Corporate Open Innovation (COI) – if it's so good why isn't everyone doing it?

To this excellent analysis from David Simmoes-Brown at NESTA i would add the following. Among the Development phase possible streams for COI, i would add a 4th element to the standard Spin-offs, Licencing, and JV: that is a dedicated and tailor-made 'Open Innovation Start-Up Partnership Program'. The one i developed at Orange and now supported by bluenove, the 'Orange Start Up Programme', embeds unique elements inspired from the COI philosophy such as :
1) a specifically designed partnership contract/MoU which is co-signed with the purchasing department to create momentum and speed very early in the partnership process
2) no exclusivity nor IP issues dealt during a first 'opportunity phase' of collaboration, again to create extra pressure on the Corporate organization to deliver faster Time To Market and first mover advantage
3) up to support to the startups to help them raise funds with third party VCs thus contributing to the development of sustainable partners within the ecosystem as well as initiate extra opportunity flows from the VC community
4) a process driven activity pipeline management with clear operational KPIs
5) an efficient and agile interfacing with other innovation related departments (R&D, Marketing, Purchasing, Corporate VC and M&A, Brand and Communication...)
6) a collaborative knowledge management intranet/extranet tool
7) a source for experienced based training modules about the COI theory and its successful implementation
8) an existing platform to facilitate potential bridges and connexions with similar platforms and programs from other Corporations and industrial sectors

This mix of know-how, processes and intranet/extranet layers has now been captured into the 'Lab Innovation Partnership Platform' (LIPP) developed by bluenove, a new consulting firm specialized in COI design and implementation, that we are now ready to deliver to other Corporations (beyond Orange) and to other industries (beyond Telecom) aiming at implementing ambitious Corporate Open Innovation programs.