Hannes Marais

Startups fail for a mosaic of reasons, but beneath surface explanations lie deep, often invisible illusions and cognitive traps that distort founders’ and investors’ perception, decision-making, and risk assessment. At the heart of startup failure are illusions about the world, the product, the team, and the very nature of markets

It is tempting—almost consoling—to believe that reason rules the decisions that forge businesses, build institutions, and steer the lives of individuals. Boardrooms fill with the cadence of logical argument; policies are laid out in the scaffolding of formal analysis. Yet beneath this polished choreography, another reality pulses: human

By Hannes Marais with PRISM and GHOSTWRITER, Innovation Algebra HQ, August 2025 Imagine the years ahead. Every leader—CEO, CIO, or CMO—will rely not only on their human team but also on a digital partner: an expert model attuned to strategy and context, always learning and evolving. This is

In the modern world of enterprise sales, where competition is fierce and buyers are more informed—and distracted—than ever, sales leaders often find themselves searching for an elusive edge. It’s tempting to chase new tools, ramp up activity, and double down on process. But the most transformative breakthroughs

Why the Smartest Leaders Use AI to Yield, Invite Contradiction, and Audit Emergence There’s a familiar trope in the evolution of executive strategy: every technological advance, from spreadsheets to the modern dashboard, has been sold as the next instrument to tighten the grip on a complex world. Artificial intelligence,

There comes a moment in every executive’s journey when energy drops from the room and direction is no longer obvious. The team gathers, perhaps more attentive than ever, yet all the expected signals—the bravado of decisive next steps, the hum of confident brainstorming—fall away. What remains is