如何利用策略合作夥伴關係，發展新創公司

Your average startup stories make it sound like a herculean effort to do things like enter a new market or grow your user base.

And most of the time, let’s face it, it is. It’s one of the hardest parts of running (and growing) a company. 

There’s one shortcut that most companies don’t get to take, though; strategic partnerships. Instead of learning everything the hard way, partnering with a company who’s done it before can get you there faster.

For larger companies, partnering with startups can be a nimble way to test new markets, product directions, and go-to-market strategies.

We would know, too - in April 2024, Bardeen and Dropbox partnered, with Dropbox investing in the company. There are so many reasons this was a win for both sides.

So, why would you consider pursuing a strategic partnership?

Why pursue a strategic partnership?

For both sides, the opportunity should offer asymmetric upside. 

There’s a technology gap to address

AI, for example. From a startup’s perspective, sometimes it’s too expensive to build out a full, mature data science practice. That takes a lot of time, upfront capital investment, and cash to hire the best data scientists.

Instead, they could partner with an established company that has the expertise (and the data). This doesn’t have to be an acquisition or cash investment - it could be discounts on compute, access to a research team, or knowledge sharing.

From a larger company’s point of view, this is a low-risk way to test a new technology. Companies like Dropbox benefit from a company like Bardeen growing and integrating with their productivity tools. Instead of building out their own AI agent, they can leverage a 3rd party and secure the upside of doing so.

Opportunity to build a longer-term relationship

There’s a reason that large companies have full-time venture studios or corporate development arms. They’re not just trying to find the next unicorn - they’re looking for opportunities to invest in companies that will benefit their business and grow their market. 

It’s a no-brainer for these larger companies to partner with smaller companies they believe in by investing in them.

Startups can benefit from the capital and opportunities to leverage each company’s expertise.  

A lower-risk way to test an MVP

For a larger company, a hypothesis or emerging trend they’re noticing can turn into an expensive team, fast. Imagine 5 full-time employees working on something new. That’s easily going to clear seven figures in annual investment.

A check that’s half that size can be invaluable for an emerging startup and lets a big company test its hypothesis to see if its goal aligns with the startup’s vision and team.

Plus, the startup operates outside the constraints and operating model of the larger company.

They can be more nimble than those engineers in a big company.

The best types of strategic partnerships

Product partnerships

These work well when the smaller company needs a way to reach more users and customers.

We’re seeing this play out in AI right now - incumbents have a much easier time getting their AI features to millions of customers who are already using their products.

For startups, it’s much harder to get that reach and survive.

Bigger companies love these partnerships because they don’t have to start their own team.

But there’s a benefit for both - if they work together, they don’t have to spend as much on R&D by themselves.

Direct investments

Investments can occur at any size or stage of a startup.

In the early stages, investments often come as smaller checks in your round. As the startup matures, takes on more capital, and grows revenue, these can become follow-up investments aimed at significant returns.

Starting the relationship early can lead to mutual benefits. The startup gains needed capital and resources, while the larger company benefits from potential growth and innovation opportunities.

Distribution partnerships

Capital and IP aren’t the only ways for companies to partner.

It could be as simple as affiliate marketing or a trusted partner network. Go-to-market motions take time to build, so it’s often better to partner with a company that is reaching an attractive market segment that compliments your own instead of building it yourself.

Some examples of distribution partnerships include:

1. Co-marketing campaigns

2. Reseller agreements

3. Product integrations

4. Content collaborations

5. Shared distribution channels

At Bardeen, we bring AI Agent capabilities to the products we partner with, so integration partnerships have been a valuable channel for our growth.

Don’t overlook partnerships

Whether you’re a large player or a smaller startup, partnerships can be transformational.

Look for opportunities where both sides benefit asymmetrically. That is, they both get access to opportunities they wouldn’t normally have. 

This is especially true for larger companies. Distribution channels and the ability to move quickly are often overlooked as advantages in a new market.