We drive tangible innovation results for global organizations

Runway helps companies like IBM, Epson or Emirates identify their biggest growth opportunities, and build customized, hands-on innovation programs (or optimize existing ones) to generate real business results.

Overcome your biggest obstacles to innovation

• Inability to show tangible results
• Confusion on where to start and defining key needs
• Politics, turf wars, and lack of alignment
• Working with startups that don’t align with your organization
• Low risk tolerance for trial and error

“It is extremely valuable to have gained insights from Runway including the context of new technologies, trends, and business models which cannot be obtained by simply surveying startups.”

Naoaki Fujino – Chief Researcher at NRI

We are an innovation catalyst for startups and corporations

We started out in 2013 as an incubation and acceleration space for tech startups. 

Since then, Runway has become a nexus for startups, corporate innovators, and investors. Our mission is to bridge the gap between big companies and startups, and connect them to help drive growth for both organizations.  

We’ve done a standout job.  The results speak for themselves.

Services to help you achieve your goals

Runway is pioneering new, practical approaches to incremental and disruptive innovation. We have developed a comprehensive set of methodologies, tools and services that generate tangible outcomes for today’s largest and most complex companies. We do this in a fraction of the time and cost of current approaches, while also providing greater transparency, and lower risk.

We currently offer 3 service areas.

1. Build and launch a new innovation program

Our Innovation Strategy Team designs the optimal innovation program to bring the results you care about.

We help you clarify and break down your goals and priorities, map out new areas for opportunities, and define a clear path forward to transform your business from what it is today to what it aspires to be tomorrow.

Our clients usually include employees mandated with developing an innovation strategy, corporate innovators submitting an initiative to their management, and executives looking at getting started but who don’t know where to begin.

2. Optimize and accelerate your current innovation activities

Our Research & Scouting Team does the heavy-lifting to help you understand the latest trends and technologies (and their impact on your business), identify opportunities for growth, and take action by partnering, investing in, or acquiring the right startups.

Our clients include teams who are short-staffed, lack the access to quality startup networks, or need support to address the disruptions affecting their business.

That includes business units, innovation and digital transformation teams, corporate strategy and planning teams, corporate development, and CVC teams.

3. Outsource your lab, accelerator, or incubator

Instead of allocating resources to hire and onboard a full team and go through a long, steep learning curve, outsource your innovation program to Runway.

Over the years, our team has launched 7+ different accelerator programs. We’ll come alongside your team to define the goal, scope and strategy for your program, launch it for you, train your team, and then transition to a passive partner as your team and capabilities grow.

Clients include teams involved with innovation, digital transformation, corporate strategy and planning, corporate development and CVC.

“Fujitsu has been partnering with Runway for over 5 years now, and we’re getting unbiased access to great companies, entrepreneurs and cross-industry experts.

The team helps us understand tech trends affecting our different products and services so we can look for emerging business models and new revenue sources. Runway understands our business and what we are trying to fix.”

Katsunori Mizuno – Director of Global CTO Strategy Office, Fujitsu​

Driving results across industries and geographies

Helping a security firm invest and partner with 2 startups

Our team worked directly with the company’s Chief Innovation Officer to strategize disruptive innovations, identify the right technologies, and make in-person introductions to qualified startups.

As a result, the client invested over $25 million in Life360, a family networking app, and formed a strategic partnership with IFTTT.

Empowering a Japanese VC to invest in 5 startups over 3 years

Runway provided competitive investment analysis, identified top, ready-to-work-with startups that curated the best solutions and performed due-diligence.

As a result, the client invested $20 million in Intuition Robotics, a firm developing AI-powered, digital companion technologies, and made 4 additional investments over the course of 3 years.

Running a hackathon for a Fortune 500 airline company

Runway worked with the client team to plan a 48-hour weekend hackathon with the goal of improving the mobile ticketing experience for millenials.

As a result, the client generated 1.3 million media impressions, 300+ attendees and 100 working prototypes.

“We have partnered with Runway so they could help us address one of our main challenges. Provide our business units and customers with access to cutting-edge technologies, the companies developing them, and foster relationships with the ones that best align with our strategic focus areas. Runway understands our different businesses and listens closely to our needs. The team knows what’s happening and has the capacity to guide us through the right path, making sure the deliverables are answering all the questions we have.”

Katsuyuki Takahashi – President, NS Solutions

Better than Big Consulting​

Tired of 300-page powerpoint decks, theory, and over-priced recommendations without the results to show? We’re the antithesis to big consulting. Our approach is iterative, lean, and generates tangible results for our clients.

We are problem fixers

Your problems are not cookie-cutter. Neither are our solutions. We work with your organization to address your very specific challenges, and guide you through the process of developing a solution that works for your business.

We understand global organizations

We have phenomenal relationships with clients (83% client renewals). We know what is happening with them internally so we have the capacity to guide them down the right path. 

We do what’s best for our clients

With us, you won’t feel pressure working with startups that don’t align with your goals. Our track record shows we provide unbiased access to great companies, entrepreneurs and cross-industry experts. 

Leadership team

The Runway team has over 80+ years combined experience working in startups, venture capital and innovation across leading organizations. 

Contact us to get results from your innovation efforts

Click the button below to fill out a short, 5-question form and someone from our team will personally get back to you within 1 business day.