About Nesta

Nesta is an innovation foundation. For us, innovation means turning bold ideas into reality and changing lives for the better. We use our expertise, skills and funding in areas where there are big challenges facing society.

Better collaboration with corporates: Case studies for startups

Corporates are essential partners for startups. They provide reputation, visibility, distribution channels, financial resources, new revenue streams as well as market and technical knowledge. However, it is not easy for startups to get in contact with large firms and be perceived as crucial partners. Even when the relationship kick off on the right foot, slow decision making processes, cultural barriers and burdensome procedures can represent a challenge for a fast-moving startup. 

Here you can find a few case studies that will help you to collaborate with corporates and take the most out of potential partnerships. 

Overcoming relational barriers in corporate-startup collaboration
Thanks to the case studies below you can have a better sense of how corporates work and increase your chances to build a long-term collaboration with them. 

Asset Mapping and Cisco / Intel
Pie Mapping and DPD


Europe’s Corporate Startup Stars - Role models and examples of collaboration

To celebrate exemplary corporate-startup collaborations and promote best practices, Nesta and the Startup Europe Partnership rewarded 25 corporates with the Europe’s 25 Corporate Startups Stars award.

Their programmes and activities have been featured on Startups.co.uk to inspire new corporates to follow suit, as well as help startup to identify the best programmes for them. 

Read about Europe’s Corporate Startup Stars case studies here (e.g. 'What does Metro offer startups?'). 

 

Photo credit: thikstock

Author

Simona Bielli

Simona Bielli

Simona Bielli

Head of Programmes – Nesta Italia

Over the last year, Simona was working on a new exciting project that led to the foundation of Nesta Italia.

View profile

Yann Finger

Yann is a Research Assistant in the policy and research team. His focus is on investigating policies supporting digital entrepreneurship across Europe, as part of the Startup Europe Pa…