The success of Open Innovation: collaboration between startups and corporations in Spain

Open innovation has become an essential driver for business growth, especially in a context of increasing digitalization and globalization. This approach offers multiple benefits, such as access to a wide variety of external knowledge and cost reduction. Additionally, it facilitates the incorporation of disruptive technologies and promotes international collaboration, allowing companies to stay at the forefront of their respective sectors.

Through various tools such as corporate incubators and accelerators, hackathons, challenges, scouting missions, venture clients, or corporate venture capital (CVC), companies have developed a dynamic ecosystem that drives innovation and joint growth.

In this monograph, we analyze the current state of innovation in Spain, drawing on the valuable insights and experiences of four professionals leading notable open innovation initiatives:

• Marisol Menéndez, CEO and founder of Bilakatu, an expert in open innovation and digital transformation.
• Carmen López Rodríguez, InnoInnovation Ecosystems and Scouting at Naturgy, with extensive experience in integrating startups into large corporations.
• Jorge Marcos Martínez, Lead Project Manager at Opentop Hub (Valenciaport), providing a strategic perspective on collaboration models, facilitating connections between startups and the port sector.
• Andrés Gómez Morón, Head of Open Innovation at TrenLab (Renfe), leading initiatives to integrate new technologies into Renfe, promoting modernization and efficiency in the railway sector.

Organizations that adopt open innovation strategies are more likely to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage and lead transformation in their respective sectors. However, implementing this approach faces barriers such as resistance to change, misalignment of expectations, and corporate bureaucracy. Overcoming these obstacles requires clear strategies, an innovative culture, and optimized collaboration processes.

Current trends in this field include venture building and multisectoral collaborations, combining knowledge and resources from different sectors to accelerate technological development, allowing companies to quickly adapt to market changes and maintain their competitiveness.

Download the monograph and discover how open innovation is transforming the business landscape in Spain!