intrapreneurI’ve got a cool business idea. It is related to what I have been working on during my thesis and now I live near a company which has exactly the right means to realize it. The company has the tech and relations required to build my product idea and I am sure that there is a market for it, even with already-existing customers of the company.
My plan is to prepare a busines plan for the idea and pitch it to the CEO or R&D leader of the company. There will be some development to be done but I would then be the guy to lead the project. I am entrepreneurial but I do not see why I should take so much risk in doing this on my own, if I can leverage my idea with the resources of this established company. I would then be an “intrapreneur” - like an entrepreneur within a company.
How likely is this to be successful? I have no doubt that the technical issues can be solved, but how likely is that a company will accept an idea from an outsider and will hire him to do a project for them?
For those of you thinking this is off topic … well yeah it kind of is. But the issues and mentality of an intra- and entrepreneur are equal.
Extremely unlikely. If the company you want to pitch it to is large enough to have a legal department, they will be very unlikely to listen to any outside pitches because of legal liability.
Let’s say you do get to pitch your idea to them, but for whatever reason, they decide not to invest in you and your idea. But, they are already working on a similar idea. You could then easily go after them for stealing your idea (not the case in this example, but there’s always a lawyer looking for blood).
This puts the company in a situation they’d prefer to avoid, so most companies make it policy to refuse all unsolicited ideas.
Your best bet is to develop the idea to the point that someone (an angel investor, etc) sees the value in your product and recommends the company invite you in for talks to purchase your product. Also, mostly unlikely in the early stages.
If your product is built to the point that it becomes a serious competitor to a company then buyout offers may come of it if it’s deemed to be cheaper to buy you then try and build a competing product.
You could, however, get a job at the company, work your way up over the course of a decade or so to the point where you can pitch this as a potential business opportunity. Short of being a Director or VP in the company, chances are the project will be handed off to someone else to develop and you’ll continue toiling away in your cubicle.
That’s business and that’s why you’d never see a real entrepreneur say, “I do not see why I should take so much risk in doing this on my own, if I can leverage my idea with the ressources of this established company.”
Entrepreneurs are, by definition, risk takers.
Who does that? There is no reliable company that will accept your idea and allow you to implement that idea within there company.
Don’t forget that this company will definitely have policies, organizational culture and believe, how do you plan to fit in especially if you are not experienced in project management and business processes.
If you believe so much in your idea. You should be looking for investors not a company that will buy the idea and offer you employment. You’re probably looking for a job.
Stop dreaming and get back to the reality. You could only do that if your dad owns the business. You are asking a company to take all risks for you, and you just do nothing.
You are not an entrepreneur, you are an idea guy.
Get a loan for you idea or send your resume for a graduate position. No daydreaming.
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