Firstbuild: Combining the Innovativeness of a Small Startup with a Large Corporation’s Strengths

Alänge

2020

Triple Helix

Self Cite

The emphasis on corporate-startup collaboration has reached a new level in the context of digital transformation of most industries. Co-creation, as one non-equity based model for corporate-startup collaboration is increasingly getting attention among corporations and startups, but also among local governments. However, even if companies, governments, and startups invest in this approach for innovation and societal change, the concept is under-researched. The purpose of this paper is to further examine corporate-startup co-creation by conducting a systematic literature review, as well as present a real case ‘FirstBuild’. The findings were that co-creation as a corporate-startup collaboration model increases in attention. However, there is currently a large knowledge gap in previous research in regards to this phenomenon and more research on corporate-startup co-creation is needed, specifically in regards to metrics and its effects on corporate innovation, startups’ growth, and society.

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Literature Review On Co-creationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Firstbuild: a Case Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Corporate-startup Co-creation for Increased Innovation and Societal Change

Alänge

2020

Triple Helix

Self Cite

“…In this article, one of these cases, the case of gea-FirstBuild, is used as an illustration of an organizational innovation diffused, to and within gea. A different version of the FirstBuild case was first published in Alänge and Steiber (2018), and later in Alänge and Steiber (2019). The version of the FirstBuild case used in this paper, has been substantially broadened and is analysed by using an innovation diffusion-perspective.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Chesbrough 2003;Serrono and Fischer 2007;Nambisan and Sawhney 2007;Nelli 2013;and Noh 2015), research on corporate-startup collaboration as a phenomenon is rather new and the various ways in which large, established firms can, and should, work with startups for innovation1 is not yet well researched (Hogenhuis et al 2017). One typology to categorize different models by which larger firms can collaborate with startups is presented in Alänge and Steiber (2019). As startups play an increasingly important role in corporate innovation, it is important, however, not to only understand how this form of collaboration could be structured and managed, but also how this new form of collaboration model for large-firm exploration is diffused to and within firms.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Corporate-startup Collaboration: Its Diffusion to and within the Firm

2020

Triple Helix

Self Cite

In an age of digital transformation, startup collaboration as an avenue for corporate innovation has increased in importance. However, the diffusion of corporate-startup collaboration models, to and within firms, is not well researched. The purpose of this article is to view a corporate-startup collaboration model as an organizational innovation and thereby, by using an established framework for the diffusion of innovations on a real case, “FirstBuild”, improve our understanding of how this type of organizational innovation is diffused to and within firms. The theoretical contribution of the article is to be the first study to investigate the diffusion of a corporate-startup collaboration model and thereby fill an existing knowledge gap on how this type of innovation is diffused to and within a firm. This is of relevance for both corporations as well as policy makers in an ongoing digital transformation of countries and their large firms.

Learning with startups: an empirically grounded typology

Alänge

Corvello

2020

TLO

Self Cite

Purpose Corporate-startup collaboration is an opportunity for inter-organizational learning. This paper aims to develop an empirically grounded typology to guide researchers and managers in choosing a model that is coherent with the underlying learning processes. Design/methodology/approach The empirical research consisted of three phases. First, 30 large companies were interviewed to identify different models of interaction. Second, eight different models and cases were selected, and a list of key characteristics of each model was drawn based on the empirical data, obtaining a first typology. Third, the typology was tested, improved and validated on nine corporations. Findings The main result of the study is an empirically grounded typology of models for corporate-startup interaction and inter-organizational learning. Six dimensions distinguish each model from the others. Research limitations/implications The paper contributes to extend the literature on inter-organizational learning through different models of corporate-startups interaction. It also contributes to organizational ambidexterity theory, showing how collaboration with startups can improve exploitation and exploration. Practical implications The typology provides an instrument for analyzing and selecting operational models for corporate-startup collaboration and learning. The models can be modified or broadened, creating new hybrids. Originality/value The paper presents a novel way of looking at corporate-startup relations by studying them through the lens of organizational learning theory. It explains the existence of different inter-organizational arrangements and provides guidance in selecting the correct model.