How to Decide if a Corporate Tech Scouting Call Is Right for Your Startup

A founder’s guide to deciding whether to apply for an open innovation or tech scouting search (and how to make the most of it)

If you’re building a healthcare startup, chances are you’ve been approached or at least tempted by the idea of partnering with a large corporate. Maybe it’s for co-development, licensing, distribution, or even joint IP development.

And maybe you’re also a little sceptical.

We get it. Not every startup-corporate partnership leads to value. You’ve probably heard the horror stories: misaligned goals, months of "coffee chats" that lead nowhere, or worse — corporate partners who stall your momentum rather than speed it up.

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Done right, an open innovation search or a healthcare tech scouting initiative, where a corporate spells out exactly what kind of solution they’re looking for, can be one of the most efficient and founder-friendly ways to unlock real opportunities.

So how do you decide which one to go for?

Let’s break it down.

First, Why Even Consider It?

The right corporate collaboration can:

• Fast-track your path to market

• Give you access to distribution or clinical partners

• Lend credibility to your solution

• Offer real-world data, pilot sites, or co-development funding

• Help you bridge the gap from prototype to adoption

Startups that go at it entirely alone often find themselves stuck — especially in healthcare, where clinical validation, regulatory hurdles, and market access are steep climbs. A credible corporate partner can smooth those curves if the partnership is built on shared goals and clear terms.

Two Real-World Wins for Startups

1. MediThinQ & Medtronic: Scaling XR Surgical Tech Across Borders

MediThinQ, a South Korean startup developing extended reality (XR) wearable displays for surgeons, partnered with Medtronic, one of the world’s largest medical technology companies based in the United States. The collaboration led to exclusive distribution agreements for MediThinQ’s flagship product, SCOPEYE, in the US and Europe markets. Through this partnership, MediThinQ rapidly expanded its global reach, with the device now used in over 60 hospitals across 30 countries. The deal exemplifies how co-commercialisation with a global leader can fast-track international expansion for health tech startups. Learn more.

2. Ibex Medical Analytics & Medipath: Advancing AI in Pathology

Ibex Medical Analytics, an Israeli startup specialising in AI-powered cancer diagnostics, entered into a strategic partnership with Medipath, France's largest network of pathology labs. This collaboration focused on deploying Ibex's AI solutions across Medipath's laboratories to enhance diagnostic accuracy and efficiency in cancer detection. The partnership marked a significant step in integrating AI into routine pathology workflows in France. Learn more about this collaboration here.

So How Do You Decide If an Open Innovation Search Is Worth Your Time?

Here’s your quick founder checklist:

1. Is the Organisation Credible in Healthcare?

Not all “innovation programs” are created equal. Look into the track record of the organiser. Are they known in the healthcare space? Do they understand the difference between a pitch competition and a real innovation brief?

💡 VentureBlick was founded by healthcare executives who’ve led billion-dollar businesses in medtech and pharma. We work only with serious corporate partners and validate each brief with our team of clinicians and domain experts.

2. Is the Brief Well-Defined?

The more vague the brief, the less likely it is to lead to real outcomes. You want specifics:

• What problem are they trying to solve?

• What kind of solution are they looking for?

• What’s the target geography?

• What kind of partnership are they open to — licensing, co-dev, pilots?

💡 All our open innovation searches at VentureBlick include well-scoped problem statements and clarity on the next steps for selected startups.

3. Is the Corporate Actually Serious?

Open innovation isn’t free. If a company is spending time and money to scout for innovation, that’s already a sign they’re motivated. But still — look at their past collaborations, innovation track record, and whether they’ve shown up (not just paid lip service) to innovation.

💡 Every client we work with is screened for intent. If they’re not committed to engaging with startups seriously, we don’t take the project.

Why Are Some Innovation Searches Anonymous?

You may notice that not all open innovation searches name the corporate running them. That’s not a red flag — it’s often a strategic decision to move faster.

Here’s why:

• Many large organisations are matrixed, and innovation teams don’t always work directly with marketing or corporate communications.

• Getting approvals to use brand names in public-facing campaigns can take weeks — or months.

• Running a search anonymously allows innovation leads to act quickly, explore bold ideas, and find the right partners without getting bogged down in internal red tape.

💡 At VentureBlick, we vet all briefs before launching. Even if the brand name isn’t public, we’ll ensure the client is credible, invested, and aligned on next steps before we go live.

Is There Healthcare Expertise in the Review Process?

Startups often get frustrated when evaluators can’t understand the science or real-world constraints of their solution. That’s why it’s essential that the selection process is led by people who get healthcare.

💡 At VentureBlick, every submission is reviewed by healthcare experts — clinicians, scientists, and commercial strategists who know what makes a solution clinically viable and commercially scalable.

TL;DR: The Right Call Can Change Your Trajectory

You don’t have to say yes to every innovation call. But the right open innovation search can help you:

• Get a pilot partner

• Validate your product faster

• Break into new markets

• Build long-term strategic relationships

Current Open Calls at VentureBlick

Ready to Apply? If you’re thinking about collaboration but want to make sure it’s the right fit, these calls are a good place to start.

No fluff. No fishing for ideas. Just real corporates looking for real solutions — with a clear brief and committed path forward. Explore our open innovation searches here.