Read the blog from our industry experts

As the year comes to a close, we’ve donned our festive jumpers, popped a bottle (or two) of bubbly, and taken a moment to reflect on everything we’ve accomplished in 2024. Spoiler alert: It’s been a cracker of a year. From growing our team and globe-trotting across...

As 2024 comes to a close, our team is celebrating the season by spotlighting some of the most exciting startups making waves in their industries. Each scout has selected three companies that caught their attention this year. From food tech to AI, architecture to...

Many corporates assume startup collaboration is straightforward: scout the right ones, sign a deal, and wait for the magic to happen. But the reality? Most collaborations fail to deliver their full potential. Let’s break down what every corporate really needs to know...

In 2008, LEGO took a bold step beyond its own walls with the LEGO Ideas platform. Fans worldwide could submit and vote on new set designs, some of which would go into production. This wasn’t just about new products—it sparked a global community of co-creators, shaping...

Why do some of the world’s biggest companies end up blindsided? The problem is often internal. Silent killers inside companies often undermine innovation, leaving even industry giants vulnerable. Companies like Yahoo and Adobe, once leaders in their fields, fell...

Luminr brings competitor intelligence to every business - in real time - this is not something people had access to in a centralised manner before. It used to be a case of collecting information from various teams, it's now all in one place on a bespoke dashboard -...

Ever wonder how some of the most groundbreaking products come to life? Nike’s A.I.R. technology, Coca-Cola’s iconic fountain dispenser, and Nivea’s bestselling “Invisible Black and White” deodorant all share a common thread: they were developed through open...

AI is shaking up the way large corporates approach open innovation, their startup scouting, and collaboration. However, several persistent myths continue to hold back its full potential. These misconceptions can limit ambition and slow the adoption of AI-driven...

Amsterdam, NL – March 15th, 2024 – Recent data from The World Intellectual Property Organization Global Innovation Index shows that the Netherlands finds itself at a crucial juncture in its innovation journey. Despite its reputation as a hub for innovation and...

Last week we had a bean spilling Corporate Innovation Secretes session with Serena Martin, known for her strategic roles at BBC and Sky, now leading Co:cubed's Brand Expansion Practice. We put the spotlight on how big businesses are adapting to today's market...

Amsterdam, NL – March 11th, 2024 – Co:cubed, the leading facilitator in corporate-startup collaborations, is thrilled to declare its forthcoming expansion into the Netherlands, spearheaded by Rienk Franken, former Venture Lead at ABN AMRO. This strategic endeavour...

With 3.5 billion people grappling with water scarcity, the scale of the challenge is undeniable. The anticipated doubling of water technology investments to $55.2 billion by 2030 raises both hope and questions. Which technologies hold the promise of transformative impact?

When a conference like London Tech Week (LTW) wraps up, the focus for corporate innovation leaders has to shift to planning next steps and turning inspiration into impact. Our Innovation Director and Head of Scouting - Denise McQuaid - attended the conference last...

In the face of rapid technological change, innovation has become a strategic imperative. Yet, innovation leaders often face resistance within their organizations, turning this crucial task into a challenge. To delve into this, Co:cubed gathered innovation leaders from companies like Citi Group and Sky. The rich discussion offered practical advice on fostering an innovation culture, underlining that while the road to successful innovation may be tough, the rewards are transformative.

Just 100 companies have been the source of 75% of the world’s global emissions over the last 30 years and currently, all of those companies are falling short of their climate pledges. Collaborating with startups who already have the solutions, then scaling those...

Given tightening legislation around sustainability reporting and disclosure,  growing investor pressure and stronger buying preferences from consumers, there is an increased need for the world’s leading companies to accelerate the development of sustainable...

The power of Co: a new model for innovation at corporates.  At Co:cubed, we're passionate about helping the world's biggest brands connect to the world's most innovative startups. And there's never been a more important time to do this. In fact, over the last 12...

Collaborating with startups can be a great way for brands to innovate, but it's not always easy. Here are six tips from six startups on how to make these collaborations work: We asked 6 startups for six tips on how to make collaborations with brands work.  Featuring:...

Established brands can become very set in their ways. And that's one of the best reasons to work with startups and bring in fresh new thinking and fresh new types of experiments. We asked 5 startups, “what advice would you give to corporations about embracing risk?...

Listen to the episode here: https://www.honeyiblewupthebusiness.com/e/v8591l98-lessons-from-40m-of-failure-with-jeremy-basset Transcript: JB: My first graduate role was with Unilever, where I started in 2003, but my ‘innovation career’ was launched in 2009, when I was...

Adapt or die - that well-coined startup phrase now has a more poignant meaning. Literal ironies aside, in the midst of a global pandemic and economic meltdown, never has this mentality been more relevant in business. It doesn’t take an economist to predict the...

Large corporates have traditionally grown through two mechanisms: organic growth and acquired growth. However, with organic growth proving difficult and acquired growth becoming expensive, we see a third route to growth emerging: collaborative growth. Here’s why…...

Between 2008 and 2016, the fintech startup Leverate announced ten partnerships that each “cost tons” and “took all the brainpower and sweat [Leverate] had”. Commenting on the partnerships in July 2016, Leverate co-founder Itai Damti revealed that, over time, each of...

In early 2018, the UK government pledged to eliminate all avoidable plastic waste from the UK by 2042. Interestingly, when unveiling the plan, the government focused not solely on reducing the supply of plastic, but also on...

As more and more slide decks on the benefits of startup partnerships make it to corporate board rooms, more and more corporates are seeking to collaborate with the burgeoning opportunities in startupland. All those doing so face...

All too often we see corporates taking an almost-charitable mindset when it comes to partnering with startups. Corporates, the logic goes, are established and experienced powerhouses with more to offer startups than a group of hoodie-wielding misfits might ever offer...

When first starting my career, I interned with what was then the world’s most disruptive tech-giant: Microsoft. By the time I first shuffled into Microsoft offices, the company had been exploring highly profitable and previously...

To remain relevant in today’s rapidly changing world, it’s vital that corporates have strong conduits to the disruptors at the forefront of change. At Unilever, we called this the ‘Foundry’ - Unilever’s platform to connect and...

What does the future of your organisation look like? Will it be here in 20 years? Will your corporate be a dominant force in the industry, stronger than it is today, or will it slowly become small and irrelevant? Will it be able...