Want to take your startup to the next level? Partnering with big, corporate players might seem like hitting the jackpot, and while such success is a possibility there are a few things you can do to boost your chances, according to a panel held at last week’s Techweek DC 2017 conference at the Newseum.

Large companies partner with startups because they can bring a fresh perspective, move fast without being dragged down by red tape and operate with a relatively low cost of failure. The U.S. is experiencing a record number of tech startups climbing three years consecutively, according to Bloomberg.

“I think there is something incredibly refreshing about getting to go out and work with teams that are just every day obsessively, minutely focused on how do they invent something new that is going to change the industry they’re operating in,” said Evan Burfield, cofounder and CEO of 1776, an incubator for startups that is helping to connect big companies with early-stage companies through programs like a travel experience incubator.

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