#72 - How To Nail Your Startup Engagement Program | Paolo Lombardi | Author of 'Startup Program Design'

Innovation Rockstars

“A [startup] program gives a very clear collaboration platform to engage with startups. It's a clear gateway that corporations can create to send a signal to the startup ecosystem, that they are ready to collaborate.”

In this episode, we welcome Paolo Lombardi, author of the book ‘Startup Program Design’ and Director of Artificial Intelligence Innovation at Taylor & Francis. Together with Paolo, an expert in AI and startup engagement, we delve into the essentials of effectively partnering with startups, exploring various engagement models such as venture funds, hackathons, accelerators, and incubators.

Paolo shares his unique journey, starting with coding at age seven, and how his early experiences shaped his career in technology and AI. He emphasizes the importance of choosing the right startup engagement program, avoiding common pitfalls, and aligning corporate goals with startup innovation. Paolo also offers insights on fostering productive relationships between corporate managers and startup founders to mitigate cultural clashes and maximize collaboration success.

This episode is packed with practical advice for corporates and startups looking to navigate the complex landscape of innovation partnerships and drive impactful results.

*** RELATED LINKS *** To check out Paolo's book ‘Startup Program Design’ we talk about in this episode, click on the following link: https://www.startupprogramdesign.com

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