PoC Procurement
Once the PoC scope is set, it’s time to get the startup officially on board - which means getting procurement involved. The key here is to make it as easy as possible for your procurement team to approve and process the purchase order.
What’s the procurement team’s role here?
In PoC procurement, your procurement team is not doing a competitive vendor selection - that work has already been done through your sourcing and selection process. Their role is to:
- Review the offer from the startup (based on the agreed PoC scope)
- Process it into a purchase order (PO)
- Possibly support final negotiations (if required)
How to make procurement smooth
- Present a complete package
- Include the startup’s offer
- Attach the PoC scope from your RFP (Request for Proposal)
- Make it clear that the startup has been chosen after rigorous analysis and is the best fit
- Address pricing early
- Ask the startup for two prices:
- PoC price (based on the defined scope)
- Indicative subscription price (so you can avoid startups whose long-term fees would kill the business case)
- Many corporates negotiate that PoC costs are deductible from the first year’s subscription if implemented
- Ask the startup for two prices:
- Offer non-monetary value in exchange for a lower price
- Public case study with your logo
- Press release or joint marketing
- Testimonials
- These perks can make startups more flexible in pricing.
- Negotiate strategically
- Sometimes procurement likes to handle this - but often, you as the innovation manager can do it more effectively, since you have the relationship with the startup
- Agree internally who leads the negotiation before engaging the startup
- Move fast to PO
- Once terms are set, procurement should issue the purchase order quickly
- Stay in touch with procurement - ask for status updates until it’s sent
Why procurement relationships matter
Procurement is a critical partner in Venture Clienting.
- Build the relationship early - explain what Venture Clienting is, how it’s different from standard procurement, and why speed matters
- Be ready to answer the “Why can’t this just be done by procurement?” question - make clear that Venture Clienting involves identifying and validating innovative solutions, not just buying known tools
Side note: The future of Venture Clienting and procurement
Some companies may eventually embed Venture Clienting into procurement functions - blending innovation scouting with sourcing and buying. It’s not the norm yet, but it’s a possible direction for the model as it matures.
Hi, I'm Madlen, and I lead the Venture Clienting solutions at GlassDollar. At GlassDollar, we empower corporations to quickly identify and test cutting-edge startup technology. Our outstanding team of Venture Clienting experts is committed to helping corporations harness startup innovations and drive growth at any stage. Whether you need strategic consulting, support in establishing a Venture Clienting unit, or assistance in operating and scaling it, we are your ideal partner.
The Startup Advantage: How Systematic Corporate-Startup Collaboration Drives Market Outperformance.
Collaborating With Corporations—A Startup‘s Point of View
The potential of Venture Clienting, on the one hand, is full of opportunity; it allows startups to receive direct feedback, resources, and support for their projects. On the other hand, it also contains risks, with potential for a startup to lose its way in bureaucracy or, worse, fail to meet expectations. This article shares perspectives as an startup’s experience in this way of operating and optimising for better outcomes.
Collaborating With Corporations—A Startup‘s Point of View
The potential of Venture Clienting, on the one hand, is full of opportunity; it allows startups to receive direct feedback, resources, and support for their projects. On the other hand, it also contains risks, with potential for a startup to lose its way in bureaucracy or, worse, fail to meet expectations. This article shares perspectives as an startup’s experience in this way of operating and optimising for better outcomes.
Collaborating With Corporations—A Startup‘s Point of View
The potential of Venture Clienting, on the one hand, is full of opportunity; it allows startups to receive direct feedback, resources, and support for their projects. On the other hand, it also contains risks, with potential for a startup to lose its way in bureaucracy or, worse, fail to meet expectations. This article shares perspectives as an startup’s experience in this way of operating and optimising for better outcomes.
Collaborating With Corporations—A Startup‘s Point of View
The potential of Venture Clienting, on the one hand, is full of opportunity; it allows startups to receive direct feedback, resources, and support for their projects. On the other hand, it also contains risks, with potential for a startup to lose its way in bureaucracy or, worse, fail to meet expectations. This article shares perspectives as an startup’s experience in this way of operating and optimising for better outcomes.