Large Netherlands-based corporations have formed a local networking group to develop their cooperation with startups.
KPN, Shell, Philips, Akzo Nobel, Port of Rotterdam, Eneco, ING, KLM, DSM and Thales Nederland are sharing their “best and worst practices” at CoSta (corporate-startups) to develop insights on three themes: governance, the link with startups and working with customers. These insights will answer questions, such as: how should the organization best be structured to encourage innovation with startups? How do you facilitate the best possible contact between a corporate and startup? And, how can the procurement process offer more possibilities for startups to become supplier?
Neelie Kroes, special envoy of StartupDelta and former vice-chair of the European Commission, launched CoSta in one of her final projects as special envoy with Jan Kees de Jager (pictured from his LinkedIn profile), chief financial officer (CFO) of Dutch telephone operator KPN, to lead the initiative.
Kroes said: “Often corporates reinvent the wheel separately or take the wrong beaten paths. Or startups think that a corporate will simply launch their new product. That must change. I have asked Jan Kees de Jager to lead the initiative because he has a unique experience, because he himself has started multiple companies, now takes position in the board of a corporate who is busy developing new business models and in his role as CFO of KPN has experience with investments in startups. Together with corporates from various sectors he works on the excellent innovative power of the Dutch startup ecosystem. “
Kees de Jager added: “We seek active cooperation with startups. With this, we want to accelerate innovation and the development and launch of new ICT applications. CoSta offers a unique opportunity together with other large Dutch companies to improve the cooperation between startups and corporates and make an even greater contribution to the development of the Dutch innovation ecosystem. The Netherlands has a central strategic location with a superior infrastructure. In addition, we have a lot of innovative talent in the Netherlands.”