Neelie Kroes and Jan Kees de Jager launched the COSTA program in Eindhoven on May 10th, 2016 to improve cooperation between large corporations and startups. The program brings together top executives from 10 major Dutch companies like KPN, Shell, and Philips to share best practices for strengthening collaboration. COSTA aims to provide guidance to both corporations on becoming "startup-ready" and startups on becoming "corporate-ready" in order to mutually reinforce their strengths and potential for innovation and growth.

1. 10 mei 2016 aankondigingCOSTA doorNeelieKroesenJanKeesde JagerinEindhoven.
Fancy vande VorstprogrammamanagerCOSTA StartupDelta
10 Corporateswerkenmee.Tier 1 corporates share startup
experiences
MAY 10TH 2016 | 17:12 VIA: STARTUPDELTA
Neelie Kroes (Special Envoy, StartupDelta)
and Jan Kees de Jager (CFO, KPN) launch
COSTA, a programme aimed at improving
and strengthening cooperation between
corporates and startups by sharing
information and best-practices among top tier
corporates. A group of 10 front-
runners will participate.
Startups are the engine for growth and innovation. One of the core goals of StartupDelta is strengthening
the Dutch ecosystem by connecting parties in the startup ecosystem, like corporates and startups, to
strengthen collaboration.. In order to achieve this, Neelie Kroes and Jan Kees de Jager have come up with
the COSTA programme to enhance cooperation between startups and corporates.
Cooperation between startups and corporates is important because the two reinforce each other’s strengths
and potential. COSTA aims to clarify on the one hand; how a corporate can become ‘startup-ready,’ and on
the other hand; how startups can become ‘corporate-ready.’ Corporates have access to an international
network, of which a startup could benefit to speed up their process of growth and innovation. Collaborating
with an innovative startup on the brink of regeneration will make corporates more competitive in a market
that is evolving at a fast rate. For startups having a corporate as launching customer will make growth
possible and tap into a global network that can help them grow and expand.
COSTA will bring together C-level executive from KPN, Shell, Philips, AkzoNobel, Havenbedrijf
Rotterdam, Eneco, ING, KLM, DSM and Thales Nederland several times during the year in order to share
knowledge, successes, failures and experiences. The first meeting will be held during Startup Fest Europe.
COSTA works together with partners VNO-NCW, CVNN, the Erasmus Centre for Entrepreneurship,
Rotterdam School of Management and the municipality of Eindhoven.
http://www.startupdelta.org/news/Tier-1-corporates-share-startup-experiences