Innovation Accelerator

You want to explore this space and see what's out there. Who are the startups doing interesting things? What should we be paying attention to? Is there someone we should be working with?

What it is

A structured, time-boxed program that embeds your team alongside a curated cohort of high-potential ventures to:

Explore a specific theme
Test emerging solutions
Unlock tangible pathways to partnership or procurement

What it does

Creates a high-signal environment where strategic themes are validated through startup collaboration — with:

Clear outcomes
Deep founder engagement
Internal buy-in

What it solves

When you're exploring a future-critical space and want to identify viable opportunities for partnership, investment, or adoption — without committing to a long-term program upfront.

How it works

1. Partner alignment and theme scoping: Define strategic objectives, priority outcomes, and key thematic focus (e.g. AI, ESG, cyber).
2. Program design and cohort planning: Co-design structure, timeline, engagement points, and venture fit criteria.
3. Venture scouting and onboarding: Scout, assess, and onboard 5–12 ventures through open callouts, network referrals, and founder interviews.
4. Program delivery and founder support: Deliver tailored workshops, mentoring, and capability building aligned to the cohort and partner needs.
5. Partner engagement and mentoring: Facilitate structured touchpoints, mentoring, and domain expertise between ventures and corporate teams.
6. Showcase and storytelling: Produce a final showcase (internal or ecosystem-facing) to spotlight progress and catalyse decision-making.
7. Optional wraparound support: Support for pilot design, founder residencies, internal capability building, and thought leadership.
8. Marketing and network activation: Promote the program and partner positioning via S&C’s digital, media, and ecosystem channels.
9. Reporting and outcomes: Deliver impact reporting including engagement metrics, partner outcomes, and follow-on recommendations.

Ideal use case

When you want structured exposure to what’s happening in a space — and a clear mechanism to explore, validate, and act on startup collaborations.

Ideal partner profile

Innovation leads, transformation execs, or product teams seeking:

Strategic exposure to emerging technologies
Early alignment with founders shaping the future

Outputs and deliverables

Curated venture cohort
Engagement with internal SMEs
Ecosystem visibility
Showcase / pitchback
Insight report + next steps

Degree of collaboration

High – requires partner input during scoping and ongoing engagement with founders throughout.

Strategic value

Positions your team at the centre of a future market with:

Tangible dealflow
Clear internal alignment
Visibility as a leader in your space