Pilot the future

When we help our clients design possible futures for their business, they often ask us the best way to test a bold new business idea. Should they build it themselves or test it with external innovators?

Many companies struggle with bridging strategy and execution when designing future directions. A new business concept might look great on paper, but how do you de-risk uncertainty? The answer lies in structured piloting—either by launching an internal corporate venture or by leveraging the venture client model. This model was first introduced by Gregor Gimmy at BMW garage, and he describes it in his book 'Buy, Don't Invest - The Venture Client Model: A Paradigm Shift In Corporate Venturing'.

We explored both approaches at the INSEAD Corporate Venturing & Innovation Program, working with a group of international participants facing this challenge. Corporate ventures allow you to develop new businesses internally, keeping control but requiring significant investment. It’s a high-risk, high-return game: 8 out of 10 start-ups fail. The venture client model takes a different approach—acting as an early customer to external startups to quickly validate future opportunities. Instead of building everything from scratch, you access cutting-edge innovation with minimal risk while still experimenting and learning.

We see both models as powerful tools for turning future scenarios into real business growth. But the key question remains:
How does your company test the future? Do you build, partner, or both?