A multi-stakeholder evaluation framework for Corporate-Startup Collaboration models

Important results from the project

The project aims to develop an evaluation framework for cooperation models between large companies and startups that can take into account objectives of different stakeholders (large company, startup innovation hub, and state/regional financiers). A literature review and interviews in large companies, startups and a government financier resulted in published research articles on evaluation of collaborative projects between large companies and start-up companies. A generic evaluation framework was developed and then tested and validated in some European cases.

Expected long term effects

The evaluation framework highlights the importance of including different stakeholder perspectives and the time dimension clarifies effects during implementation, at project completion and after project completion, which is important data for innovation processes, startup growth and innovation ecosystems. A result is also the importance of making dynamic evaluations where the various project actors but also government financiers - understand that the development of innovation processes/startups requires learning during the process and changing assessment criteria.

Approach and implementation

The project is based on literature studies and on interviews with different types of stakeholders: innovation hubs within large companies, startups, state and regional financiers. Results from the studies have subsequently been presented regularly to all project parties from large companies´ innovation hubs, but also in special workshops with other stakeholder groups. The result is that a model for evaluation large company-startup collaboration from different stakeholder perspectives. This model has also been presented and discussed with a number of European innovation hubs.