The rolling marble - 5 lessons for innovation

We’ve all used a ball-point pen, or a biro, at some point in our lives. You probably have one or two on your desk, or at the bottom of your bag as we speak. But have you ever stopped to wonder how such a staple in our lives came to existence?

The story of the ball-point is simple, cinematic and inspiring to anyone serious about innovation. 

Five Key Lessons for Innovators

1. Seize Opportunities – Innovation thrives when there’s a window of opportunity. Whether it’s the early days of the internet, personal computing, or even the automotive industry, recognizing the right moment to act is crucial.
2. Leverage Fate and Serendipity – Sometimes, unexpected events or circumstances can spark breakthrough ideas. From Bill Gates’ proximity to a computer lab to Bíró’s chance observation of a rolling marble, fate often plays a role in innovation.
3. Persistence Through Failure – Not every great idea succeeds immediately. Innovations like the ballpoint pen or the internet took decades of iteration and improvement before reaching their full potential. The key is to keep pushing through challenges.
4. Adapt to Change – Successful innovations like the wheel or television have stood the test of time because they adapted to new needs and technologies. Being flexible and evolving with market demands is essential for long-term success.
5. Collaboration is Key – Innovators rarely work alone. Whether it's the assembly line or the ballpoint pen, collaboration and support from others often help refine and bring innovations to market.

Windows of opportunity

If you were a web developer or blog writer at the beginning of the millennium, you suddenly found yourself surrounded by opportunities. There was a wave of enthusiasm rushing you toward success. The same can be said today about the emergence of AI or spatial computing. Suddenly, complex problems that were unthinkably difficult a decade ago are now within touching distance.

The same phenomenon occurred in the 1980s with the birth of personal computers. Garage tinkerers like Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak capitalized on the window of opportunity to create something that would transform the world. The tools and the timing lined up perfectly for them to seize the moment, just as Bíró seized his opportunity to address the issues with fountain pens.

Another example comes from the early 20th century with the rise of the automobile industry. Henry Ford didn’t invent the car, but he saw a window of opportunity to create a system of production—the assembly line—that allowed for mass production, reducing costs and making cars accessible to the average person. This move transformed industries far beyond just automobiles, revolutionizing manufacturing in many fields.

A touch of fate

In his book Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell discusses how people of extreme success managed to rise above the rest, even those most of us deem wildly successful. Bill Gates’ story offers a glimpse at how a touch of fate is critical to leaps in innovation. Fortune placed the Gates family a handful of miles away from the first computer lab in the US. Growing up, Gates had an opportunity almost no one else did. His early exposure to computer science gave him a critical head start over his future competitors, and with enormous amounts of time and will, he turned that advantage into Microsoft. With all the will and intelligence in the world, Gates’ story would be dramatically different if he happened to be born in Montana.

Bíró had fate touch his life a couple of times. But most poetically, one afternoon when he happened to see a stray marble roll across the pavement, wet from a puddle. This is said to have inspired the idea of the ballpoint in his mind, giving him confidence that the idea could work as the trail of water was evenly distributed as the marble rolled away.

Similarly, Alexander Fleming’s discovery of penicillin was another touch of fate. He accidentally left a petri dish exposed, and when he returned, he found that a mold had killed off the surrounding bacteria. What could have been seen as a mistake turned out to be one of the most revolutionary discoveries in medicine.

Another example is the Wright brothers and the invention of the airplane. While many others were experimenting with flight, the Wright brothers’ proximity to strong winds and long stretches of open land in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, played a huge role in their success. A different location, with less favorable conditions, could have drastically altered their achievements in aviation.

The test of time

Not all innovations are created equal. Some reverberate around the world, inspiring millions with their novelty or utility. Others only appeal to a niche group. The level of impact has a distinct effect on the energy and time people are willing to invest. The television took decades to get right and yet more time to reach the levels it has today. But thousands of people stuck with it, clearly understanding the enormous potential it had.

That story is similar to the humble ballpoint pen. And that’s despite the popularity and functionality of the fountain pen. “There’s no need,” some said, “we have a pen.” But those who wrote the most knew the frustration with slow-drying ink that smudged with a premature touch. And it wasn’t just the writers who saw the flaws in the fountain pen. Loud’s idea started with the problem of writing on rough surfaces such as leather and wood.

Another innovation that passed the test of time is the wheel. It has been adapted and reinvented through the ages, from ancient carts to modern automobiles. While it faced resistance and iteration, the core idea of reducing friction through rolling has endured for millennia, just as Bíró’s ballpoint pen has become a mainstay in our lives.

A modern example is the internet. Initially developed as a military tool, it took decades for the internet to become widespread. Early skepticism suggested it wouldn’t be needed in everyday life, but it has now become the backbone of modern communication and commerce, proving itself indispensable, just like the ballpoint pen.

Eventually, with the help of many hands, Bíró pulled it off, and one hundred years later, his creation is still a staple of our lives. Bic alone has sold billions of pens and still does today, even with the technological advancements we’ve enjoyed over the last century.

At Nuwa, we believe we are riding a wave of innovation to develop a tool which will have long lasting reverborations. Inspired by the simplicity and utility of the humble ball-point, we’re looking to bring Bíró’s idea into the future. Over the last three years we’ve battled with setbacks just as many innovators in history have, but those challenges have only inspired and reassured us that we’re on the right track.