WW

Where Big Meets small

What is The
Drugstore

WHAT

The Drugstore is an innovation concept founded by Publicis Worldwide that bridges the gulf between big brands and tech start-ups.

With on the ground spaces currently in London, Sydney, Zurich and Johannesburg, and access to a global network of start ups, the Drugstore helps early-stage companies and established players forge collaborations that bring radical innovations to market.

Alongside co-working space, Members Clubs and event spaces, the Drugstore provides a suite of relationship-building products and services – from coding classes and ‘meet the maker’ workshops, to hackdays, open innovation and managed incubator programmes.

 

WHY?

Large companies are knowledgeable about scale. They understand it, they can manage it, and they can achieve it across global platforms.

But when it comes to radical product and service innovation, they often struggle to keep up with early-stage tech companies that apply agile processes, flat hierarchies and rallying ambitions.

We believe that when fostering collaboration between big and small, the most visionary partnerships are formed when the ambitions of the little-guy are protected.

For that reason, our approach begins with start-up first.

From founder ambitions, we delicately work our way back to commerce, matching start-up interests with corporate capabilities. Much like the sponsored research programs at MIT in the 80s, our task is working out how to capitalise on inventions, not forcing or directing the inventors themselves.

THE LEGACY

In the late 1950s, Publicis founder Marcel Bleustein-Blanchet created an emporium close to the Arc de Triomphe. Inspired by American corner-convenience stores, he called it The Drugstore. The Drugstore gathered many different businesses under one roof for the benefit of consumers. And it’s with that spirit that we’ve established The Drugstore; a place where companies from a variety of backgrounds can gather, to create innovative products and services that will benefit consumers.