Co-Create at the Frontier
Research Partnership Program
Partner Organizations Don't Just Receive Our Frameworks — They Help Evolve Them
Most AI projects start with a vendor relationship: you define requirements, they deliver solutions, you adapt. Research Partnership inverts this. Your domain expertise combined with our methodological depth advances understanding for both parties. We explore complex challenges together, building frameworks that didn't exist before we started.
Partnership or Consulting?
Most organizations should start with standard consulting through our Discovery process. Research Partnership is different, and it's not for everyone.
Standard Consulting
- You define scope, we deliver solutions
- Clear timeline and deliverables
- Vendor relationship: you pay, we build
- Proven approaches applied to your context
Research Partnership
- Mutual exploration of complex challenges
- Flexible timeline with learning milestones
- Collaborative relationship: shared investment, shared outcomes
- Experimental approaches developed together
If you need reliable delivery of AI solutions, schedule a Discovery Call. If you're ready to explore territory where neither of us has all the answers yet, keep reading.
Concrete Benefits of Partnership
Research Partnership offers tangible advantages beyond standard consulting engagements.
Reduced Investment
Partnership pricing reflects our mutual commitment. You benefit from rates below standard consulting engagements because we're investing development resources in the exploration itself.
Dedicated Development Resources
Not just advisory. Our development team actively works on your challenge during the partnership, building prototypes, testing approaches, and iterating based on real results.
Framework Co-Creation
Your challenge shapes approaches that become reference points for the field. Partners don't just receive CEDAR and AIKIDO — they help evolve them. Your domain expertise enriches frameworks that benefit the broader AI implementation community.
Methodology Access
Work directly with CEDAR, AIKIDO, and frameworks still in development. See how ontological thinking translates to implementation.
Proof-of-Concept Exploration
When appropriate, partnerships can include exploratory POCs to validate approaches before full commitment. This is determined case-by-case based on the challenge and mutual fit.
Case Study Publication
With your approval, partnership outcomes can be published as case studies. This documents your innovation leadership while advancing industry knowledge.
These benefits complement, not replace, the core value: solving complex challenges through collaborative exploration that neither party could achieve alone.
Mutual Investment, Mutual Value
Partnership means both sides bring something meaningful to the table.
What IdeaSpring Invests
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Development Time
Dedicated engineering resources for exploration and prototyping. Not advisory hours, actual building.
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Methodology Expertise
CEDAR, AIKIDO, and emerging frameworks applied directly to your challenges. Access to approaches still being refined.
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Reduced Rates
Below-market pricing reflecting collaborative investment model. We commit resources; you benefit from partnership economics.
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Framework Co-Creation
Your challenge shapes approaches that become reference points for the field. Jointly develop solutions that matter beyond this partnership.
What Partners Invest
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Domain Expertise
Deep knowledge of your industry, processes, and constraints. This isn't something we can get from research; it comes from lived experience.
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Real Use Cases
Actual challenges that test and refine approaches. Complex problems that don't have obvious solutions.
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Collaborative Commitment
Time for iteration, feedback, and deep engagement. Partnership requires presence, not just approval.
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Willingness to Explore
Openness to experimental approaches and honest assessment. If something doesn't work, we need to know why.
Partnership Process
From application to active exploration, here's how Research Partnership unfolds.
Submit Application
Complete the form below describing your organization, challenge, and what makes partnership appealing to you.
Review Within 5 Business Days
We evaluate applications for mutual fit: challenge complexity, collaborative potential, and capacity match.
Mutual-Fit Call If Aligned
If there's potential fit, we schedule a conversation to explore whether partnership makes sense for both parties.
Partnership Design If There's Mutual Interest
Together we define the exploration scope, investment from both sides, and success indicators.
Exploration Begins
Active collaboration starts. Development resources engage, iterations happen, and we learn what works.
Clarity Note: Not every application leads to partnership. Limited capacity means selectivity. If there's not fit for partnership but there's value in working together, we'll recommend the appropriate engagement path, whether that's Discovery, standard consulting, or something else.
Who Should Apply?
Research Partnerships work best when there's clear mutual benefit. We maintain limited capacity to ensure each partnership receives genuine attention and resources.
Complex AI Challenges
Problems that don't have obvious solutions. Challenges that require genuine exploration, not just application of proven approaches.
Example: "We need AI to work with messy legacy data that doesn't fit standard models" — not "We need a chatbot."
Collaborative Mindset
Ready to work together, not just hand off requirements and wait for delivery. Partnership requires engagement from your team.
Example: Willingness to iterate based on what we learn together, even if that changes initial assumptions.
Domain Authority
Deep expertise in your field that enriches the exploration. You know things about your industry that we can't learn from reading.
Example: Years of operational experience revealing constraints and opportunities that aren't documented anywhere.
Long-term Perspective
Seeking lasting solutions, not quick fixes or trend-chasing. Understanding that meaningful progress takes time.
Example: Willing to explore thoroughly rather than rush to deployment, because getting it right matters more than getting it fast.
This Might Not Be for You If...
Consider Discovery Call Instead If:
- You have a clear scope and timeline
- You need vendor delivery, not collaborative exploration
- You're evaluating multiple providers competitively
- You need a solution implemented next quarter
- You're not ready to commit team time to iteration
Apply for Research Partnership
Tell us about your organization and the challenge you'd like to explore together. We review applications within 5 business days and reach out if there's potential mutual fit.
Not Ready for Partnership?
That's okay. Discovery Call is the right starting point for most organizations.
In a 60-minute conversation, we'll explore your situation and determine whether standard consulting, Research Partnership, or something else entirely makes the most sense. You'll receive a written Clarity Document summarizing insights and recommendations, whether we work together or not.
Schedule Discovery Call Instead60-minute conversation, then Clarity Document within 48 hours. No obligation, just clarity.