Intrapreneurship is a relatively recent concept that focuses on employees

of a company that have many of the attributes of entrepreneurs. An

intrapreneur is someone within a company that takes risks in an effort to
solve a given problem. Through much research it is becoming well
understood how important intrapreneurs are to a successful company. So
what should an entrepreneur know about intrapreneurs? Here are 10 key
points:
1. The distinction between entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs
can be seen as a difference in the level of focus. While an
entrepreneur should see the company as a vision from
starting point to end; the intrapreneur is a facet of this
broader vision. The intrapreneur works within the company
to solve a specific problem. Thus intraprenuers should have
more directly applicable skills for a given task. The
intrapreneur will take risks, but within the context of their
job in the company. The intrapreneur, unlike the
entrepreneur, is not focused on the entire company, but
rather processes within it.
2. Intrapreneurs are major contributors to increases in
productivity within companies. Like entrepreneurs,
intrapreneurs take risks and find more effective ways to
accomplish tasks. An intrapreneur, in the most basic sense,
is a skilled problem solver that can take on important tasks
within a company.
3. Intrapreneurs are the drivers of innovation within
companies. In a similar role to that of entrepreneurs,
intrapreneurs seek to provide solutions to unique market
driven problems. They seek policies, technologies and
application that resolve a barrier to productivity increases.
Like the entrepreneur who starts a company with the goal
of providing a good or service, the intrapreneur takes on a
task within the company to increase the capacity of the
company.
4. One should really understand how intrapreneurship and
entrepreneurship are linked. In fact, it is often taking on

intrapreneurial tasks that allow someone to build the skill

needed to eventually become an entrepreneur. Basically,
intrapreneurship is the first step on the ladder to becoming
an entrepreneur. As an intrapreneur builds the aptitude to
recognize and solve important problems they build the skills
necessary to one day start a company.
5. Similar to how an entrepreneur requires the ability to
experiment, along with freedom and room to grow, so too
does an intrapreneur. The process of intrapreneurship
requires autonomy and independence to truly investigate
every angle of the given problem they are presented with. If
one wishes to control every act the intrapreneur does then
they will stifle the experimental and creative process.
6. A successful intrapreneur understands trends; they see
where the company needs to go before anyone else. Any
successful company must have a number of intraprenuers
to see future trends and meet them before their
competitors do. In this respect good intrapreneurs are the
most important asset a company has.
7. Intrapreneurs will become the building blocks of a
company's executive teams and leaders. They are the
driving force that moves a company forward and they will
inevitably rise to the top of the company as they
understand the company from all levels. Starting from the
bottom, they will see the company as a set of processes in
which every process must evolve.
8. A company must be aware of its most successful
intrapreneurs; the company must recognize and promote
them as soon as possible. It is through this recognition that
a company will succeed and grow. The intrapreneur is the
most fundamental component of an innovative and growing
company. A company requires intraprenuers at each level to
problem solve and integrate each process into the greater
whole.

9. Unlike employees who are simply with a company to get a

paycheck, intrapreneurs should be viewed as part of the
company. They do more than just commit their time to a
company, as they also invest their skills. Intrapreneurs see
the ability to grow personally along with the company and
in this sense, should be seen as investors in a company,
rather than just employees. An intrapreneur is someone
who grows with the company; it is a symbiotic relationship
as the company helps them and they, in turn, help the
company.
10.
A company grows when you find the virtuous cycle of
entrepreneurs hiring intrapreneurs. A good entrepreneur
recognizes talented intrapreneurs and as they are promoted
they intern recognize good intraprenuers below them. In
this fashion a company culture is constructed where
talented innovators teach and foster the growth of other
talented innovators. This cycle continues and the company
will become a truly innovative leader.
Chirag Kulkarni, the chief executive officer of C&M Group, an
entrepreneurial strategy consulting firm focused on growth and new product
innovation for startups to Fortune 500s mentions that "intrapreneurs are key
drivers of growth in companies large and small, and can serve as excellent
managers and people worth developing to later pursue entrepreneurial
ventures. If you are looking for individuals with corporate experience for
your startup, intrapreneurs are the ones to hire because they understand
corporate upheavals, but will still be driven and motivated to work towards
growing your company"
Table 1.4 Difference between an Entrepreneur and an Intrapreneur:
Bases of
Difference

Entrepreneur

Intrapreneur

1.

An entrepreneur But, an

Dependency is independent intrapreneur is

in his

dependent on the

entrepreneur, i.e.,
operations.

the owner.

An entrepreneur
himself raises
funds required

Funds are not

2. Raising of for the

raised by the

Funds

enterprise.

intrapreneur.

Entrepreneur

An intrapreneur

bears the risk

does not fully bear

involved in the

the risk involved in

business.

the enterprise.

3. Risk

On the contrary,
an intrapreneur
An entrepreneur operates from
operates from
4. Operation out-side.

within the
organisation itself