How to build powerful partnerships between start-ups and corporations: a simple 6-step guide

Start-ups need funding, mentorship, and networks to grow. Big companies are looking for new ideas, disruptive tech, and faster ways to stay ahead. By teaming up, both can get the best of both worlds. Keep reading to discover 6 simple steps to make this partnership work.

Corporate-start-up partnerships can help both sides grow faster with less risk. Start-ups bring operational agility, new ideas, and innovative technologies, while big companies offer resources, industry experience, and access to markets.

But working together isn’t always easy: different goals, work styles, and company cultures can lead to frustration and inefficiencies. Here are 6 simple steps to make collaboration smoother: 

1. Be clear on your value proposition

Start-ups and corporations need to be clear about what they offer before partnering. Without clarity, miscommunication, unrealistic expectations, and mismatched priorities can derail the project. To avoid this, both sides should identify their strengths – whether it’s resources, agility, or expertise – and explain how they can support each other.

Corporations collaborate with start-ups to innovate faster, save money, and gain access to disruptive technologies that may be difficult or costly to develop in-house. These partnerships help corporations experiment with new ways of working, like faster product launches and more flexible business models. Start-ups also attract top talent, bringing new skills and ideas to corporate cultures. 

Start-ups, in turn, partner with big companies to tap into resources they might lack, such as infrastructure, distribution networks, and a wider customer base. They also get to co-develop products, learn from industry experts, and build credibility, making it easier to attract investors.

2. Set clear goals

For a start-up and corporation to have a successful collaboration, both sides need to know what they want to achieve. Big enterprises typically look for new technologies to improve their products, while start-ups want to grow, test ideas, and learn more about their customers. The partnership works best when these goals align and create a shared purpose. Research backs this up: a McKinsey survey found that partnerships with clear, upfront goals see satisfaction rates jump from 63% to 86%. 

Consider the case of Thermo Fisher Scientific. "For us, it’s about finding new features for our core product – the microscope", explains Petr Střelec, Site Lead. "We don’t always want to design or manufacture these ourselves. Start-ups bring new functionalities we can offer as add-ons." But alignment is key, he adds: "Start-ups need to understand how we create value for our customers. When their solutions meet real needs, it’s an exciting opportunity for us – and that keeps us motivated to navigate cultural differences."

Setting goals is just the beginning. To keep things on track, you also need to measure results. Pick 3 to 5 key metrics that fit your partnership – like meeting product milestones, bringing in new customers, increasing revenue, or cutting costs. Regularly check your progress, make changes if needed, and stay focused on the goals you’re working toward together.

3. Get support

Building a successful partnership isn’t always easy, but that’s where the Enterprise Europe Network and its local branches come in. For example, the South Moravian Innovation Centre – or JIC in short –helps small companies in Brno, Czech Republic, connect with industry, academia, and research institutions. Their business support advisers offer personalised support and assistance to help start-ups grow. 

Take IDEA StatiCa, a local company founded in 2009 that creates software to help engineers design and analyse building structures. JIC helped them refine their marketing strategy, develop an internationalisation strategy, and connect with the right partners.

"There are only about 750,000 structural engineers worldwide, so we couldn’t stay local", says Juraj Šabatka, CEO of IDEA StatiCA. "Thanks to the Enterprise Europe Network, we secured funding and came up with a plan for global growth. We started in Europe, expanded to the United States, and now we’re on track to become the top software provider for structural engineers."

4. Map out a clear plan

Once you’re ready to work together, start with a clear plan. Spell out who’s responsible for what, set deadlines, and agree on your shared goals. Make sure to include a timeline, budget, and a way to track progress. Keep the plan flexible as circumstances can change. Schedule regular check-ins to review progress, solve any issues, and course correct if needed.

Here are some simple questions to guide your planning:

• Who’s in charge of each task or deliverable, and who will make the decisions? 
• What are we trying to achieve, and what are the deadlines?
• How much will it cost, and how will we split expenses?
• What resources do we need, and what will each side bring – people, tech, or data?
• How will we monitor progress, and what metrics will we use?
• What could go wrong, and how will we handle it?

5. Test and improve

Start with a small project or pilot to test how well both teams collaborate and if the product meets market needs. For example, 3L Robotics, a company in Brno specialising in automated parcel delivery, teamed up with Honeywell Aerospace on a pilot project. With JIC’s support, they tested how 3L Robotics’ drone helipad system worked with Honeywell’s mission planning software. The pilot improved drone delivery efficiency and safety, leading to new products in logistics.

JIC helped 3L Robotics secure funding and build critical partnerships. “Winning two major European Space Agency competitions through the Business Incubation Centres, Europe’s largest network of incubators for space start-ups, and Space Solutions gave us the resources to test our ideas and introduced us to major aerospace players like Honeywell, Embraer, and Siemens”, says Luboš Lněnička, founder of 3L Robotics. 

The pilot phase is a valuable opportunity to gather feedback and make improvements. The key is finding the right balance: the project should be large enough to show real results, but small enough to manage. A common mistake is falling into the “pilot trap”, where the project remains stuck in testing.

This can happen for several reasons, such as insufficient data from the pilot, unclear next steps, or misaligned goals and timelines. Other obstacles, like resource shortages, too much red tape, or poor communication, can also slow progress. To avoid these issues, make sure both sides discuss the scaling plan and resource needs upfront to keep the momentum going.

6. Build on the partnership

If the pilot succeeds, it’s time to scale up. This could mean expanding into new markets, developing more products, or even running joint marketing campaigns. Start-ups can tap into the corporations’ network to reach more customers and refine their offerings with better insights.

There might also be opportunities for deeper collaboration. Corporations might invest directly in start-ups as part of their open innovation strategy or create spin-offs to explore new ideas. Such support helps start-ups grow, access more resources, and scale faster.  

“JIC has been scouting companies for Honeywell, and through events like the Velvet Innovation Meetup in Brno, we’ve built strong partnerships and gained valuable industry connections”, said Luboš. “One of our prototypes was tested in Honeywell’s lab, and we’re now gearing up for more tests at the Living Lab in the BVV Trade Fairs Brno.” 

To stay ahead in changing industries, partnerships between scale-ups and corporations are essential. Tomáš Szaszi, Director of Strategy & Innovation at Honeywell, explains: “Start-ups and SMEs are key to early-stage innovation. Speed, agility, and trust are what make these collaborations successful.”

Ready to start your partnership? Reach out to your local Network contact point today and see how we can support your business.