Watch the replay of this webinar in GCV’s The Next Wave webinar series which took place on August 14, 2024.

 

 

In today’s competitive VC market, money is fungible, and the bar has been raised for corporate venturing programs. High potential startups have clear expectations of both the strategic partnering capabilities and the VC investment professionalism of corporations.

GCV Keystone benchmarking research shows that 40% of CVCs now have integrated professional ‘Platform’ teams that formalize approaches to internal and ecosystem partnering and operate in parallel with the investment teams. The number of CVC programs with professional platforms teams has risen significantly over the past few years and our research shows that these teams are highly valued by startups.

However, Keystone research also shows that an equivalent percentage (40%) of corporations with direct investment (CVC) arms also have separate ‘Venture Client’ programs that are purpose-built to facilitate parent collaboration with startups without involving millions in equity investment.


This webinar explored both the commonalities and the differences between the two approaches to startup engagement, looking at:

  • What is the same and what is different between a CVC program ‘platform’ (business development) team and a ‘venture client’ program?
  • What is the role that each program type might play in a corporate innovation portfolio?
  • What are the benefits and drawbacks of a corporation investing in startups (CVC) rather than just buying/partnering for innovation (venture client)?
  • What are the biggest challenges to driving impactful startup-parent engagement?
  • What are key success factors?
  • How should the success of a startup engagement program be measured and communicated? What is the same and are there differences between the two models?


Speakers:
Amy Burr, President – JetBlue Ventures
Inga Grieger, Managing Director & Business Development Manager – BMW iVentures
Eva Harasewycz, Lead Venture Clienting – Siemens Energy Ventures

Moderator: Liz Arrington, Managing Director – GCV Institute (Moderator)