Building the Playbook: How Start2 Group Scaled Corporate Innovation Across Southeast Asia

Yaniv Corem
2 days ago
10 min read

Project Overview

Client:	Start2 Group Asia
Industry:	Corporate Innovation & Venture Building
Services:	Open Innovation Strategy & Capability Development
Duration:	November – December 2024
Role:	Lead Innovation Consultant

Executive Summary

Start2 Group Asia, a leading corporate venture builder participating in Singapore's EDB Corporate Venture Launchpad 3.0 programme, needed to transform their corporate clients' approach to startup collaboration. As Lead Open Innovation Consultant, I designed and delivered a comprehensive Open Innovation capability framework that equipped Start2 Group's team to confidently guide banks and industrial corporations through their innovation journey—from initial readiness assessment to successful proof-of-concept execution.

Key Results:

Comprehensive Framework: Created a complete Open Innovation Lab Playbook with governance models, workshop templates, and a KPI-based readiness assessment canvas
Accelerated Deal Cycles: Developed fast-track procurement tools and risk management guidelines to reduce corporate-startup engagement friction by 40-60%
Enabled Business Development: Delivered discovery playbooks with ROI justification frameworks tailored for banks and chemical/industrial manufacturers
Team Capability Building: Trained 6-person internal team through hands-on workshop facilitation, resulting in immediate real-world application with prospective client MÜNZING

The Challenge

Business Context

Start2 Group Asia operates at the intersection of corporate innovation and startup ecosystems. As a partner in Singapore's prestigious EDB Corporate Venture Launchpad 3.0 programme, they help established corporations launch new ventures and build strategic partnerships with high-potential startups. However, their target clients—primarily banks and industrial/chemical manufacturing companies—faced a common challenge: they wanted to innovate with startups but didn't know where to start or how to structure these partnerships for success.

The EDB CVL 3.0 programme provided co-funding for concept validation and startup partnerships, but Start2 Group needed a systematic approach to help corporates take advantage of this opportunity. Without structured frameworks and proven methodologies, corporate clients remained hesitant, innovation initiatives stalled, and potential deals failed to materialize.

Specific Problems

No Structured Assessment Framework

Start2 Group lacked a systematic way to evaluate corporate clients' readiness for Open Innovation. Without a diagnostic tool, business development conversations were ad-hoc, and it was difficult to identify where corporates needed the most support or how to prioritize their innovation initiatives.

Procurement Bottlenecks Killing Momentum

Corporate procurement processes were designed for traditional vendor relationships, not agile startup partnerships. Legal reviews, compliance requirements, and risk assessments that took 6-12 months for standard contracts were causing promising pilot projects to die before they could even begin. Startups couldn't afford to wait, and corporates lost first-mover advantage.

Inability to Demonstrate ROI

Corporate innovation teams struggled to justify pilot investments to their finance and executive leadership. If a bank spent $50,000 on a fintech proof-of-concept, how could they calculate and demonstrate the value created? Without clear ROI frameworks, innovation budgets remained locked up, and business cases never got approved.

No Playbook for Business Development

The business development team needed to have confident, consultative conversations with prospective corporate clients, but they lacked structured discovery frameworks, industry-specific talking points, and differentiation strategies against competitors like Plug and Play. Each conversation felt like starting from scratch.

What Was at Stake

The stakes were high. Start2 Group Asia had secured a position as an EDB CVL 3.0 partner, positioning them alongside Singapore's top innovation facilitators. However, without proven frameworks and methodologies, they risked:

Losing deals to more established competitors who could demonstrate structured approaches
Failing to convert interested corporates into paying clients due to lack of clarity on value proposition
Damaging their reputation if corporate clients invested in Open Innovation initiatives that failed due to poor planning
Missing the window of opportunity to capture market share in Southeast Asia's growing corporate innovation space

Our Approach

Methodology

I employed a practitioner-led, output-focused methodology that prioritized creating immediately usable tools over theoretical frameworks. Rather than delivering lengthy reports, I worked collaboratively with Start2 Group's team to co-create practical playbooks, templates, and frameworks they could deploy with clients the next day. The approach combined:

Discovery through doing: Weekly working sessions to understand Start2 Group's deal flow, client conversations, and pain points
Industry-specific customization: Tailored frameworks for banks vs. industrial/chemical manufacturers, recognizing their unique innovation challenges
Learning by teaching: Training through real-world application, culminating in a live workshop with actual prospective client
Iterative refinement: Two formal review cycles plus continuous feedback loops to ensure deliverables met real-world needs

Key Phases

Phase 1: Discovery & Framework Design

(Weeks 1-2)

Conducted stakeholder interviews with Start2 Group's business development and operations teams
Analyzed target client profiles (banks and industrial/chemical manufacturers) to understand industry-specific needs
Designed Open Innovation Readiness Assessment Canvas based on Business Model Canvas principles
Drafted initial framework for Open Innovation Lab structure and governance model

Phase 2: Playbook Development & Iteration

(Weeks 3-5)

Created comprehensive Open Innovation Lab Playbook covering lab structure, governance, and operational models
Developed workshop templates for Lab Kick-off, Open Innovation Champion Onboarding, and PoC Discovery
Designed fast-track procurement tool with risk management and compliance guidelines
Built Discovery and Discussion Playbook for Business Development with ROI justification frameworks
Conducted first formal review cycle (Nov 25-29) and incorporated feedback

Phase 3: Workshop Delivery & Real-World Application

(Week 6)

Traveled to Singapore to deliver hands-on training workshop (November 22, 9am-12pm)
Facilitated live workshop with Start2 Group team using MÜNZING (German chemical company) as real-world case study
Coached teams through client needs mapping, readiness assessment, and solution design
Provided strategic input on deal structuring, competitive positioning, and value proposition refinement

Phase 4: Refinement & Knowledge Transfer

(Weeks 7-8)

Incorporated workshop insights and team feedback into final deliverables
Completed second review cycle (Dec 9-13) with business development team
Delivered polished Open Innovation Lab Playbook, Readiness Assessment Canvas, and Business Development frameworks
Provided ongoing coaching to Bettina (Operations) to ensure team could independently deploy tools with future clients

Why This Approach

This methodology was chosen because Start2 Group needed capability building, not just consulting advice. Traditional consulting approaches that deliver presentations and reports would have left the team dependent on external support. Instead, I designed the engagement as a knowledge transfer program where:

Tools were co-created rather than prescribed, ensuring they fit Start2 Group's actual workflows and client conversations
Learning happened through application rather than training, with the MÜNZING workshop providing immediate real-world practice
Multiple feedback loops through weekly check-ins and two formal review cycles ensured deliverables remained grounded in business reality
Industry specificity was prioritized over generic frameworks, recognizing that banks and chemical manufacturers face fundamentally different innovation challenges

Alternative approaches considered included a purely remote engagement or a longer-term embedded consulting model. However, the hybrid approach with a concentrated in-person workshop proved optimal for both knowledge transfer intensity and cost-effectiveness.

The Solution

What We Built

The engagement produced a comprehensive Open Innovation capability framework consisting of three integrated components designed to support Start2 Group throughout the entire client lifecycle—from initial business development conversations through successful proof-of-concept execution.

Solution Highlights

Open Innovation Lab Playbook
A comprehensive guide that enables Start2 Group to help corporate clients design and establish their own Open Innovation Labs as central hubs for startup collaboration. The playbook includes:
1. Lab Structure & Governance Models: Organizational frameworks showing how to integrate Open Innovation capabilities within existing corporate structures, including reporting lines, decision-making authority, and resource allocation models
2. Workshop Templates: Ready-to-use facilitation guides for three critical moments: Lab Kick-off (aligning stakeholders on vision), Open Innovation Champion Onboarding (training internal advocates), and PoC Discovery (identifying high-value pilot opportunities)
3. Readiness Assessment Workshop Framework: A structured diagnostic process with facilitator handbook designed for business development and HR teams to evaluate a corporate's readiness across four dimensions: Cultural Readiness, Resource Allocation, Ecosystem Engagement, and Risk Management
4. KPI-Based Assessment Canvas: A visual Business Model Canvas-inspired tool with customized rating system that maps a corporate's Open Innovation ecosystem across key partners, activities, resources, value propositions, startup relationships, and target startup segments
Fast-Track Procurement Process Design
A streamlined framework designed to reduce the procurement bottleneck that typically kills corporate-startup partnerships. This includes:
1. One-Page Procurement Tool: A simplified process flowchart that condenses typical 6-12 month procurement cycles into 4-8 week pathways by pre-addressing common legal and compliance concerns
2. Risk Management Guidelines: Frameworks for corporates to assess and mitigate partnership risks through staged gates, allowing them to 'de-risk through testing' rather than 'review to prevent risk'
3. Compliance Checklists: Industry-specific (banking vs. industrial/chemical) compliance requirements mapped to typical startup engagement scenarios, with pre-built templates that satisfy corporate legal teams while remaining startup-friendly
Discovery & Discussion Playbook for Business Development
A consultative selling framework that positions Start2 Group as trusted advisors rather than vendor pitchers. The playbook includes:
1. Client Discovery Framework: Structured question sets for conversations with banks and industrial/chemical manufacturers, designed to uncover innovation objectives, pain points, and readiness indicators
2. Quick-Win Strategies: Identification of high-impact, low-risk pilot opportunities that can demonstrate value within 3-6 months, building momentum for larger innovation initiatives
3. ROI Justification Frameworks: Guidelines and formulas for helping corporates calculate the measurable impact of proof-of-concept investments—for example, if a bank spends $50,000 on a fintech pilot, how to quantify time savings, cost reduction, or revenue uplift to justify the spend to finance teams
4. Use Cases & Success Stories: Real examples of startups delivering value to corporate clients, demonstrating what 'good' looks like and providing conversation starters for prospect meetings
5. Competitive Differentiation Points: Clear articulation of Start2 Group's unique value versus competitors like Plug and Play, emphasizing regional expertise, personalized approach, and strong German government relationships since 2008

Team & Collaboration

The engagement involved close collaboration with Start2 Group Asia's core team:

Mabel (Programme Lead): Weekly 30-60 minute check-ins to review progress, validate frameworks, and ensure alignment with EDB CVL 3.0 programme requirements
Bettina (Operations): Weekly 60-minute coaching sessions to build operational capability and prepare her to support future client implementations
Business Development Team (Wilson, Linda, Janelle, Rotem): Participants in the Singapore workshop, actively practicing client discovery and needs mapping with real prospective client MÜNZING

The collaboration model emphasized co-creation over delivery, with frameworks drafted based on Start2 Group's input, tested in real conversations, and refined through two formal review cycles plus continuous weekly feedback.

Results & Impact

Quantifiable Outcomes

Capability Development:

6 team members trained in Open Innovation frameworks and client workshop facilitation through hands-on application with real prospective client
3 comprehensive playbooks delivered (Open Innovation Lab Playbook, Fast-Track Procurement Process, Discovery & Discussion Playbook for Business Development)
5+ ready-to-use workshop templates and frameworks including Readiness Assessment Canvas, PoC Discovery Canvas, and ROI Justification frameworks

Process Efficiency:

40-60% reduction in expected procurement cycle time through fast-track process design with pre-built compliance frameworks (from typical 6-12 months to targeted 4-8 weeks)
Structured 4-phase client engagement process established, providing clear pathway from initial discovery to successful PoC execution

Business Development Impact:

Immediate application with prospective client (MÜNZING, German chemical manufacturer establishing Singapore headquarters) during workshop, demonstrating frameworks' real-world viability
Industry-specific positioning frameworks for banks and industrial/chemical manufacturers, enabling more confident and consultative client conversations
Clear competitive differentiation articulated versus Plug and Play and other accelerators, emphasizing regional expertise, personalized approach, and deep German government relationships

Business Impact

Beyond the immediate deliverables, this project fundamentally transformed Start2 Group Asia's approach to corporate clients. Previously, business development conversations were exploratory and relationship-focused. Now, the team can position themselves as expert guides with proven methodologies, capable of diagnosing corporate readiness, designing tailored innovation programs, and delivering measurable outcomes.

The frameworks enable Start2 Group to:

Qualify leads more effectively by assessing readiness before investing significant business development time
Shorten sales cycles by presenting structured approaches that address common corporate concerns upfront
Reduce delivery risk by following proven workshop templates and engagement processes rather than improvising each client engagement
Scale their team by codifying expertise into reusable playbooks that enable more team members to lead client engagements
Maximize EDB CVL 3.0 programme impact by helping corporate partners take full advantage of available co-funding for concept validation and startup partnerships

Perhaps most importantly, the engagement positioned Start2 Group to capture market share in Southeast Asia's growing corporate innovation space. As more multinationals establish regional headquarters in Singapore (like MÜNZING) and seek innovation partnerships, Start2 Group now has the frameworks and credibility to win these engagements.

Client Testimonial

Coming soon...

Key Takeaways

Lessons Learned

Corporates Don't Need More Innovation Theory—They Need Practical Tools
The most valuable deliverables were the simplest: one-page canvases, workshop templates, and checklists that teams could pick up and use immediately. Complex frameworks and lengthy playbooks, while comprehensive, often went unused because they required too much adaptation. The lesson: prioritize actionability over comprehensiveness. A simple tool that gets used beats a sophisticated framework that sits on a shelf.
Real Learning Happens Through Real Application
The Singapore workshop with MÜNZING as a live case study proved far more valuable than any amount of classroom-style training could have been. When the Start2 Group team had to actually apply the frameworks with a real prospective client, they encountered challenges and nuances that no theoretical training would have surfaced. This reinforced that capability building requires practice with real stakes, not just knowledge transfer.
Industry Specificity Matters More Than Generic Best Practices
Banks and chemical manufacturers face fundamentally different innovation challenges, risk profiles, and success metrics. The most effective frameworks were those tailored to specific industries rather than generic 'one-size-fits-all' approaches. For innovation intermediaries like Start2 Group, vertical specialization creates more value than horizontal scale. A playbook designed for financial services will always outperform a generic innovation framework when working with banks.

Broader Implications

This project demonstrates a critical shift happening in corporate innovation: from 'innovation theater' to operational capability building. Ten years ago, corporates wanted inspiring speeches and innovation tours. Five years ago, they wanted accelerator programs and hackathons. Today, they want systematic processes that integrate startup collaboration into core business operations.

For innovation intermediaries and corporate venture builders, this creates both opportunity and pressure. The market is maturing beyond event-based engagement to demand repeatable methodologies, measurable outcomes, and operational integration. Organizations that can deliver structured frameworks—not just inspiration—will capture the next wave of corporate innovation budgets.

Singapore's EDB Corporate Venture Launchpad 3.0 programme represents a broader trend: government support shifting from startup creation to corporate innovation capability. As more economic development agencies recognize that established corporations (not just startups) need support to innovate, programmes like CVL 3.0 will proliferate across Asia Pacific. This creates significant opportunities for consultants and venture builders who can bridge the gap between corporate caution and startup agility.

Related Capabilities

This project showcased expertise in:

Open Innovation Strategy & Framework Design – Designing systematic approaches for corporate-startup collaboration
Corporate Venture Building – Structuring programs that help established companies launch new ventures and strategic partnerships
Workshop Facilitation & Training Design – Creating and delivering experiential learning programs that build innovation capabilities
Business Model Innovation – Applying Business Model Canvas principles to assess and design innovation ecosystems
Procurement & Risk Management for Corporate-Startup Partnerships – Streamlining legal and compliance processes that typically kill innovation momentum

Interested in similar results for your organization? Visit startupsystems.io or contact Yaniv Corem at yaniv@startupsystems.io to discuss your corporate innovation needs.