Cairo, 1511. A new drink called qahwa (coffee) is spreading through the city’s quarters. Sultan al Ashraf Qansuh al Ghawri convenes a council of five advisors to decide whether to embrace, regulate, or ban it. Each advisor embodies one of five “silent killers” of technological adaptation: commitment trap, resource starvation, emotional drag, system neglect, and takeoff without capture.

This case study explores the growth trajectory and strategic dilemmas of MFS Africa, a pioneering fintech company founded in 2009 to facilitate cross-border mobile money transfers across Africa.

Spirulina, a microalgae, has many beneficial nutritional and environmental properties, but is not widely used as an ingredient because of its unusual taste and short shelf life. Sara Guaglio, Cristina Prat and Julia Streuli saw this as a business opportunity: if they could improve the taste and shelf life, they could perhaps turn spirulina into the next matcha.

Euronav, a publicly listed crude oil tanker company, is at a pivotal point in its history. CEO Hugo De Stoop is facing a potential hostile takeover by Norwegian shipping tycoon John Fredriksen. Fredriksen proposes a merger between Euronav and his company, Frontline, to consolidate the fragmented tanker industry and create a market leader with significant bargaining power.

The case explores the collaboration and subsequent rivalry between Sofar Sounds, a platform offering intimate, curated live music experiences, and Airbnb, a tech giant in the hospitality industry. In 2017, Sofar Sounds partnered with Airbnb to launch "Music Experiences," allowing users of Airbnb access to Sofar's unique concerts.

Boris Mittermüller (INSEAD MBA' 08D) cofounded the food delivery company Foodora in 2015, inspired by the success of Deliveroo in the UK. Three years later, after succeeding with the start-up, he is debating whether to join a new micro-mobility venture – “flash” – inspired by the success of Lime in the US.

Ambareen Musa started Souqalmal by adapting the business model of UK-based online insurance
brokers (e.g., MoneySuperMarket) to the UAE context. This two-part case describes some of the ups
and downs of her journey, emphasizing the need for innovation and nimbleness in a rapidly changing
competitive and regulatory environment.

Clément Boussard is the CEO and founder of Stanley Robotics, a Paris-based startup selling automated valet parking solutions. The case illustrates the typical challenges faced by innovators (here an entrepreneur) selling a technological innovation and dealing with their first customers.