Since we started Lab9, we’ve had a healthy obsession with staying one step ahead. In May, our CEO, Alejandro Jatib, returned to Silicon Valley as part of the Experiencia Conecta, organized by Fundación del Tucumán. It wasn’t his first time there—but it was one of the most meaningful. This time, he wasn’t just a participant; he was part of the team that organized the trip and helped connect Tucumán-based companies with the world’s innovation capital.
Ale visited places like the Tesla Mega Factory in Fremont and Stanford’s SLAC laboratory, and came back with tons of ideas—but more importantly, with three key insights that made a lasting impact on our team. We're sharing them here, because we believe that any business—big or small—can apply these to grow.
1. Innovation isn’t a luxury—it’s a habit.
In Silicon Valley, innovation is part of the daily routine. Everyone does it, every day—from startups to giants like Google and Tesla. And it’s not just about inventing things from scratch, but about constantly finding better ways to do what already exists. Ale was especially struck by their ability to test, iterate, and improve nonstop.
How we applied it at Lab9?
We implemented design sprints, automated internal processes, and even rethought the way we run meetings. All of it with one goal in mind: building a culture where continuous improvement doesn’t depend on a single person—it’s embedded in the system.
2. Networks are more valuable than ideas.
One thing became crystal clear during the trip: ideas mean nothing without the right connections. Silicon Valley thrives on collaboration—between universities, companies, governments, and investors. Sure, there’s competition—but the ecosystem always comes first.
Ale experienced it firsthand: he went from being a participant on the first trip in 2022 to co-organizing recent editions. That back-and-forth was key to helping Lab9 become more connected than ever.
How we’re applying it?
We’ve opened up to collaborating with other agencies, value-aligned clients, universities, and institutions. Instead of competing all the time, we focus on co-creation.
Because when everyone grows, the whole market grows with them.
3. Mistakes aren’t punished—they’re leveraged.
One of the biggest mindset shifts was around failure. In Argentina, failure is often punished. In Silicon Valley, it’s the opposite: if you mess up, learn fast, adjust, and move on. That really resonated with us.
What we changed at Lab9?
We embraced the idea of “failing fast and cheap.” We now test internally, launch beta versions of projects, and prioritize action over analysis paralysis.
We’ve adopted a growth mindset where failure is part of the process.
So… what now?
The next edition of this experience will take place October 5–10, 2025—and if you have the chance to go, do it.
In the meantime, at Lab9, we’re putting everything we learned into practice. Because it’s not about copying Silicon Valley—it’s about understanding how they think, and adapting that mindset to our own context, our team, and our brands.
In short, here’s what we brought back:
✅ Innovation as a habit, not a special event.
✅ Networks and collaboration over ego.
✅ A test-and-learn mindset as the engine of improvement.
If you’re curious about how you can apply this to your brand—or how we’re integrating these lessons into our own projects —reach out. We love talking about ideas, processes, and the future.
Because the future isn’t something you wait for. It’s something you design🚀
