Stronger Together Whitepaper

The Solution

At Plus X Innovation, with our history of connecting business, we have seen time and time again how difficult it can be for these two types of organisations to work together, and we identified this as a key reason why so many large firms struggle to make innovation work.  

Each side of the coin provides a unique and powerful angle for innovation: corporate firms provide a strong current and direction, and SMEs provide fresh ideas and perspectives. Together, these two types of organisations create a powerful and adaptable flow that benefits the entire ecosystem. That they need each other is clear.  

Questions that arose were: how can corporates create strong partnerships with start-ups that are mutually beneficial? What are the steps they need to take? What are the common pitfalls, and how can corporates avoid them?

With the support of our partner, Brunel University London and the generous funding from Hillingdon Enterprise Fund, we answered these crucial questions and more in a whitepaper.

We pulled insights from a wide range of sources, including:

• An in-depth overview of the leading academic research on innovation strategies, carried out in partnership with Brunel University.

• Original interviews with innovation leaders from the UK’s biggest businesses.

• Knowledge gained from events, round tables and industry summits.

• Practical, hands-on experience through our client work.

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Partners:

The academic research and data analysis supporting the findings of this white paper were produced in partnership with Brunel University London, a world leading research organisation, with deep roots in corporate and startup innovation. Professors Catherine Wang and David Gallear led the partnership as expert academic advisors. Mohammed ElGayaar is a doctoral researcher who led on the planning and delivery of the research.

‍Funded by:    

This project was generously funded through the Hillingdon Enterprise Fund. The fund was established by Hillingdon Council, delivering £2.15m of Additional Restrictions Grant (ARG) funding to a small number of Hillingdon based businesses through the Hillingdon Enterprise Fund to support the long-term benefits of jobs and business growth. The fund was project managed by West London Business, targeting the following sectors: green economy, innovation, aviation/ supply chains, creative/media and high growth. The initiative has contributed towards the development of the London West Innovation Network.