--- title: "On R&D: Summary & Takeaways | Zenith Clubhouse" url: https://www.zenithclubhouse.com/articles/on-r-and-d description: "Gilad reframes 'what industry am I in' by proposing that everyone is really in the high-tech business, where high-tech is defined not by appearance…" lang: en --- Substack · Summary # On R&D By Boaz Gilad (https://www.zenithclubhouse.com/boaz-gilad) · September 13, 2026 · 1 min read Gilad reframes 'what industry am I in' by proposing that everyone is really in the high-tech business, where high-tech is defined not by appearance (laptops, startups, modern offices) but by R&D intensity—the share of resources devoted to research and experimentation, citing an OECD/JRC threshold of above 7%. Under this lens, a company or person can look modern yet be culturally defensive and resistant to testing new ideas, while a very ordinary business or life becomes 'high-tech in spirit' by committing real resources to experimentation and improvement. Image: Cover image for “On R&D”, an essay by Boaz Gilad on Substack (https://www.zenithclubhouse.com/__l5e/assets-v1/329471b3-5dc5-4cdf-8834-68a24d6b052c/on-r-and-d.webp) ## What is "On R&D" about? Gilad reframes 'what industry am I in' by proposing that everyone is really in the high-tech business, where high-tech is defined not by appearance (laptops, startups, modern offices) but by R&D intensity—the share of resources devoted to research and experimentation, citing an OECD/JRC threshold of above 7%. Under this lens, a company or person can look modern yet be culturally defensive and resistant to testing new ideas, while a very ordinary business or life becomes 'high-tech in spirit' by committing real resources to experimentation and improvement. He extends this to personal domains: body, relationships, leadership, and business all benefit from treating life like a lab that runs small, structured experiments rather than repeating the same routines and hoping for different results. The piece ends with a concrete framework of questions, including defining a near-term experiment small enough to complete, specifying what would count as learning (not just success), and scheduling a review—because, as Gilad states, R&D without review is just activity. He urges starting the 'lab' immediately rather than waiting for ideal conditions. In brief ## What are the key takeaways? 1. 01 True high-tech is defined by R&D intensity (reinvestment in experimentation), not surface appearance. 2. 02 Treat your business, body, and relationships like a lab, running deliberate small experiments. 3. 03 Define what would count as learning (not just success) and schedule a review, or experimentation becomes mere activity. This is a summary. Read the complete essay by Boaz Gilad on Substack. Read the full essay on Substack (https://boazgilad.substack.com/p/on-r-and-d) Topics - Discipline - Execution - Leadership - Growth Questions ## Questions about this essay ### What is "On R&D" by Boaz Gilad about? ### What are the key takeaways from "On R&D"? ### How can I apply "On R&D" this week? ### Where can I read the full "On R&D" essay? Keep reading ## Recommended insights Cover image for “On Vision”, an essay by Boaz Gilad (https://www.zenithclubhouse.com/articles/on-vision) Substack Jun 14, 2026 ## On Vision: https://www.zenithclubhouse.com/articles/on-vision Summary & key takeaways: https://www.zenithclubhouse.com/articles/on-vision Cover image for “On the Unknown Game”, an essay by Boaz Gilad (https://www.zenithclubhouse.com/articles/on-the-unknown-game) Substack Feb 15, 2026 ## On the Unknown Game: https://www.zenithclubhouse.com/articles/on-the-unknown-game Summary & key takeaways: https://www.zenithclubhouse.com/articles/on-the-unknown-game Cover image for “On Regret”, an essay by Boaz Gilad (https://www.zenithclubhouse.com/articles/on-regret) Substack Sep 20, 2026 ## On Regret: https://www.zenithclubhouse.com/articles/on-regret Summary & key takeaways: https://www.zenithclubhouse.com/articles/on-regret All insights (https://www.zenithclubhouse.com/insights) Invitation only ## The room changes you. 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