More co-operation needed for innovations

"Innovation is the key to our future," said Verena Pausder, Chair of the Startup Association. "Startups bring speed, creativity and courage, while established companies bring resources, experience and access to markets." This results in a win-win situation. Thus, startups are key innovation partners, according to 90 per cent of those surveyed. However, only 11 per cent of startups note a significant willingness to cooperate. And 59 per cent of  startups pointed to slow procedures when working with established firms. Almost half (49 per cent) criticized their lack of willingness to take risks. The latter, in turn, lack experience working with startups (41 per cent), and 35 per cent noted too much uncertainty.

Established companies are also looking for more added value amid the ongoing tense economic situation. "Vision alone is not enough. Tangible results are crucial for companies to be prepared to take risks," said Sebastian Günther, Innovation Lead at Accenture. And the economic downturn is exerting even more pressure. Germany lags behind in terms of forward-looking technologies - and the economic gap between the USA is widening, according to the startup association. While Germany's real per capita GDP has risen by 4 per cent over the past ten years, that of the U.S. has grown by 17 per cent. This trend could accelerate, as the U.S. is now investing ten times as much in AI as Europe. Swift results are increasingly important when working with startups, said three out of four scaleups surveyed (or startups with at least 25 employees). Developing new products and services (57 per cent) and access to new technologies (47 per cent) are the main reasons for collaborations.

Six out of ten established companies find the search for the right co-operating partner difficult, although Germany is well-equipped with around 23,000 young growth companies. Thus, 75 per cent rely on external intermediaries for matching. However, the most important factor (80 per cent) is personal contact during conferences and events. "The biggest challenges can be tackled, if the right partners come together and work well with each other, " said Pausder. However, treading water can result in a loss of competitive edge.

"Co-operations between startups and established firms are now more important than ever," Günther stressed. "We need the courage to invest in innovation." Co-operations should be rethought and become more targeted, with clear and measurable success criteria and a focus on scaling, he added. 

Venture clienting is one possible means of collaboration and sees  companies become clients of startups at an early stage. This can help companies solve challenges swiftly and cost-effectively using cutting-edge technology. Startups benefit from market validation and reference customers, while established companies gain access to innovations early. The Digital Hub Logistics & Commerce, for instance, links up companies, investors, startups, research and education to drive innovation in logistics, trade and supply chains. Venture clienting is one of the services provided. Scaleup Hamburg  also helps SMEs  to overcome challenges by bringing them together with innovative start-ups. 
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