Configuration of corporate incubators

White Paper / Technology management /

Corporate Incubators are separate development units of companies that serve as “Incubators“ for radical innovations. Established companies want to combine the best of both worlds: the structured world of corporates designed for security and the creative-agile world of entrepreneurs and start-ups. Although the general interest in Corporate Incubators has never been greater than today, there are hardly any recognized best practices for their setup and operation.

In a practice-oriented interview study, the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT developed a framework for the design of Corporate Incubators. Design options and success patterns were discussed with top-level managers. The framework for the design of Corporate Incubators is formed by four design fields, which were analyzed in the study: thematic orientation, cooperation with the parent company, location and infrastructure as well as project management and start-up cooperation.