WHAT ARE THE ROLE AND FUNCTIONS OF STARTUPS DURING COLLABORATION WITH A CORPORATION?

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What should you look out for when collaborating with corporations to ensure collaboration?

In the previous section on: "The startup-corporation contract. Agreements and Commitments", we have already advanced some key points to consider when defining collaboration agreements. Let me tell you something, most projects or innovations in a company do not fail during the strategic or design phase, but during the implementation phase. 

It is therefore very important that you play a relevant role during the implementation of the solutions. Mainly, during implementation you must take 4 factors into account at all times:

ENSURING CONTINUED PROGRESS

Throughout the collaboration process you should be able to ensure that the collaboration is progressing as agreed. In other words, you will have to be responsible in one way or another. from "pulling the cart".. Often, when collaborations are underway, agreed dates are extended, meetings are postponed, new internal priorities arise within the corporation.... your role from the Startup is to "keep pushing" your stakeholders and the teams involved in the corporation to meet the objectives set in a timely manner.

It may seem unfair or outside your remit but it is vital that you take ownership of this role, especially in the early and middle stages of the relationship.

ENSURING COMPLIANCE

It is your responsibility to ensure that the agreements and commitments made by both parties are honoured. All partnerships have complications. If there are non-compliances on the Startup's side, it is good to put them on the table, show that you have identified them and promote an action plan to solve them while minimising the consequences. 

We are talking about product/service failures, non-compliance with schedules, administrative errors... etc. 

This attitude of "being on top of things and lift them yourself (before the corporation does). will increase trust between the two companies and strengthen the relationship. to work on solutions.

The same goes for breaches on the corporate side. If you detect them, you need to raise your hand and put them on the table. Do it elegantly and in pursuit of the common goal you are trying to achieve through collaboration. It will be clear to the corporation that you are on top of the process and they will put more focus and energy into your collaboration.

CELEBRATING SUCCESS

It is important that as objectives are achieved during the collaboration, you devote effort to highlighting them.

Keep in mind that in corporations, teams are busy with a multitude of issues and there is often no time to stop and assess whether something is going right or wrong. Especially if it is going well, not enough time is spent on how well it is going and why. 

Your role from the outside of the corporation will be very relevant to help internal teams, your sponsors and your direct stakeholders to showcase the work you are doing together and the results you are achieving.

A very interesting way to do this is to by means of reports or acknowledgement emails to the teams involved in the corporation. If these reports achieve visibility in the corporation, your solution will be seen as a success right from the start. This will help you when renewing contracts or offering new additional products/services.

This point is very important. Take it very seriously and you will make a difference during your collaborations.

CROSS-PROSPECTING OPPORTUNITIES

During the collaboration it is essential that identify new business opportunities with the corporation you already collaborate with. He thinks that increasing business with an existing customer is much easier and more profitable than acquiring a new customer.

Once you are inside the corporation (collaborating) you will have to discover new needs that your product/service can cover.

There are two ways:

• Cross-products: products/services/functionalities that serve corporate a solve other problems.
• Product depth: products/services/functionalities that serve corporate a solve the problems you are already solving for them on a larger scale or on a larger scale.

It is important that you pay attention to this because your position (being a supplier of that company) is well ahead of potential competitors. Remember that it is not the same for the corporation to increase the scope of services with an existing provider as it is to initiate a new process of collaboration. Investigate, be creative and take advantage of this competitive advantage.