Innovation

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Vine to Mind 2025: Where Data and Wine Form the Perfect Blend

Organized by EHL Hospitality Business School and the Harvard Data Science Initiative, the second iteration of the Vine to Mind conference took place on EHL’s iconic Lausanne campus in June 2025. Discussions centered on the role that data science plays in the wine industry. Drawing participants from over 20 countries, the conference featured presentations rooted in academics, data science and in-the-vineyards insights. The conference put forward a clear and informed message: the evolution of the wine industry now depends as much on advances in data science as on traditional expertise in viticulture, winemaking, and business.
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Swiss Beer Inspires Innovation in Traditional Industries

For centuries, industries such as beer, wine and whiskey have been built on foundations of heritage and craftsmanship. Over time, these products have become precious, cultural artifacts, deeply tied to regional identity. The botti used for ageing Barolo wine in Piedmont, the ancient recipes used to produce beer in Germany, or the oak used for aging whiskey all carry symbolic meaning beyond their technical purpose. Entrepreneurs entering these fields quickly learn that innovation often means challenging industry traditions that entire regions have held sacred for generations. The price of novelty can be high: reputational risk, resistance from loyal consumers, even rejection from local communities who see innovation as an attack on authenticity. Inspired by research on the Swiss beer industry, this article proposes strategic ways of weaving centuries of tradition into new interpretations.
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