Whether in finance, the energy sector, healthcare, or retail, startups are active in all industries today. They are innovative, fast, and agile—and yet the vast majority of companies ignore them. This is what a Bitkom survey shows.
Around two-thirds (65 percent) of board members and managing directors of companies with 20 or more employees state that they do not collaborate with startups. This is the result of a representative survey of 505 companies from all sectors commissioned by the digital association Bitkom. Eight percent say they have invested financially in startups, and 28 percent collaborate with them in other ways, such as through startup competitions. But only 14 percent develop new products or services together with startups.
Huge opportunities are being missed
“Both established companies and startups are missing out on huge opportunities if they do not work together more frequently and more closely,”
says Bitkom President Achim Berg.
“This gives medium-sized companies as well as corporations the opportunity to bring digital innovations into their companies, and startups can more easily gain a foothold in the market and acquire their first customers.”
The main problem is the lack of contact with founders
Companies that don't collaborate with startups usually simply have no contact with founders. This applies to 77 percent of all companies. Around half (56 percent) say they don't see any added value in the collaboration, and just as many don't have a specific project in mind. Four out of 10 companies (39 percent) don't have time for startup collaborations, and one in four (27 percent) lacks the money.
“There is no reason not to at least seek dialogue with startups,”
says Berg.
"A variety of initiatives enable local exchange between established companies and founders. And the nationwide Digital Hub Initiative also brings together companies and startups from leading industries and creates spaces to work together on very specific projects."
Numerous examples from the Munich ecosystem demonstrate that collaboration between startups and larger companies can be very fruitful. Companies such as Konux or Bohéme told Munich Startup about their experiences.
