KPN ranked #2 “European Corporate Startup Star”

In total 36 companies were awarded – 12 as SEP Europe’s Corporate Startup Stars and 24 as SEP Europe’s Open Innovation Challengers. The Europe’s Corporate Startup Stars ranking was produced by the open innovation advisory firm Mind the Bridge and innovation foundation Nesta under the European Commission’s Startup Europe Partnership initiative.

Collaboration between corporates and startups, can bring tremendous benefit to both but it is hard to get it right, according to SEP Europe in its report: “We believe that the organizations doing this well should be recognized as trailblazers, and hope that they inspire others to follow suit.” SEP Europe’s Corporate Startup Stars is aimed at showcasing best practices and role model how the corporate-startup collaboration might benefit both sides.

Since 2015, KPN has been actively pursuing cooperation with start-ups and other stakeholders in the start-up ecosystem. In fostering collaboration with startups, KPN takes an integrated approach of facilitating contacts and knowledge exchange, joint product development, commercial and strategic cooperation and financial investments.

KPN CFO Jan Kees de Jager: “Since embarking on this journey in 2015, we have realized 160 startup collaborations, 12 direct startup investments and five fund investments. We are proud to be recognized as a leading ‘Corporate Startup Star’ and consider it an endorsement for the collaborative corporate-startup model, at KPN and elsewhere.”

This is the third consecutive year that KPN is recognized as a European Corporate Startup Star.

For more information, visit www.kpnventures.com or contact KPN Innovation.