Some companies buy start-ups to keep their tech fresh while others prefer to establish their own in-house lab or “skunkworks”. Singapore Airlines has opened a $45m research centre with Singapore University which has a cabin simulator at heart, collecting data on passenger comfort and sleep using sensors to guide seat design, cabin climate and customer experience. Ryanair has opened labs in places like Warsaw, Madrid and Dublin while Mastercard is opening a new lab this year. Do they really work in driving innovation? How should smaller companies invest in innovation?