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Our proven method opens tangible relationships with credible partners so you can scale your solution faster
Scaling demands strong relationships with corporates. But they are tough to find and even tougher to navigate.
False leads, slow processes, and misunderstandings all throw up barriers as start-ups begin to stretch into this new space.
With 10+ years as the innovation arm of Telefónica, we have a deep understanding of both worlds and know what it takes to make these relationships work.
Our method delivers:
Quality leads
Our method is designed to match you with a live business challenge, bringing you a validated brief with globally recognised corporates.
Faster process
Our method is hyper-efficient and focused, so you waste less time pitching and move from opportunity to commercial contract faster.
Easier engagement
Our method opens up deeper mutual understanding between start-ups and corporates for a stronger and more positive working relationship.
“Wayra’s fantastic understanding of the venture market and experience in open innovation, coupled with their speed of execution has been instrumental to successfully deploying the Edison™ Accelerator. Their method delivered tangible innovation outcomes and immense value for our core clients.”
Jan Beger, Senior Director of Digital Ecosystem, GE Healthcare
"Wayra’s understanding of businesses, commercials and technology to scout the market, identify and qualify possible solutions was invaluable. It would have taken ages to do ourselves and they really accelerated the process."
Elizabeth Ponsford, 5G IoT Applications Lead, Virgin Media O2 Business
"Wayra's global network really helped us scale the solution internationally. We started by working with O2 UK, and then Wayra helped us get an intro with O2 Germany and Movistar Spain whom we are now both working with. Recently, we are working with Wayra Latam to expand even more our services in other countries. Wayra was definitely an amazing support at the beginning, but also, it has never stopped facilitating the growth of Localistico."
Driving the digital transformation of healthcare with GE HealthCare
Building an ecosystem of healthcare providers, industry players and healthcare start-ups to develop, integrate and commercialise digital solutions into GE HealthCare’s Edison™ platform
Driving the digital transformation of healthcare with GE HealthCare
Building an ecosystem of healthcare providers, industry players and healthcare start-ups to develop, integrate and commercialise digital solutions into GE HealthCare’s Edison™ platform
Building a £29m-per-year conversion opportunity for O2 through start-up collaboration
Delivering a £29 million a year in additional revenue opportunity for Virgin Media O2 through plugging in Qudini, a business we supported from idea to a scaled enterprise solution
We are Telefónica’s innovation hub. We help start-ups develop commercial or strategic partnership with Telefónica or with their B2B customers/clients.
What is your innovation method?
The goal of our innovation method is to build long-term commercial contracts between start-ups and corporates, mutually beneficial to both sides.
We only approach start-ups with quality corporate leads backed by clear problem statements and a pre-allocated budget. We ensure maximal efficiency, so you move from opportunity to commercial contract faster. We build the foundations between the corporate and start-ups for long-standing commercial relationships and a positive working relationship.
The method is made of three key stages: selecting the best solutions from the venture market, trialling with the corporate and if successful scaling the solution into the rest of the organisation.
If you want to learn more, reach out to our team.
What if we reach out to you to work with Telefónica?
Once you send across your proposition or your VC refers you to us, our scouting team reviews your business case to work with Telefonica. If we see potential ‘fit’, we present you to our Inbound Committee which runs every three weeks. Our innovation contacts vet the opportunity and speak to the right teams. From the point of the committee there are three weeks to open a deal.
What if your reach out to us?
We only reach out to start-ups with a clearly defined problem statement from a corporate with top level buy-in. We ensure maximal corporate start-up ‘fit’ through:
Establishing a clear and refined problem statement with a specific business unit
Mapping the market for solutions based on this use case
Re-validating the solutions scouted with the key stakeholders in the corporate
What happens if I have ‘fit’?
Once we’ve approached you, it’s because we’ve got buy-in and see substantial ‘fit’. The next step will be to work with you to create a tailored demo of your solution for the corporate. Once this happens, the corporate selects which solution it wants to work with. If selected – then begins a series of steps to onboard and down the line hopefully scale:
Onboarding process – Legal process and programme briefing
Co-development phase – Work with corporate partners to test/develop your solution
Business development/venture development – Coaching for start-ups with experts in their field on fundraising, sales, marketing, leadership, and HR
Commercial negotiation stage - scaling solution for implementation commercially
What kind of start-ups are you looking for?
We are looking for:
Deployable, market ready companies, that may have deployed their solution with one or two companies.
Early market readiness
Often companies between seed and series A stage companies.
Competent founders
Start-ups with healthy runway
Commitment
Do you invest?
We invest to put skin in the game. Investment is not a guarantee.
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