Donovan pulled together a 16-member tech council in 2008 to brainstorm, and one of the first things they created was The Innovation Pipeline, or TIP.

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Google has been keeping the pipeline of innovation going by tapping its employees and letting ideas percolate up, Bock said.

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"This is probably the largest pipeline of innovation in global health from the developing world, " says Peter Singer, chief executive of Grand Challenges Canada, which is funded by the Canadian government.

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On the inside, GE is looking for ways to reduce cost radically and to mold itself as an innovation pipeline for others.

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