Intrapreneurship is an initiative carried out within an organization by employees, in which staff members act as internal entrepreneurs, gaining personal development and contributing to innovation across the entire company.
This means that this initiative is focused on collaborating with an organization in which the individual is already a part and of which they are not necessarily the founder.
Entrepreneurship within companies allows new results to be achieved.
Types of intrapreneurship
Value-added intrapreneurship
In this case, intrapreneurship is linked to the company’s core business. This means that this type of intrapreneur will add value to the organization, generating innovation and growth, always associated with the company’s name and original business.
We can find examples of this type of intrapreneurship in companies like Google and Apple. Many of the ideas developed in these organizations are directly related to what they already do. The strength of these brands stems, in large part, from an intrapreneurship capable of developing projects based on the needs of their customers.
Intrapreneurship and the “spin-off”
This is the type of intrapreneurship in which ideas and projects diverge completely from what the company is originally known for.
The term “spin-off,” often associated with the entertainment industry, refers to intellectual property that is not necessarily tied to the main business line. In intrapreneurship, the reasoning is similar.
The way new businesses can emerge through this process can vary. In some cases, the company is able to redirect resources to other projects.
In other situations, it is the know-how and knowledge acquired through research and development that serve as the basis for a new intrapreneurial project.
Regardless of the types of intrapreneurship, it is important to keep in mind that the company needs to be prepared to embrace these initiatives.
Source: Aevo
