Stateside with Stephanie
Wellbeing, and AI. The corporation provides,“ Different things for different founders,” explained Haruka Tsuchiya, specialist, Strategic Planning, Corporate Communications Division.
“ Some collaborate on product development, others with pitches and investment, others with market exposure.”
Samsung started the Inside Lab in 2012 to help,“ discover new ideas and foster a creative corporate culture.” Thus far they’ ve had 423 projects, with 1,716 employees participating and 62 spin-off companies created. Outside Lab provides financial support, mentoring, infrastructure, and opportunities for collaboration. To date, they’ ve invested in $ 1.2bn to 536 startups. The Family continues beneficial relationships between spun off companies and Samsung.
AgeTech Collaborative’ s startups were selected from a no equity, no fee eight-week virtual accelerator programme held quarterly. To enter the programme, startups must have a consumer-ready product for people 50 years or older and a team committed to engaging in the programme.
What this trend means for expos What’ s the # 1 reason people come to trade show and exhibitions? To see new stuff. Period. Like some large exhibition companies( and individuals – looking at you EVG), multinationals are finding it less expensive to help fund founders’ projects through angel investing and creative resource allocation, then either buy or spin them off, rather than start something from scratch.
( In the expo biz, how many‘ incubator’ divisions have launched, exist for a year, then are quietly disappeared?)
The cost of funding R & D is getting more and more expensive. What’ s also missing is founders’ passion – the drive to shepherd and fight for their product( or event).
These changes represent a fantastic opportunity for show organisers to bring innovation front and centre. Talk to your largest exhibitors and sponsors. They probably have significant space( and sponsorship) in your show and say they’ re“ maxed out” – but may be able to“ find budget” to contract space in your New Products area for founder-initiative companies they are presently supporting. It’ ll be a consultative process, but well worth it.
Market this concept along the lines of your expo being a great place for market research and product feedback, or ripe for the launch of market-ready products and equipment. Use the word new. Use the word exciting. Use the word innovative( on second thoughts, that word is sounding pretty overused these days – maybe find a better one …).
If you haven’ t expanded and moved your new products area to a prominent location( think front and centre at the show entrance like the PGA Show in Orlando) in your show – start moving that floorplan around now. No one( except exhibitors and some lazy media) wants to see the same booths in the same places year after year after year( yawn). EW
Any other business … There were a few other startup supporters I didn’ t expect to see at CES. They included: 1. US Army: In a stand within the Eureka Park Investors Pavilion, the US Army FUZE programs actively fund“ innovative and disruptive” products from current and former US Army soldiers with funding, feedback, mentoring, marketing, sales, and more.
2. Kickstarter and Jellop: Kickstarter showcased new products within their investment system. Jellop is Kickstarter’ s official agency, helping Kickstarter founders market their products with campaigns, dashboards, graphics, etc. They take a 15 % commission on sales – so if a product doesn’ t sell anything, founders are not out of pocket for the service.
3. Universities: From the US and abroad, universities showcased alumni startups’ products. Cool idea worth replicating. www. exhibitionworld. co. uk Issue 1 2026 29