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Acceleration of cleantech startups through open innovation matchmaking with established companies: the role of intermediaries

Karl Eldebo & Olof Hjelm

Innovation: Organization & Management2025https://doi.org/10.1080/14479338.2025.2514462article
AJG 2ABDC B
Weight
0.37

Abstract

Inbound open innovation with cleantech startups can supply established companies with innovative solutions to environmental challenges. Intermediaries have a key role of acting as brokers between the two parties, and matchmaking events are one way for startups and companies to find partners for open innovation. As most matchmaking meetings do not end in economic transactions, the process might consume valuable resources from all parties without producing desired outcomes. This article aims to analyse how intermediaries can support the acceleration of cleantech startups through matchmaking activities. In the study, we quantitatively analysed a database with 3,129 open innovation matchmaking meetings conducted in the years 2018 to 2022 by 545 Swedish startups, including 157 cleantech startups. Additionally, we interviewed 10 of those cleantech startups. Our contribution to the literature is a) a detailed understanding of the matchmaking process and activities of intermediation and b) three practical implications for the acceleration of cleantech startups: Cleantech innovations need to be assessed not only by Research and Development but also by managers from other parts of the company, such as sustainability and procurement officers. Some cleantech startups need more complex collaborative projects with established companies and their suppliers. Established companies lack the capacity to test and evaluate cleantech hardware innovations. Intermediaries can support the acceleration of cleantech startups by supporting established companies in assessing the cleantech innovation, either through developing internal competences or by establishing connections with other actors in the innovation support system.

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https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/14479338.2025.2514462

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@article{karl2025,
  title        = {{Acceleration of cleantech startups through open innovation matchmaking with established companies: the role of intermediaries}},
  author       = {Karl Eldebo & Olof Hjelm},
  journal      = {Innovation: Organization & Management},
  year         = {2025},
  doi          = {https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/14479338.2025.2514462},
}

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Acceleration of cleantech startups through open innovation matchmaking with established companies: the role of intermediaries

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Evidence weight

0.37

Balanced mode · F 0.40 / M 0.15 / V 0.05 / R 0.40

F · citation impact0.16 × 0.4 = 0.06
M · momentum0.53 × 0.15 = 0.08
V · venue signal0.50 × 0.05 = 0.03
R · text relevance †0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20

† Text relevance is estimated at 0.50 on the detail page — for your query’s actual relevance score, open this paper from a search result.