Understanding corporate concerns. Barriers and challenges in corporate–start-up collaboration

Despite increasing awareness of the benefits of partnerships with start-ups, corporates are often hesitant to collaborate due to perceived barriers, resulting in failed or suboptimal collaborations. This paper explores and assesses the key barriers that hinder corporates from successfully collaborat...

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Main Authors: Michal Banka, Norbert Chmiel, Mariusz Kostrzewski, Magdalena Marczewska, Arkadiusz Michal Kowalski, Katarzyna Sedkiewicz, Mariusz Salwin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-12-01
Series:Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market and Complexity
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2199853124001823
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author Michal Banka
Norbert Chmiel
Mariusz Kostrzewski
Magdalena Marczewska
Arkadiusz Michal Kowalski
Katarzyna Sedkiewicz
Mariusz Salwin
author_facet Michal Banka
Norbert Chmiel
Mariusz Kostrzewski
Magdalena Marczewska
Arkadiusz Michal Kowalski
Katarzyna Sedkiewicz
Mariusz Salwin
author_sort Michal Banka
collection DOAJ
description Despite increasing awareness of the benefits of partnerships with start-ups, corporates are often hesitant to collaborate due to perceived barriers, resulting in failed or suboptimal collaborations. This paper explores and assesses the key barriers that hinder corporates from successfully collaborating with startups. Based on a CAWI interviews with corporations, it evaluates both the significance and the severity of these obstacles, as well as the challenges involved in establishing effective partnerships. Additionally, the study examines how various corporate characteristics—such as company size, experience with startups, strategic approaches, and methods of engagement—impact the success of these collaborations. The findings reveal that corporates face significant challenges in partnering with startups. Major barriers include difficulties in identifying suitable startups, a lack of understanding of startup innovations, and concerns over financial risks associated with startup projects. Other obstacles, though less prominent, include fears of reputational damage if collaborations fail and limited support from corporate leadership for engaging with startups. This research highlights the need for enhanced strategies and knowledge-sharing to overcome these barriers, ultimately leading to more effective corporate-startup collaborations. This paper makes a key contribution by filling a significant research gap in the evaluation of barriers to corporate-startup collaborations, particularly by identifying new and unexplored obstacles that have not been previously documented in the literature. By expanding the catalogue of known barriers and analyzing corporate characteristics that affect collaboration outcomes, the study offers valuable insights for improving strategies and fostering more successful partnerships between corporates and startups.
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spelling doaj-art-9fd4e072f898430a816ef0d5b59ee3b42025-08-20T02:19:30ZengElsevierJournal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market and Complexity2199-85312024-12-0110410038810.1016/j.joitmc.2024.100388Understanding corporate concerns. Barriers and challenges in corporate–start-up collaborationMichal Banka0Norbert Chmiel1Mariusz Kostrzewski2Magdalena Marczewska3Arkadiusz Michal Kowalski4Katarzyna Sedkiewicz5Mariusz Salwin6Faculty of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, Plac Politechniki 1, Warsaw 00-661, Poland; Corresponding author.Faculty of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, Plac Politechniki 1, Warsaw 00-661, PolandFaculty of Transport, Warsaw University of Technology, Plac Politechniki 1, Warsaw 00-661, PolandFaculty of Management, University of Warsaw, Krakowskie Przedmieście 26/28, Warsaw 00-927, PolandCollegium of World Economy, SGH Warsaw School of Economics, al. Niepodległości 162, Warsaw 02-554, PolandFaculty of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, Plac Politechniki 1, Warsaw 00-661, PolandFaculty of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, Plac Politechniki 1, Warsaw 00-661, PolandDespite increasing awareness of the benefits of partnerships with start-ups, corporates are often hesitant to collaborate due to perceived barriers, resulting in failed or suboptimal collaborations. This paper explores and assesses the key barriers that hinder corporates from successfully collaborating with startups. Based on a CAWI interviews with corporations, it evaluates both the significance and the severity of these obstacles, as well as the challenges involved in establishing effective partnerships. Additionally, the study examines how various corporate characteristics—such as company size, experience with startups, strategic approaches, and methods of engagement—impact the success of these collaborations. The findings reveal that corporates face significant challenges in partnering with startups. Major barriers include difficulties in identifying suitable startups, a lack of understanding of startup innovations, and concerns over financial risks associated with startup projects. Other obstacles, though less prominent, include fears of reputational damage if collaborations fail and limited support from corporate leadership for engaging with startups. This research highlights the need for enhanced strategies and knowledge-sharing to overcome these barriers, ultimately leading to more effective corporate-startup collaborations. This paper makes a key contribution by filling a significant research gap in the evaluation of barriers to corporate-startup collaborations, particularly by identifying new and unexplored obstacles that have not been previously documented in the literature. By expanding the catalogue of known barriers and analyzing corporate characteristics that affect collaboration outcomes, the study offers valuable insights for improving strategies and fostering more successful partnerships between corporates and startups.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2199853124001823Start-upsCorporatesCollaborationAccelerator programme
spellingShingle Michal Banka
Norbert Chmiel
Mariusz Kostrzewski
Magdalena Marczewska
Arkadiusz Michal Kowalski
Katarzyna Sedkiewicz
Mariusz Salwin
Understanding corporate concerns. Barriers and challenges in corporate–start-up collaboration
Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market and Complexity
Start-ups
Corporates
Collaboration
Accelerator programme
title Understanding corporate concerns. Barriers and challenges in corporate–start-up collaboration
title_full Understanding corporate concerns. Barriers and challenges in corporate–start-up collaboration
title_fullStr Understanding corporate concerns. Barriers and challenges in corporate–start-up collaboration
title_full_unstemmed Understanding corporate concerns. Barriers and challenges in corporate–start-up collaboration
title_short Understanding corporate concerns. Barriers and challenges in corporate–start-up collaboration
title_sort understanding corporate concerns barriers and challenges in corporate start up collaboration
topic Start-ups
Corporates
Collaboration
Accelerator programme
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2199853124001823
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