This online feature discusses Arthur D. Little’s new ‘Open Innovation with Start-Ups’ report which suggests operators should give greater consideration to partnering with startup companies rather than procuring their services. The report suggests that rather than acting as gate-keeper to services, operators should openly collaborate with startup companies and allow those taken on board to develop their own internal capabilities, which will in turn benefit from the “scale and scope” of telcos. Karim Taga, Global Practice Leader of ADL’s Technology, Information, Media, and Electronics Practice, is quoted as saying “Many large global telecommunications providers are crying out for a fundamental re-set of their innovation efforts and capacity. As counter-intuitive as it sounds, some of the world’s biggest telcos will see their innovation efforts bear more fruit by opening up their R&D models, embracing fast-moving start-ups, and actively engaging with potential partners at every level in the global supply chain.”