This chapter summarises the defining features of Tencent’s innovation model, highlighting its sequoia-like innovation (deep, directed, invisible, and compound), market-type organisation, and OCEAN ecosystem, which fosters Openness, Coopetition, Empowerment, Autonomy, and stakeholder Needs. We reveal how Tencent balances internal competition and collaboration, empowers teams, and builds an inclusive platform ecosystem. Beyond robust in-house R&D, Tencent’s edge lies in deep innovation grounded in first-principles thinking, user insight, and market acuity. Its invisible and compound innovation seamlessly integrates technological, strategic, organisational, and social dimensions – often imperceptible to users yet foundational to its impact. The chapter summarises how Tencent’s digitally enabled management practices generate value across stakeholders, and how its value-directed innovation serves not only commercial objectives but also societal, governmental, and industry-wide needs. Concluding with the introduction of an open corporate innovation system framework, this chapter outlines key implications for innovation research and practice in the digital age.

This chapter presents the key features that make Tencent a stand-out case in the global digital landscape, spotlighting the rapid growth of WeChat in both user base and functionality as evidence of the company’s ascent to the forefront of digital innovation. It outlines the rationale and objectives of the book, explaining why Tencent was chosen as a focal point for examining innovation in the digital era. By previewing the book’s structure and central themes, the chapter introduces the concept of Tencent’s distinctive innovation management – including its unique model and the underlying drivers of its success. It also positions the book’s contribution within the broader discourse on innovation management and practice in the digital economy, offering insights relevant to scholars, practitioners, and policy-makers.