messages like this are common:
My oppinion about this; Many founders are scared about their IP when sharing it to a corporation.
IP is one thing but at the end what scale on the market is the GTM / marketing; how you’re getting those customers. This is why unless it is a very very specific technology; I wouldn’t be afraid that a company sees and test a product.
Actually corporations now are turning towards this model: the venture clienting model
Here some material about Venture Clienting:
- 5 Steps of Venture Clienting - Flyer
- Venture Clienting Report - By Glassdollar
- Companies having a venture clienting unit: Siemens, Open Bosch and a few others
- Book that goes deeper into the topic: "Buy, Don't Invest" by Gregor, the founder of the process Venture Clienting
the essence of this model is that the company doesn’t take any co-development initiatives or whatsoever; or signing sth etc.
The startup should see the big corporates as a pilot customer; they give sample and the outcome of this is a pilot of 3 months with that sample.
Startups need to make sure that:
- There is an internal champion inside of the company ; willing to make sure someone inside of the company needs this technology
- The pain of the BU is identified
- That the BU was actually looking forward to this technology
The startup should not give a sample is none of the above is not clear?
- What happens inside of Nestly once the sample is received?
- Is there a clear pilot program? Any agenda; schedule timeline?
If not; wait and plan this first. A specific outcome needs to be adressed before shipping the sample
E.g Nestle; What is great with Nestle is that it seems they already made several collab? https://thefishsite.com/articles/corbion-teams-up-with-nestlé-on-microalgae-ingredients
I would recommend the startup to contact a founder who worked with them already, to understand how the collab went with Nestle; they have all the insights!!