Key Takeaways From the 2024 Intrapreneurship Barometer

The ROI Awakening of Intrapreneurship

What stands out in the Intrapreneurship Barometer 2024 Edition is that intrapreneurship is now positioned as a core driver of growth, with 89% of surveyed programs focused squarely on generating business impact. Companies today see intrapreneurship as one of the tools for creating value, fostering resilience, sparking innovation, and staying competitive in an ever-evolving market.

Three strategic priorities now dominate these initiatives:

• Business value creation: 89% of programs aim to deliver concrete business impact, setting clear financial and performance goals
• Transformation: 61% focus on transformation, helping organizations adapt to market shifts
• Performance: 52% view intrapreneurship as a way to boost productivity and operational efficiency

This data points to the fundamental shift of intrapreneurship moving from being “nice to have” to “must have,” as it empowers companies to generate new revenue streams and navigate change.

Innovation Powered by Purpose: A Focus on CSR and AI

Intrapreneurship programs increasingly tackle Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), which is driven by employee demand and industry trends. Nearly half (47%) of the companies surveyed report a surge in CSR-driven intrapreneurial projects over the last three years. Environmental and social concerns are now frequently woven into innovation goals, with many programs designed to minimize environmental footprints, promote social good, and meet stringent sustainability targets.

Meanwhile, GenAI has emerged as a transformative tool, with one-third of programs using it to streamline processes, refine ideas, or speed up prototyping. Companies that leverage GenAI report higher perceived program value (7.4/10 versus the general 6.6/10). Whether helping teams validate business concepts or refine product development, GenAI is proving indispensable in driving intrapreneurial success, enhancing creativity, and maximizing return on investment.

Matching Talent With Ideas: The Secret Ingredient to Intrapreneurial Success

Intrapreneurial success hinges on the right blend of talent and ideas. Rather than prioritizing one over the other, companies are increasingly focused on creating “perfect matches” between innovative ideas and employees who can bring them to life. The report reveals that 56% of companies emphasize this alignment, seeing the match as critical to delivering meaningful results.

For companies with mature programs, employee involvement is particularly vital: 61% of organizations with intrapreneurial initiatives over five years view talent as the key to success. Some even go so far as to hold internal calls for applications, encouraging employees to “apply” to lead or participate in new ventures. This approach promotes a dynamic culture of collaboration and enables companies to tap into a diverse pool of skills and perspectives.

Overcoming Challenges: Bridging the Gap Between Ambition and Resources

Despite their growing strategic importance, intrapreneurship programs face significant hurdles. Many companies report a gap between their ambitions and available resources, with only 39% setting clear, numerical goals for their intrapreneurial initiatives. This lack of concrete targets makes it challenging to gauge success and secure sufficient resources, leading to potential underfunding.

The report highlights the importance of consistent investment and clear resource allocation to sustain and grow intrapreneurship efforts. Programs that have been in place for more than five years consistently report better returns (7.3/10 compared to an average of 6.8/10), underscoring the impact of long-term commitment and the value of experience in optimizing outcomes.

Support, Incentives, and Recognition: Making Intrapreneurship Rewarding

Recognition and support are vital to keeping intrapreneurs motivated and engaged. However, companies vary widely in their approach to incentives. Only 31% of intrapreneurs receive financial rewards for their efforts, and only 4% of companies offer certifications or formal recognition upon completing projects. This data points to a significant opportunity for companies to boost engagement and loyalty by creating more robust reward systems.

Nevertheless, other forms of support are on the rise: 50% of companies facilitate career development for intrapreneurs, helping them translate their experience into new roles or skills. Additionally, intrapreneurs are increasingly encouraged to spend a significant portion of their time on projects, with programs that have been in place for more than five years allowing for up to 56% of work hours to be devoted to intrapreneurial activities.

Learning From Setbacks: When Intrapreneurship Programs Fall Short

Not every intrapreneurial venture succeeds, and some programs have to be discontinued. The report highlights that for 45% of companies, organizational restructuring was the main reason for halting intrapreneurial programs, while 28% cited insufficient funding.

Interestingly, only 9% of companies cited failure to achieve objectives as the primary reason for ending a program. This finding suggests that many programs lack clear initial success criteria or have difficulty securing leadership support. Indeed, a new management team is more likely to question the choices made by their predecessors or even put an end to projects or programs that fail to generate concrete results for the company.

For companies committed to intrapreneurship, the data is a reminder that sustainability requires alignment with business goals, dedicated funding, and a culture that values innovation as a long-term investment.

The Path Forward: Best Practices for Intrapreneurial Success

Yumana’s findings underscore a set of best practices that companies can adopt to enhance the impact of their intrapreneurship programs:

1. Set clear objectives and metrics: Companies that define specific, measurable goals are better equipped to demonstrate value and secure resources. Programs that set ROI targets or numerical milestones report higher levels of satisfaction and impact.
2. Prioritize the talent-idea match: Finding the right people to drive ideas forward is essential. Companies should consider calls for applications to tap into internal talent and create dynamic, cross-functional teams.
3. Invest in long-term programs: Long-standing programs tend to yield better outcomes. A sustained approach, coupled with dedicated resources and funding, enables companies to develop robust governance structures and learn from iterative improvements.
4. Recognize and reward intrapreneurs: To keep intrapreneurs engaged, companies should consider offering financial incentives, career support, and formal recognition. Creating a supportive environment that values their contributions can help retain talent and foster innovation.
5. Leverage AI and CSR: Integrating GenAI tools for prototyping, refining ideas, and incorporating CSR into program goals can amplify innovation and align projects with broader company values.
6. Embrace flexibility and learn from failure: Not every project will succeed, but each offers valuable insights. Companies open to adapting based on intrapreneurs’ feedback and program performance are more likely to evolve and thrive.

Intrapreneurship: Ushering in the Age of Reason

The Yumana Intrapreneurship Barometer 2024 reveals that intrapreneurship has reached a stage of maturity. With experience, companies have acquired real expertise in this field. In the space of three years, the maturation of the programs is palpable. Companies better understand the underlying internal mechanisms, the key success factors, and the real impact of these initiatives. Intrapreneurship is now repositioned in its rightful place: a real driver of value creation aligned with business objectives.

However, there are many paths to excellence. Numerous companies that have embarked on this journey still have a long way to go before revealing their full potential. For those who have had a program in place for three years or more, the progress is tangible, particularly in considering ROI-led business objectives and the desire to serve strategic ambitions at an operational level. For those who have started on this journey more recently, there are still some key stages to go through, marked by progress that may be tentative, with resources that are often limited, but where perseverance and continuous adaptation will ultimately lead to sustainable performance.

Employee commitment remains central to this dynamic. Companies seem to have understood this, as evidenced by the fact that 96% of them now offer their employees the opportunity to participate in the innovation process actively.

In 2025 and beyond, intrapreneurship is more than a means of generating new ideas; it’s a blueprint for resilience, adaptability, and growth. Companies ready to harness this potential will stand out in an increasingly complex, competitive landscape - creating value, cultivating innovation, and building a brighter future from within.