Crecimiento de la colaboración

How to build a successful collaboration between startups and corporations?

Forging a solid, long-term relationship between startups and corporations can be an arduous but rewarding task. The key is to understand and execute a series of critical steps to ensure the success of the collaboration. This involves conducting a detailed internal and external analysis, getting to know your corporate partner in depth, and always being alert to adapt your strategies and tactics. Let me guide you through this process, sharing lessons learned and some success stories that have resulted from these strategic collaborations.

What role does internal and external analysis play?

1. Internal analysis:

   • Set clear objectives.
   • Know and understand your real capabilities to avoid taking on more than you can handle.
   • Adapt strategies to avoid "dying of success," i.e., be able to sustain growth and the relationship.

2. Analyze your environment:

   • Explore and expand your list of potential customers.
   • Rank and prioritize clients to focus on those that offer the best synergy with your startup.
   • Approach the relationship as a long-distance race, not a sprint, emphasizing the importance of long-term endurance.

What is the role of corporate ally knowledge?

Knowing the organization you want to collaborate with thoroughly is essential. This includes:

• Identifying the corporations (the "trusted elephants") with which you want to build a strong relationship.
• Understanding the corporation's organizational structure, priorities and success metrics.
• Adapt and adjust your sales pitch to maximize the added value you can offer.
• Handle differences as opportunities to add value, and address corporate concerns or fears about you.

How to measure and evaluate the success of the collaboration?

From the outset, it is critical to clearly define how success will be viewed and measured. Some aspects to consider include:

• Establish metrics and expected outcomes from the start.
• Continuously monitor to anticipate problems.
• Identify impasses that may arise in the relationship and seek solutions.
• Evaluate the implications of ongoing projects to adjust strategy when necessary.

What lessons can we learn from success stories?

Past successes provide a valuable book of lessons learned. Let's explore two inspiring examples:

How did Sphero achieve a groundbreaking collaboration with Disney?

Sphero, a spherical robot startup, managed to capture the attention of Disney, a leader in the entertainment industry, through the Disney Accelerator program. The opportunity arose when Disney needed an innovative toy for its Star Wars release, BB-8, a challenge to which Sphero was able to contribute its technology. The key was that both parties were able to identify and take advantage of this unique opportunity based on a specific need.

What strategy did OpenPay adopt to integrate with BBVA?

OpenPay began its journey as a startup developing innovative payment methods in Mexico. Its focus on practical solutions for incorporating cash into digital transactions caught BBVA's attention. The acquisition of OpenPay by BBVA shows how a startup can be integrated into a global corporation, thus expanding its initial impact and favoring its geographic growth. This success was possible thanks to the strategic alignment and the added value that OpenPay offered BBVA.

How to face failure and move forward?

Although the study of successful cases is crucial, it is also crucial to learn from failure. It is important to research the mistakes made by other startups in similar relationships:

• What factors contributed to failure.
• Lessons learned and areas of improvement for future relationships.
• How your own and your team's mistakes can be valuable in establishing future patterns of improvement.

Taking failure as an opportunity for growth and learning is crucial in the entrepreneur's journey.

Future perspectives: What paths lie ahead?

Building successful collaborative relationships not only opens doors to immediate introductions and opportunities, but allows you to lay the groundwork for a future enriched with innovation and cooperation. Proactive, adaptive and resilient, the entrepreneur's journey requires always being at the forefront of learning and growth.

Go ahead, keep training and keep searching for the value that differentiates your organization! Remember that, with effort and collaboration, you will be on your way to realizing future innovations that will benefit your startup and the corporation you choose to partner with.