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• Case | HBS Case Collection | September 2019 (Revised October 2019)

  Bill Connors and The Farm, a Comcast NBCUniversal Innovation Hub (Powered by Boomtown)

  Linda A. Hill and Eric Mankin

  In 2017, Bill Connors, the President of Comcast’s Central Division, launched a startup accelerator in Comcast’s new Atlanta Regional headquarters. Comcast was America's largest cable and internet service provider, having built a profitable business bundling television content and delivering it via cable networks to more than 20 million households. The business was changing rapidly with the rise of streaming services, and Connors wanted to change the culture and orientation of Comcast’s central division. Connors was getting ready to meet Burunda Prince, a candidate for the position of Managing Director of the new accelerator. Is she the right person for the job? The case explores structural questions for corporate startup accelerators, such as whether Comcast should hire another company to manage the accelerator and where the accelerator should be located. It also provides a basis for discussions relating to the role that a startup accelerator can play in a large corporation. This case can be taught as a standalone case, or with its counterpart, “Burunda Prince at The Farm, a Comcast NBCUniversal Innovation Hub (Powered by Boomtown)” which would follow this one and focuses on the operational challenges of launching a corporate startup accelerator.

  Keywords: innovation; entrepreneur; Startup; accelerator; outsourcing; hiring; Talent; culture; ecosystem; digital; Leadership; Innovation and Invention; Entrepreneurship; Business Startups; Diversity; Selection and Staffing; Organizational Culture; Media; Entertainment; Transformation; Atlanta;

  Citation:

  Hill, Linda A., and Eric Mankin. "Bill Connors and The Farm, a Comcast NBCUniversal Innovation Hub (Powered by Boomtown)." Harvard Business School Case 420-056, September 2019. (Revised October 2019.)  View Details

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• Case | HBS Case Collection | September 2019 (Revised October 2019)

  Burunda Prince at The Farm, a Comcast NBCUniversal Innovation Hub (Powered by Boomtown)

  Linda A. Hill, Eric Mankin and Emily Tedards

  After a successful inaugural year, Burunda Prince, the Managing Director of Comcast’s startup business accelerator The Farm, was getting ready for an eventful 2019. Comcast was America's largest cable and internet service provider, having built a profitable business bundling television content and delivering it via cable networks to more than 20 million households. The business was changing rapidly with the rise of streaming services, and The Farm was an initiative spearheaded by Comcast’s Central Division to introduce innovation into the Division’s culture. The case describes Prince’s approach in building The Farm from her arrival in August 2017, with discussions around how she chose participants for The Farm’s programs, how she worked with Comcast and with her employer, Boomtown Accelerators, who was under contract to run The Farm for Comcast, and how she developed her Atlanta ecosystem of startups, investors, and mentors. Should the business accelerator maintain its position as a general business accelerator, or should it focus on areas specific to Comcast? Should it maintain the same curriculum structure for its accelerator programs? This case can be taught as a standalone case, or with its counterpart, “Bill Connors and The Farm, a Comcast NBCUniversal Innovation Hub (Powered by Boomtown)” which precedes this one and focuses on Comcast’s rationale for launching a corporate startup accelerator.

  Keywords: innovation; accelerator; entrepreneur; Startup; outsourcing; hiring; Talent; culture; ecosystem; digital; women; African Americans; Leadership; Innovation and Invention; Entrepreneurship; Business Startups; Management; Diversity; Selection and Staffing; Organizational Culture; Media; Entertainment; Transformation; Atlanta;

  Citation:

  Hill, Linda A., Eric Mankin, and Emily Tedards. "Burunda Prince at The Farm, a Comcast NBCUniversal Innovation Hub (Powered by Boomtown)." Harvard Business School Case 420-057, September 2019. (Revised October 2019.)  View Details

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• Case | HBS Case Collection | August 2016 (Revised March 2019)

  Tom Kalil: Leading Technology & Innovation at the White House

  Linda A. Hill and Allison J. Wigen

  This case explores the role of Tom Kalil as Deputy Director for Technology & Innovation at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. With the end of President Obama's Administration drawing near, Kalil and his team of "policy entrepreneurs" must work to build an ecosystem of individuals and organizations both inside and outside the Federal government, if they hope to see their science & technology initiatives continue into the next Administration. The case allows for discussion of the following: leading innovation ecosystems, building public-private and public-public collaborations, leading system innovation, talent management and development, and public sector innovation.

  Keywords: innovation; Innovation Leadership; government innovation; talent management; collaboration; policy-making; Public sector management; leadership and managing people; Public-Private Partnerships; Ecosystems; science and technology studies; public entrepreneurship; Business and Government; Entrepreneurship; Government and Politics; Leadership; Networks; Partners and Partnerships; Science; Technology; Technology Industry; North and Central America; United States; District of Columbia;

  Citation:

  Hill, Linda A., and Allison J. Wigen. "Tom Kalil: Leading Technology & Innovation at the White House." Harvard Business School Case 417-021, August 2016. (Revised March 2019.)  View Details

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