How does the “small guy” work with the “big guy” in innovation ?

Often in the entrepreneurial world, especially when a technology development is involved, a marriage of convenience needs to happen between a large company (The Empire) and a small startup (The Jedi).

There are several underlying reasons why the two realms must meet: recognition, exposure, funding, technical advice, access to market, to expertise, disruption, testing the “real world” etc.

Both startups and large companies are aware of their strengths, not always of their weaknesses, when nurturing a budding relationship.

This class will offer a checklist of things to look out for, especially from the perspective of the startup leader.

It will share the same information from the angle of the manager on the large corporation side who has the power to influence adopting a promising technology as a client.

The class will also focus on designing and making a successful journey in the “Valley of Death” : the transition from bench-scale tests to the first functional full-scale pilot.

The class will draw on the experience of the author who worked extensively in R&D and within innovation eco-systems around the world.

In workshop mode, the participants will assess a technology pilot taken from a real project.