After months of seeking a new solution or trying to think of the next game-changing product to unveil to your consumers, you decided to outsource your need to one of the many talented startups vying for your attention and you ran a successful PoC – now what?

This is a question many enterprises face post PoC success and the answer is simple; cultivate growth even more!

For a startup, the value of leveraging a successful PoC is obvious – alert the press, show investors, update financial forecasts and you are on the path to startup success.

For an enterprise it is a bit more challenging, but can be even more rewarding.  As you have all you need to massively scale success into long-term growth – but this all depends on what you do after your PoC.

Luckily for you, we compiled a list of tips and tricks to leverage PoC success into long-term enterprise growth that will firmly cement your company as an industry leader and game changer.

Tip 1: Shift your Perception of Startups

One of the most important barriers enterprises need to overcome is the notion that innovation and growth can only come from within.  Whether this was your first successful PoC or you are a long time veteran, there is still an element of surprise when a small external startup manages to do something better, quicker or cheaper than your in house team.

If enterprises perceive this collaboration as dangerous, it can breed resentment and cause more damage than good. However, if you focus on the benefit of bringing in fresh new opinions, technology and approaches to existing problems, you will recognize that only good can come of collaboration with a startup.

In addition to shifting the way enterprises perceive startups, post successful PoC collaboration, enterprises should examine the creativity and fresh thinking that enabled an external company to come up with a solution quicker or better than what was done in-house. Once you infuse a fresh new solution, use that to shift the way future solutions are created and new products are planned out.

Tip 2: Shift and Scale – Quickly

Startups often have the right solution but not enough clout. No matter how good a product, solution or technology is, without the ability to scale and bring it to mass market, it will never bring long-term success. As an enterprise, you have the ability to take the PoC and leverage it into a game changing solution.  

After a successful PoC, divert energy into scaling your new solution and promoting it to your existing and potential clients. By integrating a new solution into the market, not only will you have the first mover advantage, but you have the potential of leveraging the new successful technology into other verticals.

By simultaneously scaling the solution to mass markets and shifting it to potential new markets, you can increase revenue generation and market share in the long run.

Tip 3: See What Else They Can Do (and what others can too)

After completing a successful PoC, enterprises looking to continue growth should nurture the relationship with the startup and see what alternative solutions they have to offer.  Once a startup’s solution is successfully integrated into the ecosystem of your enterprise, there is a much higher chance that other solutions they have will be just as compatible (or easily adaptable).

In addition to cultivating your relationship with the startup that provided you with the successful solution, it is worthwhile to consider continuing the conversation with the startups whose solution wasn’t as successful. Despite having the different reasons for being the wrong solution, startups have a quicker ability than most to pivot products and adjust.

Many times the solution is just as important as the team; if you find a startup with a strong team, do not cross their name out of your collaboration-handbook just yet.