Only one in four companies cooperates with a start-up

Despite increasing digitization, there is a lack of collaboration with startups, especially in medium-sized companies.

Startups often lack customers and market access, while established organizations often lack the technical know-how and experience to leverage cutting-edge technologies such as blockchain or artificial intelligence, it is often said. This would be the perfect basis for collaborations, but mid-sized companies and organizations rarely work with startups, according to a new survey by online association Bitkom. According to the study, only 24 percent of companies in Germany work together with startups. The study surveyed 604 German companies with 20 or more employees. Seventy-one percent of respondents do not have a single partnership with a startup, and five percent are not sure.

"Hardly any company will be able to manage without a digital business model in the future. For SMEs in particular, working with startups is often the best way to gain access to new technologies and digital innovations," says Bitkom President Achim Berg. "Actively approaching founders and seeking exchange can give your own company strong competitive advantages."

According to the study, the main argument used by companies for not working with startups is a lack of time, closely followed by a lack of contacts with startups and insufficient financial resources. One-third of companies say they have no projects to work on with startups, and 30 percent believe that working with them theoretically adds no value. Three percent of companies have created special startup programs such as incubators, and eight percent have a financial stake in companies. 86 percent also use various forms of teamwork, such as start-up competitions.