Hey everyone, let’s take a closer look at the state of corporate innovation. Trust me, it has been quite a journey from the ’90s to the present! We’ve seen everything from venture building to the latest trend of venture clienting, and I’m here to share all the details on how companies have been striving (and sometimes struggling) to stay ahead of the competition. It’s important to note that corporates often follow trends and emulate the successful strategies of consulting firms. Additionally, keep in mind that each industry has unique needs, and some models are more effective in certain contexts than others. But enough introduction—let’s dive in!
Part 1: The Rise of Venture Builders. (1996-Now)
Back in 90′, The success of Idea Lab prompted companies to establish their own internal departments. In Germany, Rocket Internet showed that it can be very successful as well. Venture Building is operational heavy, and requires people who deeply understand the E2E venture building process. Venture builders identify promising ideas, assemble a team, and provide the necessary resources and expertise to turn those ideas into successful ventures. Saying companies are closing it one after the other one, but many continuously faced challenges with this approach and eventually closed them.
I am personally working in one right now; and to be honest; I don’t believe in it so much; unless you have an experienced team with easy access to experts; and with the ability to take fast decision’ it could potentially work. In a company however, with a governance complexity; it’ just won’t really happen.
Examples: (1) https://www.ericsson.com/en/ericsson-one; (2) https://ingenius.nestle.com/ ; (3) https://x.company/
Problem: As cited by Sahil Sachdev; “There’s been a lot of activity in the corporate venture building space, […] And it’s no secret that the majority of these venture building experiments will result in failure”
Below a graphical representation of – mostly consulting companies – that have adopted this model.

Part 2: The Rise of Accelerators (2005-Now)
Since the year 2000, one of the significant trends in innovation has been the rise of accelerators. These programs provide startups with mentorship, resources, and funding to help them grow rapidly. Accelerators like Y Combinator and Techstars have played a crucial role in nurturing and supporting early-stage startups, fueling the innovation ecosystem.
Examples: (1) https://home.barclays/who-we-are/innovation/barclays-accelerator/ ; (2) https://sites.disney.com/accelerator/ (3) https://www.illumina.com/company/illumina-for-startups.html
Problem: “Most companies struggle to measure progress, invest in the right teams and kill projects that aren’t producing evidence.”

Part 3: The Rise of Incubators (2010-Now)
Another key development in innovation since 2000 has been the rise of incubators. Incubators provide a supportive environment for startups, offering physical workspace, access to networks, and business development assistance. Incubators emerged mostly in response to startups, especially scientific ones, that needed office space. Pharmaceutical companies adopted this model, hoping for proximity and collaboration with startups, but the results were mixed.
Examples: (1) https://jnjinnovation.com/jlabs ; (2) https://colab.bayer.com/ but also non corporate ones (3) https://stationf.co/
Problem: As cited by Arthur D Little “However, of those 70 programs listed in 2016, by 2019 nearly half have closed down “
Part 4: The Rise of Venture Clienting (2016-Now)
Venture clienting involves established companies acting as clients to startups, providing them with market access, resources, and expertise. This collaborative approach allows startups to access the extensive networks and resources of established companies, increasing their chances of success.
With technologies like Gen AI, IoT, and Blockchain, companies need to adapt innovations more quickly and efficiently. 27 Pilots offered a new approach: Instead of buying stakes, companies purchase startup products, allowing for rapid integration.
This is my favorite one and the one I will want to become an expert at.
Examples: (1) https://www.rbvc.com/open-bosch/ (2) https://www.bmwstartupgarage.com/ and of course consulting companies such as (3) https://www.27pilots.com/; (4) https://www.bshstartupkitchen.com/

Conclusion: The Future of Innovation is about Ecosystem and Collaboration Looking ahead, it is evident that the future of innovation lies in fostering a collaborative ecosystem. In conclusion, the innovation landscape since the year 2000 has witnessed the rise of accelerators, incubators, venture builders, and venture clienting. All of them were more and more collaborating with startups. These developments highlight the importance of collaboration and ecosystem-building in driving innovation forward.
What do you think?
Sources:
Accelerators:
https://hbr.org/2016/03/what-startup-accelerators-really-do
https://www.strategyzer.com/library/why-corporate-accelerator-programs-fail
About Venture Building
https://duodeka.com/venture-building-blog/venture-builders/
https://www.cledara.com/blog/top-50-venture-builders-in-europe-2021
https://techbricks.io/en/venture-studio-startup-launch/
https://sifted.eu/articles/corporates-building-startups
About Incubators:
https://www.bundl.com/articles/examples-10-corporate-incubator-examples-you-should-know-about
https://www.adlittle.com/en/insights/prism/next-generation-corporate-incubators
https://www.adlittle.com/uk-ko/node/23397
Venture Clienting:
https://www.youtube.com/@27pilots31
https://www.capgemini.com/fi-en/insights/expert-perspectives/blog-venture-clienting-the-new-approach-to-corporate-venturing/