South African start-up Otinga has adopted a rapid, execution-led approach to AI implementation, which it argues will help businesses overcome challenges they experience in attempting to innovate with AI.
The company wants to help organisations avoid ‘innovation theatre’ – a term widely credited to Silicon Valley entrepreneur Steve Blank – and refers to business activities that create the illusion of innovation but do little to generate real value.
Otinga was established in June 2023 and, according to its founder and CEO, Francois van der Merwe, has achieved year-on-year growth of 275%-plus – driven primarily by enterprise adoption of AI-led transformation initiatives.
The venture claims to be ‘AI-powered’, which means it embeds AI across the entire value chain, from internal operations and solution design to client delivery.
Van der Merwe says organisations struggle to secure effective AI outcomes because of unclear strategic alignment, lack of executive ownership, insufficient data maturity and overestimating short-term AI capability without operational readiness.
Johan Steyn, AI expert and founder of AIforBusiness.net, agrees that many companies are trapped by performative innovation. "Many organisations are stuck in 'innovation theatre', running pilots and proofs-of-concept without clear business ownership, measurable outcomes or a path to production," says Steyn.
He adds that a focus on execution is a viable remedy, provided it is grounded in business reality. "A rapid, execution-led approach can be a real advantage if it starts with a specific business problem, ships something usable quickly and proves value through measurable impact – whether that's in time, cost, risk reduction or revenue – not hype."
However, Steyn also cautions that speed must be paired with strong fundamentals. "The key is disciplined governance alongside speed: clear accountability, solid data foundations and change management so that adoption matches delivery."
It is this blend of speed and discipline that Otinga aims to provide, according to Van der Merwe: “Many organisations develop AI strategies that stall at concept stage. Our focus is disciplined execution. We combine proprietary strategic frameworks, applied AI engineering capability, structured innovation programmes and high intensity build sprints to move initiatives from idea to validated commercial impact in compressed timeframes.”
Otinga’s business model is centred on the use of AI-powered hackathons, innovation challenges and human-centred programmes to help organisations realise benefits of AI embedded in business processes.
The company comprises a core team of 11 specialists, but also uses a network of subject-matter experts and temporary contractors.
It competes with global consulting firms and tier-one strategy houses that advise on digital transformation and AI enablement.
“We believe innovation should not feel chaotic or disconnected from the business. People are naturally creative, but enterprises need structure, support and the right tools to convert ideas into outcomes,” Van der Merwe adds.
He predicts that more organisations will face pressure to respond faster to change, launch new products and improve both customer and operational outcomes.
Against this backdrop, Van der Merwe believes Otinga is well positioned to add value.
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