# Corporate Accelerators are dead…or are they?

**Published by:** [Durwin](https://paragraph.com/@durwin/)
**Published on:** 2023-10-25
**URL:** https://paragraph.com/@durwin/corporate-accelerators-are-dead-or-are-they

## Content

Are corporate Accelerators dying or do we need to re-invent them?Ah, the corporate accelerator, a term that is both loved and hated in the startup ecosystem. Hate it or love it, we have all heard of it and it has been around for decades. These programs have long been hailed as the stalwart patrons of startup innovation, especially for large corporations. A sanctuary where fledgling ideas are nurtured, mentored, and catapulted into the possibility of becoming a unicorn. Yet, the whispers of their demise and irrelevance have been floating in the air. But are they fading into oblivion or is there a resurgence brewing on the horizon? Now, to the uninitiated, corporate accelerators may seem to be a simple program. Bring startups and the corporates together, how hard is that?Working with large corporates can be quite a painful, miserable and tedious endeavor for startup founders.They are the crucible where nascent startups are given a taste of corporate rigor, while the behemoth corporates get to dip their toes in the tumultuous yet exhilarating waters of early-stage innovation. It’s a symbiotic dance, sometimes graceful, sometimes painful and often, stepping on each other’s toes. The startups get the much-coveted monetary infusion, mentorship, and a sneak peek into the big league. The corporates, on the other hand, get a fresh pair of eyes, new perspectives, disruptive technologies, and a gulp of fresh, unadulterated innovation. But it isn’t that rosy. The encumbrance of corporate bureaucracy sometimes casts a long shadow over the vibrant, dynamic aura of a startup. The freedom, the agility of a startup sometimes gets ensnared in the corporate cobweb, stifling the very essence of innovation and speediness.Founders often cite “slow replies” and “time-consuming” as the top reasons why working with large organizations suck.Waiting 6 weeks for a meeting confirmation with someone senior in a large organization is no joke. It’s BAU for the organization and its folks, but its death for startups who literally have to keep paddling to stay afloat. That is why you need persistence, patience, facilitators, mentors and good programming to make corporate accelerators work well. You need to put in the tremendous effort of pre-planning, constant communication, updating both sides of the table and intense diligence to nudge and guide both parties at every step of the process. You need the experience to nudge the business units appropriately and the patience to slow down to their pace when necessary. You need the right kind of communication to the founders to guide them and position their asks better for the business units to say yes easily. Essentially, you need to know how to staple water to a tree. =) Can it be done? Yes. Is it easy? No.At the heart of KL, lies the Petronas Twin Towers, which is a beautiful gem of Asia.Take the FutureTech 3.0 Demo Day for example. Its an accelerator that we are running with Petronas and it concludes with a grand Demo day on October 31st. This isn’t your run-of-the-mill demo day, oh no. It’s a soiree of innovation, a carnival of ideas, a celebration if you will. Nestled in the heart of KLCC, this event is not just a showcase but a narrative, a dialogue between visionaries, innovators, and disruptors. You see, the roster of startups is nothing short of illustrious. Be it Magorium with its sustainable bitumen-replacement or Augmentus with its no-code robotic technologies, the stage is set to be ablaze with revolutionary ideas. The sectors in focus are not just contemporary but also about the future: Sustainability, Future of Energy & Mobility, Industry & Work, Chemicals & Materials, and Frontier Technology. It’s not just a glimpse into the future; it’s a narrative of what the future could be.Come down and join us for the demo day in KL!Who should grace this occasion? The curious minds and the enthusiastic founders. The corporations who are curious to explore and learn how to do innovation programs better. The investors who might snag a few good companies. The open-minded collaborators who might see synergies and new opportunities. It’s about bringing together the various startup communities and celebrating innovation. So who cares if corporate accelerators are dead or alive? Come down, engage the founders, immerse yourself, chat with the corporate leaders and build new connections!RSVP now at: https://bit.ly/FT3DemoDay!- Are Corporate Accelerators good for the startup ecosystem? - #CorporateAccelerators #FutureTech3DemoDay #Startups #Innovation #Corporate #DisruptiveTech #kualalumpur #malaysia #startupx #accelerators #petronas

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