Modernizing Through Innovation: What Corporate Innovation Looks Like Inside an Organization
Corporate innovation is often discussed in broad strategic terms, but inside organizations, the work is much more practical. It involves culture, structure, leadership alignment, and a willingness to rethink how problems are solved.
Sophia Mohr understands that firsthand.
As Chief Innovation and Technology Officer at the Central Ohio Transit Authority, Mohr has helped lead a significant modernization effort at COTA during a period of major regional growth and transformation. Rev1 Ventures’ relationship with COTA began in 2022. Since, we support them in deploying strategies to source, vet, and engage with startups.
“We are connected with Rev1 to help us access all types of technologies to make things better, from safety, to customer experience, to data. We want to be at the forefront,” she said.
For Mohr, innovation was never about chasing technology for its own sake.
“Innovation was really about modernization,” she said. “It was about how technology could improve what we already do and how we serve people.”
That distinction mattered early.
Mohr said one of the first steps was defining what innovation actually meant for the organization. Some companies approach innovation as creating entirely new products or business models. At COTA, the focus was on improving operations, strengthening customer experience, and preparing the organization for future growth.
“It’s one thing to say you want innovation,” she said. “It’s another thing to actually build it into the organization.”
That process started with culture.
“We made a deliberate shift to be more customer facing,” Mohr said. “And by doing that, we built trust. Trust is really what allows culture to change.”
She emphasized that consistency matters just as much as vision. “You cannot just say it once,” she said. “You have to reinforce it every day.”
The work also required structural change inside the organization.
When Mohr joined COTA, many of the functions that now support innovation and technology initiatives did not yet exist. Over time, the organization built new capabilities around product management, cybersecurity, architecture, data, and analytics.
Those changes reflected a broader shift happening across many organizations as technology becomes increasingly central to operations and customer experience.
But Mohr is quick to point out that innovation is not simply a technology exercise.
“There’s a big people component to this work,” she said. “Communication, collaboration, and problem-solving are what ultimately determine whether innovation actually works.”
That perspective aligns with what Rev1 increasingly sees across corporate engagement efforts throughout Central Ohio.
Many organizations begin exploring innovation through exposure to startups, emerging technologies, or ecosystem engagement opportunities. Over time, some organizations choose to build more formal innovation capabilities internally as they identify strategic priorities and operational needs.
The path looks different for every organization.
For Mohr, one of the most valuable aspects of engaging externally has been gaining perspective from outside industries. “They’re seeing what’s happening across a wide range of companies and technologies,” she said of Rev1. “That helps us evaluate opportunities we might not otherwise see on our own.”
That kind of ecosystem connection is becoming increasingly important as organizations across industries navigate rapid technological change and rising pressure to adapt more quickly.
For Mohr, the goal is not innovation for innovation’s sake. The goal is impact.
“Ultimately, it’s about improving how you operate and how you serve people,” she said. “That’s how we think about success.”
