Plug and Play: From Property Deal to Corporate Innovation Driver

How did a Silicon Valley property play become a global corporate innovation driver and VC firm? In this episode of Open For Business, Jojo Flores, Co-Founder of Plug and Play, shares how a Silicon Valley real estate play in 2006/2007 has turned into a global innovation platform and early-stage startup investor. Plug and Play now operates across 50+ locations, running accelerator programs, corporate innovation services, and a venture capital firm.

We discuss their journey, expansion into APAC, and their perspective on the future of innovation in the region. Key points we dive into include:

- The story behind the founding of Plug and Play and its early beginnings in real estate.

- How Plug and Play became a hub for startups like Dropbox, Lending Club, and PayPal.

- The role of corporate partnerships in Plug and Play’s accelerator and innovation programs.

- Plug and Play’s investment strategy and how they choose the startups they invest in.

- The expansion into Southeast Asia and insights on Malaysia’s innovation potential.