intrapreneurs
Corporate venture creators
Intrapreneurs are employees who apply entrepreneurial thinking within an existing organization—developing new products, processes, or ventures while drawing on company resources rather than starting their own business.
The term blends "internal" with "entrepreneur": The company's intrapreneur program lets engineers pitch ideas directly to executives.
Intrapreneurship offers innovation without the risk of going solo.
Within the organization
- skunkworksSecret innovation unit
- incubatorControlled warming enclosure
- acceleratorSpeed control mechanism
- venturingTaking a risk
subsidiary · cross-functional · empowerment · incentivization · sponsorship · budget · bureaucracy · hierarchy
Acting before problems arise
- self-starterOne with initiative
- autonomyIndependent decision-making capacity
- ownershipLegal right of possession
- resourcefulnessAbility to solve problems creatively
drive · ambition · determination · persistence · adaptability · risk-taking · courage · initiative
Forming mental concepts
- prototypingMaking preliminary models
- experimentationSystematic testing of ideas
- disruptionForceful interruption of process
- breakthroughSudden important advance
invention · ingenuity · creativity · brainstorming · design-thinking · iteration · pivoting · proof-of-concept
in-house
Within the organization
- skunkworksSecret innovation unit
- incubatorControlled warming enclosure
- acceleratorSpeed control mechanism
venturing · subsidiary · cross-functional · empowerment · incentivization · sponsorship · budget · bureaucracy · hierarchy · stakeholder
proactive
Acting before problems arise
- self-starterOne with initiative
- autonomyIndependent decision-making capacity
- ownershipLegal right of possession
resourcefulness · drive · ambition · determination · persistence · adaptability · risk-taking · courage · initiative · visionary
ideation
Forming mental concepts
- prototypingMaking preliminary models
- experimentationSystematic testing of ideas
- disruptionForceful interruption of process
breakthrough · invention · ingenuity · creativity · brainstorming · design-thinking · iteration · pivoting · proof-of-concept · hackathon
intrapreneursbureaucrats
Administrative government employees
paper pushers · company men · administrators · functionaries · apparatchiks
intrapreneursentrepreneurs
Those who launch ventures
startup founders · bootstrappers · business owners · sole proprietors · solopreneurs
intrapreneurstraditionalists
Upholders of established customs
conservatives · gatekeepers · obstructionists · naysayers · resisters