L Marks maps out a bold vision to further help corporates and startups work together
by Startacus Admin
Innovation specialists and early-stage investors L Marks have launched five new innovation products, designed to 
help corporates and startups work together more effectively. Keen to find out more, we took a look over the key details.
Innovation specialists and early-stage investors L Marks are best known for collaborating and partnering with some of the UK's best known brands to identify the challenges in their business, then create bespoke partnership and startup scouting projects and turn these into opportunities for improvement and innovation.
From their recent innovation projects with BMW Group, Arsenal FC, Belron, and Mishcon de Reya through to their programmes with corporate stalwarts such as IAG and Wincanton, it’s fair to say that L Marks have their finger on the pulse when it comes to how startups and corporates can effectively both collaborate and also work together.
However, L Marks are now also leveraging their expertise and experience to deliver five entirely new programmes, ranging from supporting tomorrow's entrepreneurs, to enabling large businesses to develop their own internal think tanks, through to providing startups with the opportunity to join corporate innovation programmes at any time.
Aimed at complementing the existing accelerator programmes which L Marks run, Daniel Saunders, Chief Executive of L Marks, explained:
"As leaders in applied corporate innovation, we've curated these new initiatives based on our experiences and ability to deliver quantifiable value to our corporate partners and ensure they engage with startups in a way that complements the traditional accelerator model."
In brief, the five new innovation products from L Marks are:
Young Sparks
Young Sparks is designed to provide tomorrow's entrepreneurs with access to mentorship, support, investment, and commercial relationships with global corporates. Open to 11-18 year-olds with an aspiring interest in business and innovation, the first corporate-supported Young Sparks programme will take place this summer.
Launchpad
Launchpad enables large businesses to develop their own internal think tanks and develop strategies to tackle their key commercial challenges - all in the space of three days. Launchpad is bringing together corporate executives and employees from a range of disciplines and is also facilitating the development of solutions that are directly addressing corporate business opportunities and challenges.
The Network
The Network is bringing together L Marks' network of leading figures across 20 different industries at a series of global events to promote cross-sector innovation. Events include the Innovation World Tour L Marks Innovation Day, roundtable discussions on local issues; sessions with thought leaders, and pre-commercial showcases of emerging technologies. Innovation World Tour showcases global tech hubs including Europe, USA and Israel.
Innovation 52
In order to make startup collaboration a key part of their business operations, L Marks has created a continuous accelerator programme that runs throughout the year. Startups will now be able to apply to work with L Marks' corporate partners at any time with successful teams joining one of three accelerator cohorts, gaining access to mentors, data and trialing opportunities with the corporate partner
Challenge Sprints
Encouraging a continual innovation strategy, L Marks is running a rapid startup scouting process based on challenge sprints. As individual challenges are set, the process is fast paced with the launch, scouting, onboarding and integration within the corporate partner all taking place within a few months.
We look forward to seeing how the five programmes further cement L Marks’ position as a leading specialist in corporate and startup innovation.
Subscribe to our newsletter
If you would like to receive our startup themed newsletter, full of the latest startup opportunities, events, news, stories, tips and advice, then sign up here.
Thortful - The startup that's providing a creative card marketplace for designers, illustrators and photographers...
We are liking the sound of Feels FM, an emoji-powered jukebox using music as a positive coping strategy, & to find new ways to talk about mental health.
Innovative startups and businesses designed and focused on empowering and embracing female consumers.
P2P investment aggregator Orca raises £500K on equity crowdfunding platform, Seedrs within two days.
British logistics company Wincanton is looking for tech startups to pitch their solutions for industry specific challenges, as part of their returning W2 Labs innovation programme.
Portugal-based startup Magikbee secures a further $250k round of funding to continue its mission to reimagine kids’ learning and screen time.
Perlego - billed as the 'Spotify for textbooks' - has closed a $4.8m venture round, signalling a new chapter for the growing company on a mission to make textbooks more accessible.
Startup Hubbite has been launched with the aim of putting the trust back into online reviews.
20 aspiring early stage NI technology startups pitched for the chance to win a cash prize for their businesses, closing Ignite NI’s first Propel Pre-Accelerator programme.
Product Guru is a product discovery platform that's helping buyers from consumer goods & gift companies to discover unique & innovative new products.
Published on: 15th February 2018
If you would like to enable commenting via your Startacus account, please enable Disqus functionality in your Account Settings.
- Irish startups invited to pitch at Innovation Nation 2018 19th Aug 2018 Startacus has teamed up with the inaugural Innovation Nation 2018 to deliver Ascend, an all-Ireland tech startup pitch competition.
- North East entrepreneurs sought for new Ignite Accelerator in Newcastle 17th Aug 2018 Ignite returns to Newcastle, home to its inaugural accelerator programme, to launch a 3-month funded, pre-accelerator programme for up to 20 early-stage businesses.
- Urban Massage raises over £2.5m via Seedrs 13th Aug 2018 Urban Massage announces new on-demand wellness services and immediately raises over £2.5m in investment via equity crowdfunding platform, Seedrs.
- Seedrs expands into investor automation with AutoInvest 17th Jul 2018 Seedrs’ AutoInvest will allow investors to customise investment criteria from industry sector, stage of business and tax relief eligibility to automatically invest in equity crowdfunding campaigns.
