Bring engineers in to solve problems you know need to get solved. As they learn the system, its debt, the business, etc., listen to their ideas. For ones that sound good, give them the resources to develop a POC. For the POCs that work, give them the resources to take it all the way.
Larger companies with substantial profits can hire engineers explicitly to come up with POCs one after another.
Larger companies with substantial profits can hire engineers explicitly to come up with POCs one after another.