Our Story#

Service Innovation Research Center LLC exists to incubate bold ideas across every layer of service and software. We were founded to explore how emerging technology, thoughtful design, and rigorous research can reshape the way services are delivered, experienced, and scaled. Rather than chasing hype cycles, we test, validate, and refine concepts that make real-world service delivery smarter, faster, and more humane.

Our work spans exploratory research, rapid prototyping, and pilot deployments with partners who want to build the next generation of service experiences. We combine product thinking, systems engineering, and applied research to help teams move from promising idea to operating reality.

Why We Built the Center#

• Innovation Incubator: We nurture early-stage concepts across service domains, from human-in-the-loop workflows to fully automated experiences.
• Research to Reality: We connect academic rigor with production know-how, validating ideas with data and iterating through prototypes.
• Human-Centered Systems: Technology should simplify, not complicate. We design for clarity, accessibility, and resilient operations.

What Drives Us#

We believe service and software should evolve together. By combining applied research, purposeful automation, and clear governance, we help organizations build services that are reliable, transparent, and adaptable.

Meet Our Founder#

Erik Mekelburg, Ph.D., blends academic research with two decades in enterprise software at SAP and Sibros. He has worked as a software engineer, consultant, and senior sales leader. Erik teaches PhD-level quantitative methods at the University of Denver’s Daniels College of Business, previously led analytics courses at Portland State University, and earned a Ph.D. in Finance from the University of Denver, an MBA from the University of Warwick in England, and a BA from DHBW Ravensburg in Germany. He is passionate about using technology to streamline services, applying machine learning and automation to real operational challenges, and helping teams move ideas from research to launch.

Moving Forward Together#

Service Innovation Research Center is a home for builders and researchers who want to experiment responsibly. As we validate new concepts, we share frameworks, playbooks, and pilots that can be adapted to your organization. Together, we can design service experiences that are resilient, ethical, and ready for the future.