The blog
Strategy articles
Growth strategies, fundraising, partnerships and acquisitions, from the corporate side of the table.
Build, Buy or Partner? How to Choose the Right Path to Growth
Once a company knows where it wants to grow, the next question decides most of the outcome: build it, buy it, or partner for it. Most teams pick by instinct.
Getting Your Company Ready for an Acquirer’s Diligence
When an acquirer gets serious, diligence begins. More deals are repriced, delayed or lost in this stage than founders expect, and usually for reasons that were fixable in advance.
How Smaller Companies Can Grow Through Acquisitions
Acquisitions are not reserved for large corporations with dedicated deal teams. For an owner-run business, a small, well-chosen purchase can be the fastest way to grow.
Partnering With a Big Company Without Getting Burned
A partnership with a large corporation can change a startup's trajectory. It can also consume a year of your best people's time and produce nothing. The difference is usually visible early.
Taking Money From a Corporate Investor: What Founders Should Know
A corporate venture arm is not a traditional VC with a logo attached. It invests for different reasons, moves at a different pace, and can shape who is willing to buy your company later.
How to Raise Money Without a Finished Product: Winning Over Investors with Early Validation
You’ve built a lean MVP, validated the idea, and proven demand. Now, it’s time to raise money; but how do you convince investors when you’re still early-stage? The key is to de-risk the opportunity.
The Startup Chicken-and-Egg Problem: How to Build a Product Without Funding (And Raise Funding Without a Product)
Starting a company is exciting, but for first-time founders, it presents a fundamental paradox: You need money to build a viable product. Investors won’t give you money unless you have a viable product.
Strategy First!
As a startup seeking collaboration with larger corporations, aligning with their strategic priorities is vital. The approach to setting these priorities varies across companies.
Hello? No Response…
When reaching out to a potential company for collaboration, it’s often challenging to get a response unless you already have an established relationship within the organization.
Why Do Inorganic Initiatives Fail?
Every year, billions of dollars are spent on transactions aimed at fueling company growth. Yet, the statistics are clear: the majority of these efforts end in failure, particularly in M&A.
Alignment with Strategic Ambitions is Key
For any company aiming to collaborate with a larger corporation, alignment is key. How well does your product or service fit within the corporation’s strategic goals?
Primer On Corporate Development: The Driver of Corporate Catalyst
Corporate Development teams are essential to driving growth through inorganic means. Their scope can vary across organizations, but typically includes acquisitions, investments, partnerships, and business development.
When Big Corporations Come Knocking
So, a big company reaches out, and there’s a lot of excitement within the leadership team as you try to figure out potential outcomes. From the perspective of the larger corporation, there are several reasons for their interest.