Nobel-Winning Secrets: What Intrapreneurs Can Learn About Resilience and Life-Saving Innovation

Somewhat unexpectedly, scientists can serve as powerful role models for intrapreneurs. Like intrapreneurs, scientists often work in large organizations such as universities, research labs, and similar institutions. As the famous words from Star Trek go, they also

“boldly go where no man (or woman) has gone before.”

A remarkable example of this spirit is Dan Shechtman. His story, as recounted in Nexus by Yuval Noah Harari, highlights the resilience and courage intrapreneurs need to drive groundbreaking ideas.

In April 1982, as a junior scientist working in a laboratory, Shechtman made a discovery that defied established scientific beliefs. While examining a mixed sample of aluminum and manganese, he observed atoms crystallising in a pattern with five-fold rotational symmetry—something considered impossible at the time.

When his findings were published, in Shechtman’s own words,

“all hell broke loose.”

Esteemed scientists, including Nobel laureates, dismissed his evidence entirely. The backlash was so intense that he lost his position at the lab where he was working.

However, a decade later, his experiments were independently replicated, leading to the rewriting of scientific definitions in textbooks. In 2011, Shechtman was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his groundbreaking discovery.

According to Harari, Shechtman’s story is far from unique in the scientific world. His experience offers a powerful lesson for intrapreneurs: adopt a scientific mindset, stay persistent, and power through challenges with your innovative ideas, even when faced with strong opposition.

A Resilient Intrapreneur Could Save Your Life

Finding a resilient intrapreneur in medicine can be lifesaving. As told in The Economist, around the late 19th century, a New York surgeon named William Coley observed a miraculous recovery in one of his patients. The man, who was near death from a neck tumor, made a full recovery after contracting a severe bacterial infection.

Inspired by this case, Coley attempted to replicate the effect by injecting a cocktail of killed bacteria into other tumor patients. Over time, he treated around 1,000 patients, often with remarkable success.

Despite his promising results, Coley's methods were widely dismissed as controversial during his time. However, his pioneering work has since inspired modern scientific breakthroughs and now drives the development of a new generation of treatments known as “cancer vaccines.”

These stories underscore a crucial truth: whether in science, healthcare, or corporate innovation, resilient intrapreneurs who challenge conventional thinking can change industries—and even save lives.