Startup Marketing Clinic and the launch of the Corporate Readiness Assessment Model
Introducing the Corporate Readiness Level (CRL) Self-Assessment
❓ How “corporate ready” is your startup or scaleup?
For founders and innovation leaders, understanding your Corporate Readiness Level (CRL) is no longer optional—it’s essential for unlocking partnerships with major corporates.
We must acknowledge the difference between "product" and "organisation". A startup can develop the best technology in town, if the organisation is not organised, wired, managed the right way, corporates will not engage with it — and prefer less advanced tech from a more mature organisation.
Despite the growing need, there’s never been an easy, structured way for startups and scaleups to benchmark their corporate readiness — until now.
❓ Why Corporate Readiness Matters
Corporates are raising the bar for compliance, security, and operational maturity when working with startups. Many promising partnerships stall or fail simply because the basics aren’t in place—often without founders realising it. A clear, objective assessment can reveal hidden gaps, accelerate deal cycles, and build trust on both sides.
❗ The CRL Self-Assessment Model
Based on the 50.000+ validated startups we delivered to our corporate clients with Novable, I’ve developed a practical, spreadsheet-based tool that lets founders self-assess their corporate readiness in minutes. First time it steps out of our back-end processes and goes public! Here’s how it works:
▶️ Comprehensive Criteria: Covers 72+ factors across IT security, legal, commercial, operations, organizational maturity, technology, and soft skills.
Weighted Scoring: Each criterion is weighted by importance (Critical, High, Medium, Low), reflecting what corporates actually prioritize.
▶️ Actionable Score: Instantly see your CRL score (0–200), highlighting strengths and urgent gaps.
▶️ Self-Serve: No consultants or long workshops—just honest, data-driven insight you can act on today.
❓ Who Should Care?
1️⃣ Startup & Scaleup Founders: Benchmark your readiness, prioritize improvements, and boost your credibility with corporate partners.
2️⃣ Corporate Innovation & Procurement Teams: Share with your startup partners, or use it to align expectations and streamline onboarding.
Curious to see where you stand—or want to help your partners raise their game?
The first public appearance of the model was on June 9th, 2025 at the Startup Marketing Clinic.