What Does Lean Enterprise Institute Do?

Total employees81
HeadquartersCambridge
Founded1997

The Lean Enterprise Institute (LEI) is a non-profit research, education, publishing, and conference company founded by James P. Womack in 1997. Its mission is to advance lean thinking and practice around the world to make things better. LEI provides resources such as books, workshops, online courses, and summits to help individuals and organizations learn and apply lean principles for continuous improvement, waste reduction, and value creation for customers. They are a key global resource for lean knowledge and community building.

Where Is Lean Enterprise Institute's Headquarters?

HQ Function

Serves as the central operational base for LEI, coordinating research, content development, educational programs, publishing, event management, and global network support.

Notable Features:

Located in a modern office building in an area known for technological and academic innovation, providing an environment conducive to learning and collaboration.

Work Culture:

The work culture at LEI HQ is mission-driven, collaborative, and focused on continuous learning and improvement, embodying the lean principles it promotes. Employees are passionate about helping organizations transform.

HQ Significance:

The Cambridge HQ is the heart of LEI's global efforts to spread lean thinking, developing seminal works and training programs that have influenced countless organizations worldwide.

Values Reflected in HQ: The HQ's operations aim to reflect efficiency, respect for people, value creation, and a commitment to problem-solving and knowledge sharing – core lean values.

Location:

Lean Enterprise Institute supports a worldwide community through its direct offerings and, significantly, via the Lean Global Network (LGN). The LGN comprises independent, non-profit organizations in over 30 countries across North and South America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Africa. These institutes translate and adapt lean principles, publish local content, offer training and coaching, and host events to foster lean thinking and practice globally.

Street Address:

215 First Street, Suite 300

City:

Cambridge

State/Province:

MA

Country:

USA

Where Else Does Lean Enterprise Institute Operate Around the World?

Global (via Lean Global Network)

Address: N/A (Network of affiliated institutes)

Each LGN institute serves its respective region by providing lean education, coaching, and resources tailored to local languages, cultures, and industrial contexts, effectively extending LEI's global reach.

Buying Intent Signals for Lean Enterprise Institute

Highperformr Signals uncover buying intent and give you clear insights to target the right accounts at the right time — helping your sales, marketing, and GTM teams close more deals, faster.

Notable news
Hiring actively
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
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Corporate Finance
*Example signal, not calculated in real time

Who's Leading Lean Enterprise Institute? Meet the Executive Team

As of April 2025, Lean Enterprise Institute' leadership includes:

Josh Howell - President & Executive Director
John Y. Shook - Chairman
James P. Womack - Founder and Senior Advisor
Mark Reich - Chief Operating Officer

Who's Investing in Lean Enterprise Institute?

Lean Enterprise Institute has been backed by several prominent investors over the years, including:

Lean Enterprise Institute is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Its funding primarily comes from revenue generated through its educational programs (workshops, online courses), publications (books, workbooks), events (summits, conferences), and potentially grants and charitable contributions rather than equity investors.

What Leadership Changes Has Lean Enterprise Institute Seen Recently?

Hire0
Exits0

Based on publicly available information, the core executive leadership team at Lean Enterprise Institute appears to have remained stable over the past 12 months, with no major widely publicized hires or departures at the top executive levels. Continuity in leadership is often a feature of established non-profit organizations like LEI.

What Technology (Tech Stack) Is Used byLean Enterprise Institute?

Discover the tools Lean Enterprise Institute uses. Highperformr reveals the technologies powering your target accounts — helping your sales, marketing, and GTM teams prioritize smarter and close faster.

Lean Enterprise Institute Email Formats and Examples

Common email formats for Lean Enterprise Institute likely follow standard professional patterns. The most probable format is [firstinitial][lastname]@lean.org or [first].[lastname]@lean.org.

[firstinitial][lastname]@lean.org

Format

jhowell@lean.org

Example

80%

Success rate

What's the Latest News About Lean Enterprise Institute?

lean.org (The Lean Post)March 5, 2024

A Different Kind of ROI: Prioritizing Problems That Matter

Matt Savas, LEI's Director of Learning Content, discusses how organizations can prioritize problem-solving by focusing on issues that genuinely matter to customers and the business, rather than solely on financial ROI....more

lean.org (The Lean Post)February 20, 2024

Lean Thinking and Practice Can Tackle Wicked Problems, Too

Josh Howell, President & Executive Director of LEI, explores how lean principles can be applied to complex, systemic issues often termed 'wicked problems', extending beyond traditional manufacturing applications....more

lean.org EventsOngoing

Lean Enterprise Institute Offers Workshops and Summits

LEI regularly hosts various workshops, virtual learning sessions, and major events like the Lean Summit, providing platforms for learning, sharing, and networking within the global lean community....more

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