Q&A with Steve Deutsch, investment principal, Motorola Solutions Venture Capital
1. First, just give us a quick overview of who you work for, what you do, and how long you have been doing it.
As an investment principal at Motorola Solutions Venture Capital (MSVC), [the corporate venturing arm of US-based data communications equipment manufacturer Motorola Solutions,] I am responsible for scouting, evaluating and executing strategic venture investments that help transform the future of public safety and enterprise security. I am also responsible for managing relationships with several portfolio companies. I joined MSVC in September 2019.
2. What attracted you to corporate venture capital (CVC)?
CVC provides a unique opportunity to help entrepreneurs access large organisations that are historically difficult to navigate, while simultaneously helping accelerate innovation at a historic tech company that is helping keep communities safe and saving lives.
3. What have been your greatest successes at your unit?
Developing trusted relationships with key stakeholders across our business units. Taking the time to continuously understand their needs and priorities, while also providing an outside perspective on how the market is evolving and the startup ecosystem is absolutely critical given the highly strategic nature of our investments. These relationships not only help us qualify investment opportunities but also ensure the ventures team can provide the right access and opportunities to our portfolio and pipeline companies.
4. What have been your biggest challenges?
Same answer as the last question. Developing the right relationships and positioning Ventures as a complimentary, not competitive, asset to internal initiatives.
5. What is your main professional ambition for the future?
I want to be known as a go-to resource entrepreneurs can trust and rely on.
6. What do you think all CVCs could do better to make it a stronger industry?
Given all the different flavours of CVC, I think it is critical that CVCs are upfront with entrepreneurs on their particular approach and investment process – for example, whether strategic business unit sponsorship is required. This allows founders to better understand the lens an investor views deals from and ensure the meeting is most beneficial for both parties.
7. What are some of your corporate parent’s technology needs and corporate strategy amid the pandemic, as well as your CVC unit’s pain points?
Given Motorola Solutions’ focus on public safety and enterprise security, public health is a close adjacency and highly relevant; however, as a ventures unit, we try not to over-index on the pandemic. While there are some interesting companies and technologies coming out of the pandemic, we are really interested in how these technologies can be applied to broader safety and security problems Motorola Solutions is more traditionally focused on.
Current focus areas for MSVC include advanced sensor technologies and sensor fusion, artificial intelligence and computer vision with applications in safety and security, voice tech and audio analytics, advanced location technologies and services, drone and counter-drone software and solutions, and data analytics for public safety.
8. And, finally, for colour, what did you do prior to CVC or in your spare time?
Prior to joining MSVC, I worked as a strategy and operations consultant advising technology companies on value creation and go-to-market strategies. I started my career on the incubation team at Sandbox Industries, a venture capital and business incubation firm, helping launch and scale early-stage tech startups. In my spare time, I love to cook and discover dive bars (pre-covid). I also pretend to train my puppy.
