Is Integration the New Incubation? A Systematic Literature Review on the Shift from Supply to Demand Models of Corporate-Startup Engagement

Abstract

As corporations increasingly adopt open innovation strategies, engaging with startups has become vital. Corporate accelerators (CA) and venture clienting (VCL) offer distinct approaches to startup collaboration: supply-driven incubation and demand-driven integration. While CAs have been widely implemented, their impact on long-term innovation integration remains debated. VCL emphasizes direct business application, but is only emerging in research. Drawing on a systematic literature review of 46 publications, we analyze each model’s key phases and how challenges manifest in design and outcome alignment. Our findings highlight that accelerators support exploratory innovation and ecosystem engagement but lack mechanisms for adoption. VCL promotes problem-driven, measurable innovation with higher demands on startup maturity. Despite its increasing adoption in practice, the lack of academic research on VCL is surprising. This study contributes a conceptual foundation for future empirical studies and calls for deeper investigation into VCL’s mechanisms and startups’ perspectives.