How do large firms realize innovation-oriented partnerships with start-ups?

Publication Type

Contribution to conference

Authors

Martin Allmendinger, M.Sc.

Year of publication

2016

ISBN / ISSN / eISSN

978-952-265-929-3

Conference name

XXVII ISPIM Conference 2016

Conference location

Porto

Conference date

19/06/2016 - 21/06/2016

Existing studies in literature of open innovation conclude that the speed and complexity of innovation require large and established firms to rethink their organisational structures and processes to be able to partner with various external actors. Consequently, firms try to find new cooperation partners such as high-skilled and technology-driven start-ups to avoid being left behind on innovation. Realizing that they cannot compete alone on highly innovation-driven and competitive global markets, firms enter asymmetric partnerships. This, they hope to find and create breakthrough innovations outside their core business. Using an exploratory approach, I contribute to the widely unexplored field of non-equity-related innovation-oriented partnerships between corporations and start-ups. I explore ten mechanisms that foster management of start-up-cooperation from an exclusive large and established firm perspective of 17 firms. I find that corporate-start-up-partnerships go far beyond mere idea collection but promise mutual benefit through intense partnerships at a level playing field.