies to advance our people’s skills. While that’s still important, this year we’ve sharpened our focus: innovation at Endava is now about solving real client problems, with technology as the enabler.
We’re not just exploring the latest tech for the sake of it, we’re applying it in practical, meaningful ways to drive real business value. Through Dava.Xplore funding, our Innovation Lab and our Invent Pods, we’re investing more than ever and giving our people the space to ignite innovation, test ideas, develop solutions and co-create the future with our clients.
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Could you tell us more about Dava.Xplore and what its key motivation is?
Dava.Xplore is our research and development (R&D) and innovation funding program, designed to ignite new ideas, push boundaries and turn bold thinking into real solutions. It empowers our workforce to explore emerging technologies, tackle real client challenges and develop proofs of concept that showcase what’s possible. The goal – turning ideas into impact.
As I mentioned, Dava.Xplore is evolving beyond our traditional approach to R&D to be more outcome-driven, with an emphasis on solving real business problems using technology as an enabler. More importantly, it embodies our belief that innovation doesn’t just happen in a dedicated R&D team – it should be part of everyone’s work, at every level of the business.
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Endava’s Innovation Lab 2025 Global Finals just took place. Is that a part of our innovation strategy too?
Absolutely. The Innovation Lab is a core part of how we ignite innovation at Endava and this year marks its tenth anniversary! It’s the longest-running program in the company, proving that innovation has been at our core for a long time. It’s a global initiative where teams tackle real client challenges using next-gen technology, and then showcase their ideas on local, regional and global Endava stages.
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Businesses are starting to think about quantum computing. What is unique about this technology as it relates to innovation?
Quantum computing represents a fundamentally different approach to solving problems – one that could break through the limits of classical computing. It’s not just about speed; it’s about tackling problems that were previously unsolvable, particularly in areas like cryptography, materials science and complex optimisation.
There are both fears and excitement around quantum computing. From breaking encryption and exposing financial data, to curing cancer and reversing global warming, it could all come to pass.
Moreover, it’s going to put AI on turbo (working in tandem with it, not rivaling it). Imagine AI models that don’t just analyse data but use quantum-powered simulations to discover entirely new materials, optimise financial portfolios at an unprecedented scale or accelerate drug discovery.
We’re still in the early days of course, but businesses need to start innovating around it. That means experimenting, investing and understanding how it will fit into their future strategy now - else they’ll risk getting left behind.
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How does sustainability fit into the innovation picture and how do we address this at Endava?
Sustainability isn’t just a responsibility, it’s an innovation challenge. Businesses that don’t adapt to sustainability demands will lose relevance, whether due to regulatory pressure, shifting customer expectations or increasing operational costs. The real opportunity is to innovate around sustainability – leveraging technology to reduce waste, optimise energy use and build more responsible, efficient business models.
At Endava, we’re tackling this from multiple angles. From embedding green software practices, to measuring clients’ current emissions, identifying decarbonisation opportunities and acting on them through software (such as optimising their cloud usage for lower energy consumption), we’re exploring ways that technology can drive sustainability, not just compliance (although we can help automate that too!). We’re also looking at how emerging technologies like AI and quantum could accelerate breakthroughs in areas like energy efficiency, carbon capture and sustainable materials.
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Could you give an example of where we helped one of our customers or partners along their innovation journey?
A great example is Aer Lingus, where we’ve been supporting their long-term innovation journey for a number of year as they work toward their vision of delivering a world-class customer experience. Their ambition is to become a truly digitally enabled, customer-centric airline, powered by data, but turning that into reality requires both technical transformation and strategic innovation. Aer Lingus' journey shows that innovation isn’t just about implementing new technology – it’s about rethinking how a business operates, aligns and evolves to create real customer value.
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What is the essential ingredient to enable continuous innovation and how will a culture of continuous innovation help businesses stay ahead in the competition?
I’d say it’s permission to experiment. Businesses that foster continuous innovation, truly, create space for ideas to be tested, challenged and iterated – without the fear of failure shutting things down too early. This isn’t just about funding R&D; it’s about embedding a mindset of curiosity and problem-solving at every level of the organisation. This includes applause for experimenting, and invitation to a platform where those experiments can be showcased and really, truly be considered for real application.
Companies that build this culture don’t just react to change – they drive it. They spot opportunities faster, adapt more effectively and continuously refine their competitive edge, not just because of the ideas themselves, but because of a happier workforce that feels heard and free to try out their own ideas, which leads to more ideas.
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