---
id: "prereq-stage-gate-processes"
type: "prereq"
source_timestamps: ["§ Why Take a Step-by-Step Approach to AI Portfolio Management?"]
source_url: "https://hbr.org/2026/01/manage-your-ai-investments-like-a-portfolio"
source_title: "Manage Your AI Investments Like a Portfolio"
tags: ["innovation-management", "r-and-d"]
related: ["concept-stage-gates"]
reason: "The authors adapt traditional R&D and new product development stage-gate concepts to AI. A foundational understanding of how traditional stage gates work (go/no-go decisions based on defined criteria) is assumed."
sources: ["spine"]
sourceVaultSlug: "hbr-seg-spine"
originDay: 1
articleStem: "hbr-foci-61-ai-investments-portfolio"
sourceUrl: "https://hbr.org/2026/01/manage-your-ai-investments-like-a-portfolio"
sourceTitle: "Manage Your AI Investments Like a Portfolio"
---
# Understanding of Stage-Gate Innovation Models

> **Prerequisite knowledge:** Understanding of stage-gate innovation models.

The authors adapt traditional R&D and new-product-development stage-gate concepts to AI. A foundational understanding of how traditional stage gates work — go/no-go decisions based on defined criteria — is assumed. Required to fully grasp [[concept-stage-gates]] and the gated transitions of the [[framework-four-portfolio-stages]].

**Reference:** R. G. Cooper's **Stage-Gate** model is the canonical source.