Watch the replay of this webinar in GCV’s The Next Wave webinar series which took place on March 6, 2024.
As corporations have come to see corporate venturing in a mainstream role in their innovation toolkits, startups have learned to appreciate the role that a savvy corporate can play in driving the growth and value of their markets and businesses.
Corporates need startups – 80% believe that they are at risk of disruption and must look outside to keep up with technology advancement and the fast pace of emerging markets. Startups look to corporates to serve as first customers, and product and market development partners. And GCV/Pitchbook analysis shows that startups without a corporate backer are two times more likely to go belly up than a company with at least one corporate on its cap table.
However, in today’s competitive VC market, money is fungible, and the bar has been raised for corporate investors. High potential startups have clear expectations of both the strategic capabilities and the investment professionalism of CVCs.
This webinar looked at CVCs from a startup lens and explored questions including:
- At what point in the startup development journey is engagement with corporate investors and partners likely to be most productive?
- What are the most important assets a corporation can offer startups?
- Why seek investment and not just partner with corporates?
- How best to source and evaluate potential CVC partners?
- How to manage conflicts of interest with corporates as board members and observers?
- Approaches for successful commercial partnerships with corporates (the role of ‘platform teams’)
- Watchouts and key success factors for CVC partnerships
Speakers:
- Kurt Busch, CEO, Syntiant Corp
- Scé Pike, Founder, ex-CEO, IOTAS, Inc., (acquired by ADT) / Managing Partner, Azurens Inc
- Sterling Pratz, Founder & CEO, Car IQ
- Meidad Sharon, Founder and CEO, Charge After
Moderated by: Lee Sessions, Ecosystem Lead, GCV Institute
