Alternative Engagement
Research Partnership Program
Co-Create at the Frontier
For organizations seeking more than vendor delivery — a collaborative exploration where mutual investment creates mutual value.
What Is a Research Partnership?
A Research Partnership is not a typical consulting engagement. It's a collaborative relationship where IdeaSpring and your organization jointly explore complex AI challenges — with both parties bringing resources to the table.
Unlike vendor relationships where you pay for deliverables, Research Partnerships create shared outcomes. We invest our development time, methodology expertise, and reduced rates. You invest domain expertise, real use cases, and commitment to the collaborative process.
The result? Solutions to your specific challenges, advanced understanding of the problem space, and potential case study publication (with your approval). Both parties learn, both parties benefit.
Mutual Investment, Mutual Value
Partnership means both sides bring something to the table.
What IdeaSpring Invests
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Development Time
Dedicated engineering resources for exploration and prototyping
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Methodology Expertise
CEDAR, AIKIDO, and emerging frameworks applied to your challenges
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Reduced Rates
Below-market pricing reflecting collaborative investment model
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Framework Co-Creation
Jointly develop approaches that become industry reference points
What Partners Invest
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Domain Expertise
Deep knowledge of your industry, processes, and constraints
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Real Use Cases
Actual challenges that test and refine our approaches
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Collaborative Commitment
Time for iteration, feedback, and deep engagement
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Willingness to Explore
Openness to experimental approaches and honest assessment
Who Should Apply?
Research Partnerships are selective. We limit the number of active partnerships to ensure each receives genuine attention and resources. Ideal partners share these characteristics:
Complex AI Challenges
Problems that don't have obvious solutions and require genuine exploration
Collaborative Mindset
Ready to work together, not just hand off requirements and wait
Domain Authority
Deep expertise in your field that enriches the exploration
Long-term Perspective
Seeking lasting solutions, not quick fixes or trend-chasing
Note: If you're looking for standard consulting delivery — clear scope, fixed timeline, defined deliverables — that's what our Discovery Call process is for. Research Partnerships are for organizations ready to explore alongside us.
Apply for Research Partnership
Tell us about your organization and the challenge you'd like to explore together.
Not Ready for Partnership?
That's okay. Our Discovery Call is the right starting point for most organizations.
In a 30-minute conversation, we'll explore your situation and determine whether standard consulting, a Research Partnership, or something else entirely makes the most sense.
Schedule Discovery Call Instead