Mistakes do matter
Serendipity refers to discoveries made entirely by chance—fortunate accidents that lead to significant innovation. A classic example is the invention of the microwave oven. As noted by Biddle (2012), engineer Percy Spencer was working on radar equipment in 1945 when he felt a strange sensation in his pocket. The chocolate bar he had was melting, not from body heat, but from exposure to microwave radiation emitted by the magnetron he was testing. This unexpected occurrence led Spencer to explore the culinary potential of microwave technology—forever changing how the world heats food.
Error, while commonly viewed negatively, can be a valuable part of the discovery process. Often, errors result from pursuing one goal and stumbling onto another breakthrough. For instance, Biddle (2012) also discusses Dr. Harry Coover, who was attempting to create a new material for precision gun sights. Instead, he developed an extremely adhesive substance that, while initially considered a failure, turned out to be incredibly effective without needing heat to bond. Years later, this "mistake" was patented and became what we know today as super glue. What began as a misstep turned into a revolutionary product through persistence and reevaluation.
Exaptation is the process of repurposing existing ideas or technologies for new uses, often far beyond their original intention. Many successful modern companies embody this concept. Amazon, for example, began in 1995 as an online bookstore. According to History.com (2018), while the company’s initial profits were modest, Amazon continuously adapted to market needs. Today, it is one of the largest and most influential e-commerce and cloud computing companies in the world. This type of growth—evolving from a niche to a diversified tech giant—is a prime example of exaptation.
Google follows a similar trajectory. Originally launched as a search engine in the mid-1990s, it has since transformed into an ecosystem of tools and services spanning cloud infrastructure, productivity software, mobile operating systems, AI, and more. As Bellis (2019) notes, Google exemplifies how an organization can grow by iteratively adapting its core strengths to meet emerging demands.
These three pathways—serendipity, error, and exaptation—remind us that innovation doesn't always come from rigid planning. Sometimes, it’s the openness to explore, reassess, and evolve that leads to the greatest breakthroughs.
