Every large company was once a startup. Inside large companies are billion-dollar ideas, hidden talent, and ready capital—a combination of resources and expertise that would be the envy of any startup. However, most companies never realize the potential of this built-in advantage. Why? Because doing that requires them to think and act differently—to recapture the spirit, spark, and speed of their entrepreneurial origins.
Why is it critical that large companies rediscover their startup roots?
Big companies have the capacity for big solutions. Large corporations have the potential to improve the world. With their millions of customers, giant supply chains, scale, reach, resources, owned infrastructure, and long-term vision, they can do their part in halting climate change and ensuring a more sustainable future for the human race.
Yet large companies are at risk of being disrupted by smart and agile new startups armed with the latest technology, tons of venture capital, and radically new business models. In fact, 40% of CEO’s are convinced their organizations will not be economically viable within a decade on their current trajectories. The only way to mitigate these threats is to become the disruptor, not the disrupted.
When it comes to doing good, making a profit or even staying in business, it’s not an either/or question. Solving the world’s most pressing problems is the opportunity to make great returns, and big companies should be the pioneers in doing so. Growth and saving the planet are intrinsically linked. An IFC report revealed that the Paris Agreement, one of the world’s most sweeping climate change treaties, created almost $23 trillion for opportunities in eco-friendly investments from 2016 to 2030. S&P’s Global analysis further highlighted that about 90% of the world’s biggest business assets will be at physical risk due to climate change. This underlines how there is no reason for large companies to disappear because they left billions of market value on the table.
Growth isn’t the only point for large corporations – renewal is. Here’s what’s not an option: Waiting and doing nothing, failing at internal innovation, building a single venture and watching it fail.
Large companies are often blamed as the source of much of the world’s problems. And there is no denying that a few are.
But big companies also have the capacity for big solutions. In the private sphere, they alone provide answers to our greatest threats – and do so with innovation and investment at scale. The last is particularly important because wherever they encounter success, they can respond quickly to move concepts and industries forward.
We tend to think of Silicon Valley startups as the greatest innovators, but in reality, big global companies have the R&D, manufacturing, and marketing to bring ideas to the world with sweeping impact.
When America’s biggest retailer put solar panels on nearly 5,000 store roofs, the trajectory of the solar industry forever changed. Hitachi has been pivotal in moving the needle for the UK to meet their net zero targets by running the biggest trial of commercial electric vehicles in the world. Another example: organic produce sales jumped when supermarket chains added it to their standard inventories. Huge environmental gains from these milestone decisions by large companies.
None of these decisions were made for altruistic reasons, but rather as smart business decisions by companies delivering profits to their shareholders. Perhaps it is time to recognize how big can indeed be beautiful.
For global companies to continue inspiring and leading the world, venture-driven growth (building and investing in ventures) is essential. But this can be really hard to accomplish without the expertise of professionals who have founded, funded, and scaled hundreds of startups themselves.
In the venture building and investment business, one company has illustrated its unique approach to growth and execution like no other. Mach49 has been living and breathing venture-driven growth since its inception. The company and its highly experienced team deeply understand the landscape of big business and how its success and impact can be elevated.
Mach49 has worked with 292 out of the Fortune 500 companies and collectively helped generate at least $80B in market value over the team’s careers. Each employee plays a key role in helping its clients to reach their growth goals through execution. On average, Mach49 staff have 10 years of experience in C-suite or board positions and have each founded six startups on average before joining the firm. They use this experience to help ambitious companies unlock disruptive growth through Venture Building and Venture Investing.
Mach49 delivers tangible results to a company’s bottom line by focusing strongly on execution. The company brings Silicon Valley expertise and teachable, scalable strategies that enable organizations to build and invest in a portfolio of ventures —building capability, not dependency.
Mach49 has guided some of the world’s most ambitious businesses including Goodyear, TDK and RWE to discover a more effective path to sustainable growth - all thanks to its passionate team.
David Charpie, Co-CEO describes why Mach49 is a premier provider of venture-driven growth: “Building startups from the inside out isn’t easy, but Mach49 is a specialist at fostering venture-driven growth. For over a decade, we’ve been building, launching, investing in, and operating ventures. It’s hard work but by doing it together with our clients, we teach them how to achieve this themselves. The world's largest businesses have the power and resources to access innovation and startup-style growth - and do some good at the same time.”
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