What is the term for a business agreement where an established company provides resources to a start-up in exchange for technological expertise?

The correct term for the business agreement described is a research partnership. In this scenario, an established company collaborates with a start-up by providing resources such as funding, technology, or facilities, while the start-up offers technological expertise or innovative ideas. This mutually beneficial arrangement allows the larger company to enhance its product offerings or services by leveraging the start-up's specialized knowledge without directly acquiring the startup.

A joint venture typically involves two or more parties coming together to undertake a specific business project, often sharing risks and profits, but it may not always focus solely on the exchange of technological expertise and resources in the way a research partnership does. A licensing agreement allows one party to use another's intellectual property under certain conditions and does not necessarily involve the kind of collaborative research and development described. A franchise agreement permits the right to operate a business under the franchisor's brand and does not focus on the exchange of technological expertise or resources. Thus, the research partnership most accurately reflects the characteristics of the agreement mentioned in the question.