Seven in ten European companies regard collaborations with startups as “vital” to their AI strategy, according to a new report by Sopra Steria
Sopra Steria, a major player in the European tech sector, has unveiled its Open Innovation Report 2025 written in collaboration with Sopra Steria Next, and with academics from INSEAD. It highlights the critical role startups play in building the artificial intelligence strategy of Europe’s corporate giants.
A glimpse at the key findings of Sopra Steria’s Open Innovation Report 2025 reveals:
- 72% of the surveyed large organisations have collaborated with startups;
- 57% have now run AI-focused Open Innovation projects, of which 6/10 are within generative AI;
- 7 in 10 corporates view startups as “vital” to their AI strategies;
- Once a strategic advantage, partnerships between large companies and startups are now essential for maintaining a competitive edge.
Last year marked a turning point in the digital revolution, driven by the rapid rise of AI, notably shaped by two major dynamics. First, a stark contrast between corporate enthusiasm and the reality of large-scale adoption, since only 22% of large companies have managed to deploy generative AI at scale. Then, a rising number of AI start-ups entering the scene, with over 200 unicorns now identified. These two dynamics combined raise a crucial question: how can large enterprises and AI startups collaborate more effectively to accelerate innovation and create business value?
Fabrice Asvazadourian, CEO of Sopra Steria Next, explained: “2025 marks a pivotal moment for AI-driven transformation. While technological innovation is accelerating, many organisations are still struggling to operationalise it at scale. Open Innovation is no longer a tactical option – it’s a strategic imperative. By embracing external collaboration, especially with startups, companies can move beyond experimentation to unlock real impact. Those who embed Open Innovation into the fabric of their strategy will be best positioned to lead the next wave of reinvention.”
“AI is no longer a peripheral concern – it is now at the core of corporate strategy”
AI as a strategic imperative
The Open Innovation Report reveals almost 6 in 10 corporates (57%) have now run AI-focused Open Innovation projects, and 80% of corporates surveyed now judge Open Innovation as Important or Mission Critical, a figure which has surged by 20% since Sopra Steria’s last survey in 2023.
AI is no longer a peripheral concern – it is now at the core of corporate strategy. A total of 6 in 10 corporates now rate AI integration as “highly important” to their business, with almost three-quarters (72%) of large corporates having already run collaboration projects with startups. Scaleups and startups are judged “vital” to corporates’ AI strategies by 70% of large companies, with more than three-quarters of corporates planning to launch Open Innovation projects in the next two years, with 63% planning to prioritise AI projects, particularly Generative AI projects. Interesting, however, only 47% of startups believe corporates genuinely value their contributions. Furthermore, success rates are improving. The percentage of corporates reporting that they achieved their Open Innovation objectives has climbed by 15% in the last 2 years with 2 out of 3 corporates declaring success in 2025.
The research also highlights the specific industries that are more likely to succeed in their open innovation projects, by category of AI. Click here to read the full report.
Still many challenges to overcome
Despite growing enthusiasm for Open Innovation, many collaborations between corporates and startups fall short of expectations.
The European study also revealed some local specificities. The UK, Germany, and France stand out in through a high reliance on collaboration with startups to achieve their AI strategy and a high success rate in open innovation projects. Nordic countries like Sweden and Norway value start-ups highly but still struggle to consistently translate this into successful outcomes – highlighting a possible execution gap. Meanwhile, countries like Belgium, Spain, and the Netherlands cluster in the middle, suggesting moderate maturity across both dimensions.
Tobias Studer Andersson, Innovation Director and Group Head of Sopra Steria Scale up, a business unit dedicated to help corporates harvest business value from collaborating with startups, underlined: “Cultural differences between corporates and startups remain a major challenge. While many large organisations focus on process and control, startups operate with speed, agility, and a high tolerance for risk — and this mismatch often leads to frustration on both sides. Too often, strategic intent is unclear, and promising pilots fail to scale. If we want Open Innovation to deliver its full potential, we need to move from transactional experiments to purpose-driven partnerships rooted in trust, clarity, execution and shared ambition.”
According to the report, three structural barriers continue to undermine the success of Open Innovation initiatives. First, cultural misalignment remains the most frequently cited obstacle by startups, who often struggle to navigate the corporate world’s slower pace, rigid processes, and differing priorities. While startups operate with agility and a high tolerance for risk, many corporates underestimate the impact of these divergent mindsets and working styles. Second, a lack of strategic focus is a recurring issue, with startups frequently noting the absence of clearly defined or consistently prioritised objectives from their corporate partners – leading to confusion and missed opportunities.
Finally, the transition from pilot to scale continues to be a stumbling block: while many Proofs of Concept (PoCs) show promise, they rarely translate into full-scale deployment, significantly limiting the long-term impact and business value of these collaborations.
Further information
To find out more or to read the full report head to soprasteria.com.