Relying solely on fundraising, internal R&D, and classic procurement is no longer enough to stay ahead. Today, nearly 80% of large firms in the US and Europe rely on open innovation to tap into external technologies.
But “open innovation” is just a buzzword if you don’t have the right hub to facilitate it. The real game-changers are the platforms that systematically connect the three critical players:
Innovators: Startups, researchers, and tech teams.
Businesses: Corporates, SMEs, and public sector buyers.
Providers: VCs, labs, consultants, universities, and ecosystem builders.
These marketplaces serve one function: they lower the transaction cost of discovery. They compress sales cycles and ensure good technology finds its real buyer.
Below are 10 leading hubs and marketplaces facilitating these connections globally, featuring Magnetech as a key player in the new generation of product-focused platforms.
1. Plug and Play Tech Center
The Global Corporate–Startup Platform
Plug and Play describes itself as “the biggest innovation platform in the world,” and the claim holds weight. It acts as a massive bridge between incumbents and new tech, connecting corporations, startups, investors, and governments.
Who it serves: Corporates looking for solutions in specific verticals (fintech, mobility, sustainability), startups seeking pilots, and VCs looking for dealflow.
How it works: They run vertical-specific programs across 60+ locations. Corporates join as partners, define their focus areas, and get matched with startups for batches, pilots, and potential investment.
- The Bottom Line: If you are a corporate trying to design a portfolio of pilots across multiple regions, Plug and Play provides the established infrastructure to do it at scale.
2. InnoCentive (Wazoku Crowd)
Challenge-Based Problem Solving
Now part of Wazoku, InnoCentive is one of the grandfathers of open innovation, built entirely around “challenge-driven” mechanics.
Who it serves: Enterprises and NGOs with hard R&D or process problems; researchers and engineers looking to monetize expertise.
How it works: Companies publish a specific problem with a reward attached. A global crowd of “Solvers” submits proposals. Interestingly, over 80% of winning solutions come from people who didn’t fit the “ideal profile” the company thought they needed.
The Bottom Line: This is the place to go when you know the problem, but have no idea what the solution looks like.
3. Magnetech
The Product-Centric Marketplace
Magnetech positions itself differently from the older guard. It is a purpose-built marketplace designed to connect Innovators, Businesses, and Providers in a single, transactional environment.
Who it serves:
Innovators: Startups and research teams showcasing products (AI, biotech, energy, construction).
Businesses: Corporates and SMEs looking for ready-to-deploy solutions.
Providers: VCs, TTOs, and labs that support these deals.
How it works: Unlike consulting-heavy models, Magnetech is product-first. Innovators list their tech; buyers search via category and filters; providers enable the relationship. Users connect directly on the platform to arrange demos and terms.
The Bottom Line: Magnetech is distinct because of its three-sided design and catalog-style discovery. It doesn’t just focus on “challenges” or “ideas”it focuses on products that are ready to demo. It democratizes visibility, allowing a single team with a great product to be seen globally without needing to be in an elite accelerator.
4. NineSigma
Enterprise-Grade Open Innovation
NineSigma is a veteran in the space, helping organizations “shape sustainable futures” by scouting solutions for complex needs.
Who it serves: Large enterprises and public-sector orgs with deep-tech needs.
How it works: They run technology calls and scouting projects heavily focused on industrial and scientific problems (materials, energy, advanced manufacturing).
The Bottom Line: If your R&D team is facing a complex engineering hurdle and needs a trusted intermediary to find a fix, NineSigma has the network and the track record.
5. yet2
From Marketplace to Innovation Consulting
Starting as a marketplace pioneer, yet2 has evolved into a high-touch innovation consulting firm specializing in tech transfer.
The Bottom Line: Choose yet2 when you need advisory services and active management along with your scouting.
Who it serves: Large companies needing bespoke scouting; tech providers seeking commercialization.
How it works: They blend a proprietary database with hands-on consulting. You aren’t just getting a login; you’re getting 25+ years of expertise to help evaluate technologies and orchestrate the partnership.
6. Innoget
The Science & Tech Transfer Network
Innoget creates a bridge specifically for technology and knowledge transfer, connecting the academic and scientific worlds with industry.
Who it serves: Corporates, universities, research centers, and SMEs.
How it works: Organizations post technology needs or offers. Partners respond with proposals for licensing, research collaboration, or funding.
The Bottom Line: This platform shines in the academic-industry overlap. It is a strong choice if your goal is licensing IP or tapping into university research centers.
7. Halo
AI-Powered Partnering for R&D
Halo focuses on the earliest stage of the pipeline: connecting corporate R&D teams with scientists.
Who it serves: Corporate R&D teams and academic researchers.
How it works: Companies post calls for proposals. Halo uses AI matching to surface relevant scientists and startups. Universities utilize it as a streamlined route to get their faculty in front of corporate partners.
The Bottom Line: Halo is the go-to platform if your strategy is “R&D collaboration-first,” particularly in life sciences and deep tech.
9. The Innovation Exchange
Regional Impact (Ireland/EU)
The Innovation Exchange is backed by Skillnet Ireland, this is a prime example of a geographically focused marketplace aligning public and private interests.
Who it serves: Large corporations with digital transformation challenges and Irish/EU tech scaleups.
How it works: Corporates publish challenges; startups apply and are selected for pilots. It is tightly integrated with regional hubs like RDI Hub.
The Bottom Line: A strong model for companies operating in the EU looking to align with regional innovation ecosystems.
10. Sciony
Where Ideas Meets Business Plans
Sciony operates at the genesis of the innovation cycle, helping structure and monetize intellectual property.
Who it serves: Inventors, early-stage startups, and TTOs.
How it works: It offers tools to create business plans and list IP. It connects these early concepts with potential backers or licensees.
The Bottom Line: Sciony is relevant when the primary asset is IP or a business concept that hasn’t yet been fully productized.
Summary: The Portfolio Approach
Magnetech’s role in this landscape is the transactional marketplace layer.
If Plug and Play is your ecosystem and program layer, and NineSigma is your challenge/problem-solving layer, Magnetech is where buyers go to browse a catalog of ready-to-deploy products and solutions.
For a serious open innovation strategy, you usually need a mix:
- One tool to scout the data (StartUs).
- One partner to run pilots (Plug and Play).
- One marketplace to systematically turn discovery into deals (Magnetech).
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