Fusion energy is evolving from a scientific idea to a commercial possibility, drawing large investments and regulatory discussions; how should the FIA navigate this evolution? The Fusion Industry Association (FIA) is at the forefront of transforming fusion energy from a scientific concept to a booming industry. This shift, marked by significant investments and legislative interest, faces challenges in technology, funding, and regulation. Key topics include fusion's technical background, and the association's role in industry growth. Ongoing debates include questions surrounding continued investment, supply chain issues, technological diversity, and the geopolitics that are a practical part of the global energy landscape.

Launched in 2011, Kermit PPI helped hospitals save money on expensive orthopedic implants and devices by enabling them to renegotiate their contracts with device manufacturers and better monitor compliance. In 2021, as they look to grow, they are entertaining two options: recruiting new customers and expanding their service offerings.

This case discusses efforts made by biotechnology (biotech) company Amgen to introduce digital technologies into its manufacturing processes. Doing so is complicated by the fact that the process for manufacturing biologics-or therapeutics made from living cells-is subject to unforeseen variability and thus requires a highly controlled environment. Mistakes are costly, given that the manufacturing process takes several weeks from start to finish. Set in early 2020, the case asks students to evaluate two opportunities facing case protagonists Myra Coufal and Chris Garvin. The first involves working with a new team to build a standard multivariate model for a fairly new commercial product with limited production data. The second involves building a predictive machine learning model to automate one step of the manufacturing process for a top-selling product that generates sizable margins. The case includes a supplemental problem set that provides students the opportunity to analyze data and make an informed choice between the two opportunities.

In February 2016, Kathy Hannun--a project leader at X, Alphabet Inc.'s so-called "moonshot factory--had to prepare a recommendation for the senior leadership of X regarding the future of Foghorn, a project she was leading to develop a carbon-neutral process for converting sea water into fuel. Recognizing the blueprint for projects at X--(1) addressing a huge problem with a (2) radical solution using (3) breakthrough technology--Hannun had to decide whether to recommend killing the project. Despite the technical feasibility of the Foghorn process, its expected cost per gallon of fuel produced was signficiantly higher than the established "kill metric"--the maximum unit cost that Hannun and colleagues had set for continuing the project. The case provides an opportunity to examine the management of radical innovation and the challenges associated with assessing early stage ideas. Topics covered include the importance of experimentation and failure as well as the management of opportunity costs in solving large problems.