How Alex Fleischer Helps Corporates Find the Right Startup Match

Ecosystem Lead at CapGemini

Author

Danny Nathan
June 12, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 5 minutes

Why you should watch it ☝️

What does it look like to build innovation that actually ships inside a Fortune 500? Can you create “serendipity” on purpose?

In this episode of Innovate, Disrupt, or Die — The Podcast, Danny sits down with Alex Fleischer, VP of Capgemini’s Applied Innovation Exchange, to unpack how large enterprises explore emerging tech without getting lost in the hype. From pilot purgatory to procurement nightmares, Alex shares how his team helps clients move from vague curiosity to operational change and why so many efforts fail before they even start.

You’ll hear:

  • How Capgemini’s “Discover, Devise, Deploy” framework helps companies go from whiteboard to execution.

  • Why startup-enterprise matchmaking usually fails, and how to do it right.

  • What innovation readiness actually looks like inside an org, not just structurally, but politically.

  • How Alex and his team vet founders for enterprise fit, not just founder hype.

  • Why most trend-chasing (AI, metaverse, etc.) falls flat—and what it takes to make those technologies stick.

If you’re selling into big orgs, trying to move something forward inside one, or just sick of innovation for show, this episode lays out what’s actually happening behind the scenes.

I want to talk to you, Innovators!

Here’s what we covered in Sunday’s newsletter edition…

Disruption Is Not What You Think

If you listened to our most recent podcast episode (see below), you heard JT White expounding upon why he hates the word “disrupt.” His visceral reaction got me thinking about why “disruption” is so hard to wrap our heads around. This week is a deep-dive into exactly what it means and why it tends to confuse.

Here’s what you’ll find:

  • This Week’s Article: Disruption is Not What You Think

  • Share This: Canva Disrupted. Adobe Lives On. 

Catch previous episodes of the Podcast here:

Why JT White Hates the Word "Disrupt"

Discover why JT White challenges the overused "disrupt" narrative and explores true innovation's meaning through AI-driven technology and product accessibility.

www.innovatedisruptordie.com/p/why-jt-white-hates-the-word-disrupt

The Podcast is Here 🎙️

Dive into the debut of "Innovate, Disrupt, or Die" podcast as host Danny Nathan shares his unique journey, insights, and vision in this candid, self-interviewed first episode.

www.innovatedisruptordie.com/p/the-podcast-is-here

Have you seen our Resource Library?

Here’s what you’ll find:

  • The Innovate, Disrupt, or Die GPT

  • The New Venture Assessment GPT

  • Whitepaper: Beyond Buzzwords: Driving Tangible and Repeatable Innovation in Business

  • Whitepaper: Beyond the "Big 4": How Technology Drives Sports from Niche to Notable

  • Whitepaper: An Executive's Guide to Internal Process Innovation

  • Business Model Template for SaaS and Services Businesses

  • Innovation Premium Estimator Model

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