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.
The online platform which “connects illustration professionals with the planet's best publishers, designers and Art Directors”.
Pukket is aiming to create word of mouth on a large scale, by putting a usable, redeemable value on people’s social media impact when they help to spread word of a brand.
Cracked It, is a social enterprise staffed by young ex-offenders and at-risk youths, teaching them marketable phone repair skills and providing the means and opportunity to make money.
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.
Local SEO can become, one of, if not the most effective method of marketing your local business. Here's some handy tips care of Digital Next.
Enhance convenience and efficiency by giving your home a brain, care of Manchester-based startup Wondrwall, a smart home intelligence system that learns from your behaviour.
How do you make sure your employer brand knocks your competitors out of the park to attract talent to your startup? Dee Murphy, Organisational Psychologist & Head of Employer Branding at Jobbio has this to offer...
The innovative platform which is on a mission to “teach kids how to code, bot by bot.”
These things matter - the most essential security advice for small business owners...
Into running? This startup offering SMART insoles & real-time coaching is for you...
Published on: 15th February 2018
If you would like to enable commenting via your Startacus account, please enable Disqus functionality in your Account Settings.
- Trezeo looks to the crowd to target full UK launch 27th Jun 2018 Trezeo, a fintech startup focused on delivering financial stability to the self-employed, targets fully launching its income smoothing business account product in the UK.
- CliniShift awarded upSTART startup pitch title at Digital DNA 2018 21st Jun 2018 CliniShift wins the upSTART startup pitch title at Digital DNA for 2018, battling off against 24 other disruptive UK, NI and Irish startups.
- Launchpad, the award-winning incubator/accelerator building high tech startups in Cornwall 21st Jun 2018 Launchpad, an innovative, post-graduate incubation & acceleration programme developed by Falmouth University that aims to create new digital businesses to meet identified market demand in just 12 months.
- Lloyd's Lab begins global search for tech talent 21st Jun 2018 Over ten weeks, tech startups will be given the unique opportunity to work with Lloyd’s market experts to shape the next big innovation.
