Be patient. •Don’t obsessively position any deal as a “do-or-die” proposition. •Be wary of bad deals. •Be aware that big companies often care more about other big companies’ plans than about closing deals with startups. •Hire a business development professional who knows how to handle big company executives. •Never assume that a deal is finished “until the ink hits the paper.” Once a deal is signed, the startup must be on guard against signs that the big company is simply using the partnership to learn about a new technology or product, in order to accelerate the in-house development of
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