Wellspring Blog

Is it time to rethink the nearly twenty-eight-year-old technology readiness level (TRL) framework? The TRL is by far the most popular evaluation framework for corporate technology scouts, but although it can easily be applied to a wide range of opportunities, the generality of the system ignores... Read More

The electric utility industry is experiencing sweeping, radical restructuring. Legacy bulk-power grid systems are becoming obsolete. As the bulk-power grid wears out, investment is failing to keep up with deterioration. Add on a growing population and more extreme weather, and the power grid is... Read More

Knowledge assets are the critical inventions, patents, or personal expertise that catapults your innovations to market. This could be a collaborative discussion or the discovery of a new formula leading to your company’s most competitive product. In an increasingly innovative world, companies must... Read More

Companies are entering new markets based on technology or consumer behavior trends to remain competitive, which requires collaboration with external partners. Johnson & Johnson’s Medical Device unit that saw a quarterly sales increase of 1.3 percent to reach $6.1 billion last year credits the... Read More

Having difficulty sorting through external technology in a way that easily translates into a business strategy? Scouting teams are faced with the difficult challenge of scouring through an ever-increasing pool of external innovations and identifying which ones have the potential to create a... Read More

Global food production must increase by 70 percent in order to feed 9.2 billion people by 2050 (1). That places a lot of pressure on farmers to reduce waste, increase crop yields, and search for scalable and novel technologies. Innovative technologies and techniques will help farmers make more... Read More

While hosting a recent webcast with Global Corporate Venturing (GCV), we sought to uncover what major challenges corporate venturing groups face in managing their portfolios. We posted a survey from GCV and reached out to corporate venturing groups before the webcast to learn what was keeping them... Read More

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Top global firms increasingly use corporate venture capital (CVC) as part of their innovation strategy. The corporate venturing market has expanded as deal sizes grow and new players seek investment in strategic technology. The competition benefits consumers who gain access to newer, innovative... Read More

It’s no secret that university technology commercialization is flourishing. Corporate sponsorship of university research has grown over 50% in the last few years, universities reported almost double the number of start-ups compared to a decade ago, and we have witnessed year-on-year, sustained... Read More