This past summer we created something called the Bits + Blocks Lab, focused on the blockchain. We’ve been working on it since December of 2014, so I’ve learned quite a bit about Bitcoin and the blockchain.

But this is not a post about the blockchain. One of our summer interns, Shuya Gong, who worked in the lab on a design team, wrote a great piece about the insights her summer gave her into the innovation process. I won’t publish the entire thing here, but here’s a link to a post I made on my LinkedIn Influencer page.

Here’s an overview of Shuya’s seven insights on innovating:

1. Don’t Get Ready, Get Started
2. Fail Early and Often
3. Have the Creative Confidence to Design New Worlds
4. Innovation Loves Urgency
5. KYC
6. Work With Your Friends
7. Choose to be Inspired