Our third Annual Meeting took place October 15, 2019, at Google Launchpad in San Francisco, details below! Contact us to learn more -- we're happy to share our insight deck with new colleagues in our community! Scroll down to learn about our first two annual meetings.
Annual Meeting 2019
The Corporate Accelerator Forum is designed to optimize conversation between acceleration leaders. The best insights we've ever gotten at conferences came from intimate meetings with peers and experts, The Corporate Accelerator Forum skips the speeches and moves directly to the intimate conversations. Here's how it works:
Each year we sketchnote the whole event and produce a whitepaper or slide deck stuffed full of practical insights and anonymized stories. Scroll down to see the schedule for the day. Contact us to see our results and discuss an invitation!
Companies attending the 2019 Annual Meeting:
AGC Glass North America
AT&T Aspire/Productive, LLC
Applied Materials
Bayer
Children's Hospital of Los Angeles
Corning
DuPont
Eastman
Google
Hitachi
Illumina
Kaiser Permanente
Mesh Academy, USC
Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi
Silicon Valley Bank
TMC Innovation
- Learn about the perspectives in the room through a game designed just for the Forum.
- Join semi-structured discussion sessions, each hosted by an accelerator leader with an exciting story, thorny challenge or thoughtful question. Note-takers will ensure we keep track of the insights.
- Enjoy plenty of informal time at breakfast, lunch and the evening reception -- this is where the deals happen!
- Make plans for next year!
Each year we sketchnote the whole event and produce a whitepaper or slide deck stuffed full of practical insights and anonymized stories. Scroll down to see the schedule for the day. Contact us to see our results and discuss an invitation!
Companies attending the 2019 Annual Meeting:
AGC Glass North America
AT&T Aspire/Productive, LLC
Applied Materials
Bayer
Children's Hospital of Los Angeles
Corning
DuPont
Eastman
Hitachi
Illumina
Kaiser Permanente
Mesh Academy, USC
Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi
Silicon Valley Bank
TMC Innovation
Our thanks to Wine Sponsor Silicon Valley Bank!
Schedule for the Day
Pre-Party, October 14, 2019: Social event at a San Francisco location disclosed to attendees.
October 15, Design of the Day
8:00 am
Informal Breakfast onsite at Google Launchpad
Meet leaders and attendees, explore the space, suggest additional burning topics and events for 2020, get nourished for the day.
9:00
Welcome
9:15
Introductions and Game: Spectrum
Learn who is here and who has the most to teach you.
10:30
Discussion Round 1: Traveling the Journey
What do we need at which stage? If you’re “acceleration curious,” get grounded stories and frameworks from a seasoned team. If you’re actively running an accelerator, look at two very different corporate structures with their innovation leaders. What’s possible in your structure? If you’re ready to go global, delve into the process with leaders of global accelerators.
Group Conversation Hosts:
Amy Mandrier & Sandro Olivieri, Productive, LLC/AT&T Aspire: "Are You Acceleration Curious?"
Courtney McCormick, Illumina Accelerator & Tim Pratt, Applied Materials: "Structure Drives Behavior: The Medium is the Message"
Amanda Cashin, Illumina Accelerator: "Going Global"
11:30
Lock In the Learning
Share group findings to the full meeting and make them stronger.
Captured by graphic recorder Giselle Chow from Graphic Footprints.
12:00
Lunch On Site
One-on-ones and small group chats with the people who interest you most.
1:15
Discussion Round 2: Nitty Gritty
Group Conversation Hosts:
Sree Batchu and Juan Espinoza, Children's Hospital of Los Angeles: "Recruiting Startups"
Lisa Mendoza, Bayer CoLaborator: "Healthy Agreements"
Boris Pluskowski, Silicon Valley Bank: "A Look Across"
Explore the details of how your fellow accelerators operate, and share your own: How do we do recruiting, agreements, money? What are we doing the same way, and what’s different? What are the strategic goals behind these choices?
2:15
Lock In the Learning
2:45
Break and snack
3:00
Discussion Round 3: Let’s make things!
Group Conversation Hosts:
Jeremy Neuner, Google Launchpad: "Accelerator (Self) Evaluation"
Chris Haskell, Bayer CoLaborator: "What Happens Next"
And you! We're saving a space for a hot topic that emerges during the day.
First steps toward embodied best practices -- tools for evaluation, post-accelerator pathways, and other needs you identify.
4:00
Lock In the Learning
4:30
Announcing CAF 2020!
Preview the 2020 schedule, including our Hosting Sponsor for the 2020, Fourth Annual Meeting!
Become an Annual or Event Sponsor, or a CAF member. Help shape the coming year!
4:45
Wine Reception, hosted by Silicon Valley Bank
6:00
Optional self-organized dinner, because we don’t want to leave …
October 15, Design of the Day
8:00 am
Informal Breakfast onsite at Google Launchpad
Meet leaders and attendees, explore the space, suggest additional burning topics and events for 2020, get nourished for the day.
9:00
Welcome
9:15
Introductions and Game: Spectrum
Learn who is here and who has the most to teach you.
10:30
Discussion Round 1: Traveling the Journey
What do we need at which stage? If you’re “acceleration curious,” get grounded stories and frameworks from a seasoned team. If you’re actively running an accelerator, look at two very different corporate structures with their innovation leaders. What’s possible in your structure? If you’re ready to go global, delve into the process with leaders of global accelerators.
Group Conversation Hosts:
Amy Mandrier & Sandro Olivieri, Productive, LLC/AT&T Aspire: "Are You Acceleration Curious?"
Courtney McCormick, Illumina Accelerator & Tim Pratt, Applied Materials: "Structure Drives Behavior: The Medium is the Message"
Amanda Cashin, Illumina Accelerator: "Going Global"
11:30
Lock In the Learning
Share group findings to the full meeting and make them stronger.
Captured by graphic recorder Giselle Chow from Graphic Footprints.
12:00
Lunch On Site
One-on-ones and small group chats with the people who interest you most.
1:15
Discussion Round 2: Nitty Gritty
Group Conversation Hosts:
Sree Batchu and Juan Espinoza, Children's Hospital of Los Angeles: "Recruiting Startups"
Lisa Mendoza, Bayer CoLaborator: "Healthy Agreements"
Boris Pluskowski, Silicon Valley Bank: "A Look Across"
Explore the details of how your fellow accelerators operate, and share your own: How do we do recruiting, agreements, money? What are we doing the same way, and what’s different? What are the strategic goals behind these choices?
2:15
Lock In the Learning
2:45
Break and snack
3:00
Discussion Round 3: Let’s make things!
Group Conversation Hosts:
Jeremy Neuner, Google Launchpad: "Accelerator (Self) Evaluation"
Chris Haskell, Bayer CoLaborator: "What Happens Next"
And you! We're saving a space for a hot topic that emerges during the day.
First steps toward embodied best practices -- tools for evaluation, post-accelerator pathways, and other needs you identify.
4:00
Lock In the Learning
4:30
Announcing CAF 2020!
Preview the 2020 schedule, including our Hosting Sponsor for the 2020, Fourth Annual Meeting!
Become an Annual or Event Sponsor, or a CAF member. Help shape the coming year!
4:45
Wine Reception, hosted by Silicon Valley Bank
6:00
Optional self-organized dinner, because we don’t want to leave …
2019 Hosts
Jeremy Neuner builds strong communities. From flying helicopters in the U.S. Navy, to working in local economic development, to founding the company NextSpace, to working at Google, Jeremy creates great teams and imagines collaborative environments where they can thrive. He currently leads the San Francisco-based programs at Launchpad, Google’s global startup acceleration program.
Jeremy is the co-author of The Rise of the Naked Economy: How to Benefit From the Changing Workplace (U.S. edition published 2013; Chinese edition published 2016). He is also a frequent speaker on the future of work and the workplace. He has spoken at The Aspen Institute (where he is a fellow of the Business and Society Program), the Agile Workplace Conference (keynote), the Next Generation Workplace Conference (keynote), the Future of Work and the Workspace Conference (keynote) the Global Workspace Association, and many other industry events. Jeremy was honored to give the TEDx Talk “The Office is Obsolete” in 2016.
Jeremy holds degrees from Georgetown University and Harvard University, but he’s learned the most by playing LEGOs with his kids. Fun facts: Jeremy can juggle flaming torches, has climbed Mt. Fuji twice, and considers himself an expert rock-paper-scissors player. #1 item on his bucket list: riding his bicycle across the United States (someday!).
Barbara (Basia) Suroz is a Project Manager at Google Launchpad in San Francisco, where she manages events, programs and accelerators for startups and entrepreneurs focused in tech related fields.
Google Launchpad's mission is to empower startups to build and scale great products and companies with the best of Google - its people, network, research, and technology.
Prior to working with Google Launchpad, Basia was a Community Coordinator at Galvanize where she supported and managed over 1,000 members and 400 startups.
Her passions include the cross section of social impact and tech and bringing those learnings together to make the world a better place.
In her spare time, she rescues and rehomes homeless dogs. She has successfully rehomed over 100 dogs and is passionate about animal welfare and environmental awareness.
Jeremy is the co-author of The Rise of the Naked Economy: How to Benefit From the Changing Workplace (U.S. edition published 2013; Chinese edition published 2016). He is also a frequent speaker on the future of work and the workplace. He has spoken at The Aspen Institute (where he is a fellow of the Business and Society Program), the Agile Workplace Conference (keynote), the Next Generation Workplace Conference (keynote), the Future of Work and the Workspace Conference (keynote) the Global Workspace Association, and many other industry events. Jeremy was honored to give the TEDx Talk “The Office is Obsolete” in 2016.
Jeremy holds degrees from Georgetown University and Harvard University, but he’s learned the most by playing LEGOs with his kids. Fun facts: Jeremy can juggle flaming torches, has climbed Mt. Fuji twice, and considers himself an expert rock-paper-scissors player. #1 item on his bucket list: riding his bicycle across the United States (someday!).
Barbara (Basia) Suroz is a Project Manager at Google Launchpad in San Francisco, where she manages events, programs and accelerators for startups and entrepreneurs focused in tech related fields.
Google Launchpad's mission is to empower startups to build and scale great products and companies with the best of Google - its people, network, research, and technology.
Prior to working with Google Launchpad, Basia was a Community Coordinator at Galvanize where she supported and managed over 1,000 members and 400 startups.
Her passions include the cross section of social impact and tech and bringing those learnings together to make the world a better place.
In her spare time, she rescues and rehomes homeless dogs. She has successfully rehomed over 100 dogs and is passionate about animal welfare and environmental awareness.
2nd Annual Corporate Accelerator Forum, October 2018
Pre-party, October 1, 5:30 pm:
Twelve of us got together for an Escape Room party at Beat the Lock!
October 2, Design of the Day
8:00 am
Informal Breakfast onsite at Gore Innovation Center.
Meet leaders and attendees, explore Gore's beautiful Innovation Center, suggest topics for later, sign up to sit on the leadership team for the community, and get nourished for the day.
9:00
Introductions and Game: Spectrum
Learn who is here and who has the most to teach you.
10: 15
Conversation Round 1: Diversity
Group Conversation Hosts:
*Tom Snyder, NCRioT
*Courtney McCormick, Illumina
*Charlie Emrich, Novozymes
*Yuka Nagashima, Paideia Enterprises
The topic of diversity in business and innovation is front and center in popular culture. Recent research on the value of diverse contributions makes it even more important. What do we mean by diversity -- what factors matter, and how? How are we engaging diverse entrepreneurs, mentors, speakers? What work remains to be done? How will we know when we've done it?
11:30
Lock In the Learning
After each discussion round, we'll share group findings to the full meeting and make them stronger.
Captured by graphic recorder MJ Broadbent.
12:00
Lunch onsite
One-on-ones and small group chats with the people who interest you most.
1:15
Conversation Round 2: Thawing the Frozen Organization
Group Conversation Hosts:
*Riccardo LoCascio, Novozymes
*Chris Haskell, Bayer CoLaborator
*Amanda Cashin, Illumina Accelerator
At the First Annual Corporate Accelerator Forum in 2017, we found a major shared challenge: The Frozen Organization. This challenge comes in two flavors: The Frozen Middle (getting support and resources from middle managers) and the Frozen Top (getting buy-in and advocacy from senior leadership). Who are our stakeholders and how do we influence them? What metrics and stories matter? How do we get the organization to open up to the value that startups bring? What if we want to grow?
2:15
Lock in the Learning
After each discussion round, we'll share group findings to the full meeting and make them stronger.
Captured by graphic recorder MJ Broadbent.
2:45
Break and Snack!
3:00
Conversation Round 3: Models
Group Conversation Hosts:
*Nick O'Connor, Venture Toolkit
*Linda Elkins, Gore Innovation Center
*Your Name Here! We are saving one slot for a burning question, un-conference-style.
Between us all, we've tried at least a dozen approaches to accelerating startups. How do we decide? Which models fit best with different corporate settings? What tools have helped us? Let's teach each other what we know, and collaborate to learn more.
4:30
Launching Corporate Accelerator Forum Extended!
Once a year isn't enough! We announce quarterly connection opportunities for 2019!
4:45
Wine Reception
Thanks to our Wine Partner: Silicon Valley Bank!
6:00
We're done!
The Innovation Center closes. Farewell 'til the next Extended event! Consider grabbing dinner with new friends and colleagues!
First Event: Corporate Accelerator Forum 2017
The first ever Corporate Accelerator Forum took place in November 2017. We held a one-day face-to-face meeting for corporate innovation leaders on the external innovation journey -- considering, operating, or having discontinued an accelerator. We shared a powerful, confidential conversation among expert practitioners and developed a best-practices whitepaper for attendees. In October 2018, and October 2019, we gathered again to address our challenges head on. Each year we emerged with new insights about ecosystem-building and the accelerator journey, and each year we shared those insights via a compelling graphical record, available to all CAF Members.
This invitation-only collaborative learning event comes around for the fourth time in Fall 2020. Contact us to discuss an invitation!
November 5, Evening:
Mini-golf social, Urban Putt in San Francisco.
November 6
8:00 am
Informal breakfast onsite at Illumina Accelerator.
Meet leaders and attendees, suggest topics for later, sign up to sit on the leadership team for the community, and get nourished for the day.
9:00
Welcome (Sponsors, Organizer).
9:15
Introductions and Game: Spectrum
Learn who is here and who has the most to teach you.
10:15
Discussion Round 1: Me and Headquarters.
Group Conversation Hosts:
*John McIntyre, former Citrix Startup Accelerator, current Kauffman Fellows
*Amanda Cashin, Illumina Accelerator
*Kartik Dharmadhikari, Novozymes
Corporate accelerators rely on the main company for resources, relationships and technical expertise. The needs and culture of the accelerator are different from those of the main company. How do different organizations navigate the narrow bridge between the accelerator and headquarters? How do we engage the resources we need? What principles apply under what circumstances?
11:15
Lock in the Learning
Share group findings to the full meeting and make them stronger
Captured by graphic recorder Deb Aoki.
11:45
Lunch onsite
One-on-ones and small group chats with the people who interest you most.
12:45
Round 2: Goals, Measures, Storytelling.
Group Conversation Hosts:
*Ian Lee, Ideo CoLab
*Sandro Olivieri, Productive LLC/AT & T Aspire
*Adam Zerda, BD
We set goals with headquarters about startups, and we set goals with startups about headquarters. What kinds of promises should we be making? How do we demonstrate our fulfillment of those promises? How do we leverage emergent lessons and opportunities?
1:45
Lock in the Learning
2:15
Break and Dessert!
2:25
Round 3: How do I Push Go? // Blocking and Tackling the Accelerator Design
Group Conversation Hosts:
*Michael Harries, former Citrix Startup Accelerator, current Robotics Hub
*Courtney McCormick, Illumina Accelerator
*Any attendee with a burning topic
Join Michael's conversation to learn about his experience spinning up the Citrix Startup Accelerator and think about how you can get to Day One in your shop.
Join Courtney's conversation to discuss the functioning of a working accelerator.
Or, start a third conversation to discuss a new topic that emerges as a hot area over the course of the day.
3:25
Lock in the Learning
4:00
Illumina Accelerator Tour
Take the elevator up a few floors to visit a working corporate accelerator, Illumina Accelerator
4:30
Panel: Accelerators as Service Providers -- What do Our Customers Say?
Moderator: Jennifer Friel Goldstein, Managing Director and Market Manager, Silicon Valley Bank
Panelists:
Jong Lee, CEO and Cofounder, Day Zero Diagnostics
Aaron Hammack, Epibiome
John Kim, Principal, Aphelion Capital
Joyo Wijaya, Astia Angels, Stanford Angels & Entrepreneurs, Tandem Entrepreneurs (tentative)
Grab a glass of wine courtesy of our friends at Silicon Valley Bank, nibble some snacks and take in some feedback! Our panelists are entrepreneurs who have used corporate accelerators to help them move along their path, and investors who look to corporate accelerators for deal flow. What are corporate accelerators doing well? What do corporate accelerators need to change?
5:30
What's next? (Sponsors, Organizers)
We'll revisit the biggest lessons, whitepaper plan and next-step ideas, and we'll officially bid each other farewell for now.
6:00
We're done!
Unofficially, stick around as long as you like! Consider going to dinner with new friends and colleagues!
