A day-long celebration today in Paris with the 8th edition of the annual “Corporate Startup Stars Awards” (CSS) and the inaugural edition of “Startup Ecosystem Stars Awards” (SES), hosted by Mind the Bridge and  International Chamber of Commerce.

The event witnessed the participation of Mariya Gabriel, Deputy Prime Minister of Bulgaria, Milena Stoycheva, Ministry of Innovation and Growth of Bulgaria, Carlos Santiso, Head of Division Digital, Innovative, Open Government OECD – OCDE and  András G. Inotai, Head of Unit, Innovation Policy and Access to Finance, DG Research & Innovation, European Commission.

Iliana Ivanova, EU Commissioner for Innovation and Research, Culture, Education and Youth, showed her full support to both initiatives:

“Our continent, Europe, is home to ambitious startups and scaleups. We are not just a hub for innovation, we are at the forefront of the deep tech revolution. Open Innovation isn’t just a concept, it’s a catalyst for transformation. This approach isn’t just beneficial, it’s essential. So, I extend an invitation to you – corporates both within and outside the EU – to look for startup and scaleup partners in Europe. They have the potential you need.”

  • Corporate Startup Stars (CSS) Awards

100 “best in class” companies from 29 countries (full list here) have been awarded: 17 from France, 11 from Germany, 8 from US, 7 from Spain, 6 from South Korea, Switzerland and UK, 5 from Japan, 4 from Netherlands, 3 from Brazil and China, 2 from Denmark, India, Italy, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and Sweden, 1 from Australia, Belgium, Colombia, Morocco, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Portugal, Thailand, Togo and UAE – respectively.

Microsoft secured the Global Corporate Startup Stars top position for its visionary partnership with OpenAI and its Global Entrepreneurship for Positive Impact Program.

“Just as in 2021, when we awarded the global pharmaceutical giant Pfizer the No. 1 position for its ground-breaking partnership with BioNTech, resulting in the creation of a vaccine within 9 months and made available to citizens around the world, the Corporate Startup Stars global jury is pleased to award this years top prize to Microsoft for their symbiotic relationship with OpenAI”, commented Candace Johnson, ICC Executive Board Member and Chair of the Corporate Startup Stars Judging Committee. 

“Within the span of the four short years since Microsoft’s initial investment in OpenAI, this partnership resulted in a remarkable achievement in the realm of artificial intelligence, meriting recognition for the pair’s breakthrough advances in generative AI, democratizing access to what at the time was a very capital intensive undertaking and fostering a collaborative ecosystem to provide solutions which are positively impacting our society and economy”, continued Johnson – This transformational collaboration taken together with Microsoft’s “Global Entrepreneurship for Positive Impact” program, coming on the heels of COP 28 where more than ever before the use of data and technology took center stage, created a double whammy effect leading to the jury’s decision”. 

Additionally, 23 Special Awards acknowledged the companies that are mastering specific models and pioneering new approaches, as detailed in the annual Report “Welcome to the Age of Hybridization and Results. Evolve or Be Extinct Season 2023”, that showcases the best practices in Open Innovation that are continuously evolving:

  • Airbus – Scaling Innovations onboarded through Venture Client 
  • AXA – Centrally Coordinating and Leveraging Venture Client Efforts across Countries
  • Bosch – Decentralizing Venture Client at Business Unit Level
  • CEMEX – CVC to deploy Sustainable Construction 
  • DB Schenker – Holistic Approaches to Open Innovation
  • Deutsche Telekom – Going Beyond Startup Acceleration and CVC
  • Ecobank – Catalyzing Innovation across Africa
  • EDP Group – How to Extract Strategic Value out of CVC
  • Enagás – A Suite Approach to Open Innovation
  • ENI – Venture Builder: Generate Value from R&D Portfolio
  • Ericsson – Scaling Innovation from Intrapreneurship
  • Hansgrohe – Innovating like a Startup 
  • Hyundai Motor – Connecting the Open Innovation Dots
  • Intel – Changing the Way to Accelerate Startups
  • Körber – Venture Building: an Ecosystem Approach 
  • L’Oreal – Venture Client and CVC to accelerate Innovation
  • Mastercard – Accelerating Innovation through Inclusion
  • Mercedes Benz – Bosch – Corporates Co-Innovating
  • SAP – From Centralized to Decentralized Innovation
  • Siemens – Centralizing Venture Client Operations
  • Telefónica – Evolving Accelerators into CVC 
  • Total Energies – From CVC to a Broader Strategic Innovation Platform
  • Zurich Insurance – From Accelerator to Venture Client

As Open Innovation matures, the pressure to deliver tangible results increases. CEOs are less swayed by the ‘cool’ aspect of startups and are demanding real impact. This shift to an ‘Age of Results’ brings its own challenges, as the benefits of collaborating with startups – like strategic market insights, cultural influence, and branding – are often intangible and hard to measure in the short to medium term”, commented Alberto Onetti, Chairman of Mind the Bridge.

Best practices in Open Innovation are actually becoming increasingly consolidated, but initiatives and models are continuously evolving, following an “Open Innovation Life Cycle”, as the Report reveals: new tools are appearing, with Venture Builders emerging as a significant new player, despite some setbacks, while other models like Corporate Accelerators rapidly declining. We’re also seeing a trend of hybridization in these models, adding complexity to the Open Innovation landscape. A prime example is Microsoft’s partnership with the most disruptive startup in the world (OpenAI), which is just the tip of the iceberg.

Our partnership with Mind the Bridge is an inspiring journey. Together, we’re not just promoting Open Innovation for businesses; we are making certain that large corporations benefit from the innovation of startups. This is the quickest way to bring about positive change in creating a new innovative, entrepreneurial paradigm in the world. Learning from winners who involve entire communities in innovation, we’re shaping standards for corporate-startup collaboration, driven by a shared commitment to serve a larger cause through practical and inclusive innovation practices.” singled out Candace Johnson in her closing remarks. 

 

  • Startup Ecosystem Stars (SES) Awards

Mariya Gabriel, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria and former European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education, and Youth, emerged as the standout “Startup Ecosystem Star of the year” for her vision and unwavering commitment to fostering innovative ecosystems. 

“Europe can set the direction for changes. Because Europe is the place to invest and grow. Attracting and stimulating the best talents is a critical part of driving innovation and creativity in every aspect and field. We have the potential, we just have to unleash it.”, Mariya Gabriel commented upon receiving the Award.

“The commitment of Deputy Prime Minister Mariya Gabriel, my predecessor as European Commissioner in charge of innovation, was instrumental in adopting the New European Innovation Agenda in July last year. This is our blueprint of 25 concrete actions under 5 flagships for harnessing innovation for economic and societal benefit. The vision of Mariya Gabriel has sown the seeds of innovation across Europe. Now, let’s nurture these seeds into a thriving landscape of progress and prosperity”, Iliana Ivanova, EU Commissioner for Innovation and Research, Culture, Education and Youth, commented.

Gabriel’s accolade was part of a broader recognition that also included 15 regions and cities across four categories. These achievements are highlighted in the Report “Building Startup Ecosystem Stars. The World’s Life Cycle of Innovation 2023”. The reports encapsulate groundbreaking case studies, spotlighting exemplary practices and pivotal figures shaping the landscape of global innovation:

  • Basque GovernmentSPRI (Startup Program, Industry & SME Support)
    A model of how government agencies can catalyze regional innovation and scaling, particularly in technology sectors.
  • EIT Climate – KIC (Startup Programs)
    Highlights the significance of focusing on climate-positive innovations, showcasing how targeted initiatives can drive substantial impact in critical sectors.
  • EIT Global Outreach (Industry & SME Support)
    These cases exemplify the importance of global networks and tailored support in aiding startups to penetrate top international innovation hubs.
  • Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg (Startup Programs, Industry & SME Support)
    Showcases a city-led initiative to innovate public administration through startup collaboration.
  • Global Digital Innovation Network – Born2Global (Startup Programs)
    Illustrates the transformation from a government entity to an independent foundation, focusing on global digital expansion and collaboration for Korean startups.
  • Global Victoria (Industry & SME Support, Investment)
    Shows the role of state-level organizations in facilitating SMEs’ and startups’ entry into global markets
  • Investissement Québec (Investment)
    Focuses on how, through a strategic investment fund, the country’s innovation ecosystem has been empowered, propelling the growth of numerous startups.
  • Investment NSW (Startup Programs)
    Demonstrates how strategic initiatives can facilitate market expansion and attract investments, support diverse businesses, and establish key hubs, thereby accelerating the country’s global leadership in innovation.
  • Jetro (Startup Programs)
    Highlights how a comprehensive suite of programs and initiatives can facilitate the growth of thousands of startups, propelling them onto the international stage and contributing to the country’s status as a global leader in innovation.
  • Michigan – Economic Development Corporation (Talent & IP)
    Focuses on aligning local workforce capabilities with the demands of emerging industries, demonstrating the importance of holistic ecosystem development.
  • Municipality of Ravenna – ORa! Project (Industry & SME Support, Talent & IP)
    Demonstrates the effectiveness of applying the Venture Client model at a territorial level, facilitating partnerships between local companies and international startups, and emphasizing the importance of upskilling local talent.
  • Start for Future Consortium (Talent & IP, Startup Programs)
    Highlights the creation of regional innovation hubs as a strategy to catalyze tech talent and startup creation across multiple European regions, underscoring the power of regional collaboration.
  • Taiwan Tech Arena (Startup Programs)
    Showcases the role of a leading entity in driving innovation and playing a pivotal part in positioning the country as a major hub for disruptive global startups.
  • The Innovation Hub South Africa (Startup Programs, Talent & IP)
    Exemplifies the role of incubation, networking, and skills development in nurturing a vibrant innovation ecosystem.
  • UK Venture Capital Unit (Investment)
    Reveals the strategic role of government entities in bridging the funding gap for startups, connecting them with international venture capital.

“In this new report, we introduce the concept of the Innovation Life Cycle. This framework facilitates international comparisons among global innovation ecosystems, transcending constraints associated with their present stage and size. It also enables the projection of future growth trajectories. This allows for an assessment of gaps when compared with similar ecosystems. The fundamental premise is that the world of innovation is not flat.” added Marco Marinucci, CEO&founder of Mind the Bridge.

Global “innovation hunters” in fact gravitate towards a few global hotspots with high density of scaleups, capital, and talent while most local ecosystems are off the global innovation map. Transitioning across stages of the innovation life cycle requires years: 10 to create a national hub, 7-8 others to become a continental hotspot. Finally, some regions are advancing faster than others by implementing policies and measures that yield results: best practices can be analyzed and potentially replicated.

Depending on the position of an innovation ecosystem on the life cycle map, the intensity of innovation and, consequently, the impact on industrial transformation changes significantly. The impact of growth to the local economy is exponential-like, increasing its pace from stage to stage. For instance, an ecosystem in its Star stage (e.g. Silicon Valley) witnesses the emergence of 500 new industry game changers per year, versus 150-250 in the Scaleup phase and 25 in the Startup phase. 

Currently, only 25 regions worldwide, beyond Silicon Valley, host 500+ scaleups. Based on the Innovation Life Cycle model, this number could triple in 4-5 years, while emerging economies with 150-300 scaleups are about to quadruple. However, the somewhat harsh reality is that the majority of the world’s regions remain off the global innovation map. This underscores the crucial need for emerging ecosystems in their earlier maturity phases to create the right policies and to foster global connections to speed up their growth” – commented Alberto Onetti.