By Associate Professor of International Business and Strategy Shameen Prashantham

The current fascination with entrepreneurship in mainstream society can be clearly seen in the wide coverage they get in the media. Such start-ups are viewed as proactive, nimble and agile, which allows them to be highly innovative and willing to take risks. This is the antithesis of how large multinational corporations (MNCs) are perceived by many: as slower, bureaucratic organisations that are no longer fleet-footed and, therefore, not as innovative or risk-taking as they once were.

Perhaps recognising this themselves, many MNCs are now actively wooing start-ups to engage and co-innovate with them. I recently talked to a number of MNC managers in Bangalore with job titles that, until not so long ago, didn't exist: 'Country Head, Startup Ecosystem', 'Startup Ecosystem Evangelist', 'Director of Startup Business Development' - which suggests that some MNCs are making a concerted effort to engage start-ups. It wasn't always like this.

Read more in Business Today.