In today’s fast-paced tech landscape, corporate innovation is no longer optional—it’s essential. In the latest “Innovators Inside” podcast, Eren Hukumdar, CEO of entrapeer, shared insights on bridging the corporate-startup gap, leveraging startups to fuel enterprise growth, and his journey from Turkey to Silicon Valley.
Here, we summarize the podcast transcript to share Eren’s perspective on how startups can empower corporations to stay ahead of market changes, with entrapeer as the platform designed to connect these worlds seamlessly.
Innovators Inside: Eren’s Journey to Innovation Leadership
Eren’s path to Silicon Valley wasn’t a straightforward one. Originally a backend developer in Turkey, he transitioned into an innovation role unexpectedly, an experience that shaped his approach to fostering connections between startups and large enterprises.
“At first, I thought innovation was a tech role,” Eren shared, “but I learned that it was all about understanding and solving business problems” (00:05:05).
Eren’s unexpected career shift reflects the agility and adaptability needed to thrive in tech—a journey that eventually led him to co-found entrapeer, a platform bridging the corporate-startup divide by making innovation partnerships accessible and actionable.
Navigating the Global Innovation Landscape
“Innovation outside the U.S. can feel disconnected,” Eren remarked, reflecting on the challenges faced by innovators outside Silicon Valley. Despite the U.S.’s reputation as a tech hub, he noted that startups globally are contributing to advancements, which often go overlooked by traditional corporate innovation ecosystems (00:02:22). Entrapeer’s global outlook, combined with its AI-powered trends prediction engine, helps enterprises stay aware of emerging trends and connect with startups worldwide.
Through entrapeer’s innovation platform, corporations can access startup ecosystems beyond their immediate regions, allowing them to keep pace with technological advancements while maintaining a competitive edge.
The Power of Startups in Corporate Innovation
Eren emphasized that startups are key to corporate growth and agility. According to him, startups contribute a fresh perspective and creative solutions that large corporations often lack due to scale and bureaucracy (00:05:25). Entrapeer helps these large organizations seamlessly engage with startups, facilitating integration without the typical friction.
“When enterprises face complex, fast-evolving challenges, it’s startups that offer the agility and creativity needed,” Eren noted (00:06:45).
Entrapeer’s mission is to enable startups to showcase their capabilities through evidence-based innovation, helping corporations confidently partner with them. The platform goes beyond simple data by providing proof of concept, use cases, and curated insights to demonstrate each startup’s value to enterprises.
Bridging Corporate and Startup Ecosystems
As Eren explained, entrapeer’s goal is to bridge the gap between established corporations and disruptive startups. The platform not only provides curated insights but also simplifies the startup engagement process, creating a collaborative environment. Eren believes that with the right support, companies can stay responsive to change and adopt technologies that align with their strategic goals.
“It’s not just about spotting the next big technology,” Eren said, “but about ensuring that innovation is built around well-defined problems and scalable solutions” (00:15:25).
For enterprises looking to stay competitive, entrapeer provides customized market insights and trend reports that align with specific organizational needs, streamlining the often time-consuming process of identifying suitable startup partners.
The Path Forward: Corporate Innovation Requires Focus and Flexibility
Eren’s insights highlight that successful corporate innovation starts with a problem-first approach, which guides enterprises in adopting technologies that address well-defined needs.
He also acknowledges that some innovation comes from a focus on new technology, citing that “70% of the real innovation comes from the problems, but 30% comes from the technology” (00:25:16).
This balanced perspective underpins entrapeer’s model of helping corporations identify problems worth solving while maintaining a healthy openness to new technological possibilities.
In his advice to startups, Eren emphasizes the importance of providing enterprises with clear case studies, measurable outcomes, and reliable customer support. This helps startups reduce perceived risks for corporate clients, a critical factor in establishing trust and facilitating successful partnerships (00:27:11). Visit our Startups page for more resources on how startups can leverage these insights to better engage with corporate partners.
Driving Mutual Success through Innovation
By leveraging entrapeer’s AI platform, companies can streamline innovation workflows, partner with startups effectively, and bridge the gap between agility and stability. Entrapeer embodies Eren’s vision of a more interconnected innovation landscape, where companies worldwide can access tools and partnerships that drive impactful growth.
For more insights from thought leaders like Eren Hukumdar, be sure to check out the full episode of Innovators Inside, and if your organization is ready to explore how entrapeer can support your innovation journey, feel free to contact us.
