A spin-out to reacquire. I've seen a lot of outsourcing innovation via startups with much the same effects as skunk works. People at the main company become dem

A spin-out to reacquire. I've seen a lot of outsourcing innovation via startups with much the same effects as skunk works. People at the main company become demoralized that the only way to get anything done is to leave the company, why solve a problem internally when you can do it externally for a whole more money and recognition. The causes brain drain to the point that the execs at the main company become suspicious of anyone who choses to remain long term. It even gets to the point that even after you're acquired it's better to leave and do it over again because the execs will forget you were acquired and start confusing you with their lifers. The only way I've seen anyone deal with this issue successfully is with rather small companies which don't have nearly as much of the whole agency cost of management to deal with.