All Working With Startups articles
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Article
Inside MetLife’s Relationships with VCs and the Startup Ecosystem
Since 2014, the $68 billion insurer MetLife has run more 160 experiments with startups — 70 of which later developed into contractual relationships. Vice President of Innovation Terrence Luciani has created a structured process for collecting requirements from around the company, and then working with venture capital firms, accelerators, and other parties to identify relevant startups. Inside, he talks about how that process works.
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Article
Fidelity Labs SVP: ‘The Only Success Metrics That Really Matter are Financial Metrics’
How do you avoid winding up in the “danger zone” as an innovator inside a big company? Mona Vernon, the head of Fidelity Labs at Boston-based Fidelity Investments, says it’s all about making sure your metrics are aligned with your CEO and CFO.
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Article
How Best Buy’s CTO Assesses New Technologies for Strategic Business Value
We spoke to Brian Tilzer, Best Buy’s Chief Digital and Technology Officer, a few weeks ahead of Black Friday 2021. The starting point for our discussion was how Tilzer and his team evaluate emerging technologies that could impact Best Buy’s business. “Ninety percent of what we do is about what’s the business outcome, the customer outcome, or the employee outcome we’re trying to accomplish,” he says. More about the retailer’s strategy, and what’s changing in 2022, inside…
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Article
How Suffolk Construction is Boosting ‘Built Environment’ Startups
We talk to Suffolk’s Chief Data and Innovation Officer about how the Boston construction is investing in startups focused on AI, robotics, and green building technologies.
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Article
Three Ingredients for Building a High-Functioning Corporate-Startup Partnership Engine
Amanda Cashin of Illumina and Diana Joseph of the Corporate Accelerator Forum provide three key pieces of advice about how large corporations can better interact with startups.
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Video
Data Insights: Top 5 Challenges Startups Face When Working with Corporates
In this short video, Scott Kirsner and Alex Slawsby of Innovation Leader share the top five challenges for startups initating a formal engagement with a large company. Numero uno is all about speed.
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Article
Venture Capitalist Jasmine Robinson on Sports Trends — at Home and at the Stadium
Jasmine Robinson, a Partner at Causeway Media Partners, talks about some of the recent investments her sports-focused venture capital firm has made, and what she sees coming next…
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Article
Tracking Disruption in Sports at an Indianapolis-Based Techstars Accelerator
The world of sports is experiencing a highlight reel of disruption — from streaming content to legalized betting to digital collectibles like the NBA’s Top Shot series. We talk with Jordan Fliegel, Managing Director of the Techstars Sports Accelerator, to understand what matters most.
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Article
Dole’s Sustainability Promises Depend on Fresh Innovation
Dole, one of world’s largest fresh fruit and vegetable producers, is taking action to combat food inequality, climate change, and human rights issues. Dr. Lara Ramdin, Chief Innovation Officer, and Barbara Guerpillon, Global Head of Ventures, share how they are driving the company’s sustainability initiatives through open innovation.
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Article
ExxonMobil Exec on the Three Questions Startups Should Be Asking Corporate Partners
Xinjin Zhao of ExxonMobil shares the top three questions he wishes startup leaders asked corporates during meetings, and other tips for successful relationships.
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Article
FM Global VP Shares Tips for Nailing a Startup Partnership
Sujata Mehta, Assistant Vice President of Innovation at FM Global, shares insights on how to avoid common mistakes corporates tend to make when beginning a partnership with a startup.
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Article
Sumitomo: Why Respect is Necessary for Corporate-Startup Relationships
Sumitomo Chemical is one of the largest chemical companies in Japan. And in its US branch — which has a small office in California and in Cambridge, Mass. — managers have a mission: creating next-generation products through corporate venturing and collaborations.
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Article
How Transparent Timelines Can Improve Startup Collaborations
Mori, a startup focused on extending the shelf life of products, hopes to use science to reduce food waste. CEO Adam Behren shares the factors that fuel constructive corporate-startup partnerships.
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Article
How BAE Systems Identifies “Win-Win” Opportunities with Startups
In 2018, BAE Systems reorganized its FAST Labs R&D division and added a Technology Scouting group. We spoke with Stephen Russell of FAST Labs to learn more about how it successfully partners with startups.
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Article
PepsiCo’s Demand Accelerator Takes Consumer Insights to Next Level
The Global SVP and Head of PepsioCo’s Demand Accelerator program discussed the efficacy of the Demand Accelerator, the specific data PepsiCo uses, consumer trends in the food and beverage industry, and more.
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Article
Why CVS Created a Dedicated Venture Fund
During the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare providers around the globe sought digital solutions, and patients sought at-home options for what would have been in-person visits. Vijay Patel, Partner & Co-founder of CVS Health Ventures and Senior Director of Business Development of CVS Health Digital health and ...
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Article
Co-Creation Tips from P&G’s 6-Year-Old Venture Program
When Leigh Radford started the venture creation unit inside Proctor & Gamble, she was tasked with creating the next billion-dollar business for the personal care company. “I’m a very big believer…[in] learnings ahead of investment, and that has really treated us well to make sure we’re not over-invested in things where the learnings aren’t solidified.” More insights from Radford inside….
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Article
How Intel Gets New Tech Ready for the Olympics
How do you teleport two years into the future, and determine what will still seem cutting edge? That was the mandate given to the Olympic Technology Group at Intel…
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Article
Inside InnovationX, Airbus’s Fully Autonomous Innovation Arm
At InnovationX — an innovation business unit of aerospace giant Airbus — about 60 globally distributed team members operate almost entirely autonomously, according to the group’s leader Christian Lindener. Senior leaders only get involved at roadblocks.
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Article
Cracking the Contract Conundrum
Nikhil Gargeya and Diana Joseph provide a framework for getting past the initial conversation into concrete action when it comes to large companies partnering with startups.