Recent fund launches by Sony and ITV show how corporates are increasingly seeing early-stage investments as part of their overall impact.

One of the strongest signals through the first half of the year that the Covid-19-inspired economic downturn would lead to an acceleration of corporate focus on innovation was the record number (360+) of new corporations making their first investments.

There are few easy answers to global challenges, such as the eight to 11 million tonnes of plastic waste ending up in the oceans each year.

Last month customer resource management platform Salesforce crystallised the profits from its corporate venturing unit buying stock in online video conferencing provider Zoom at its flotation.

Energy and information technologies have always been two of the three primary drivers of human evolution – the third being human health quality and longevity, hence the importance of covid-19, anti-biotics and pain relief. 

One of the first lessons in venture capital is that investing in a technology is often less valuable than in a disruptive business model.

Software and data really do seem to be eating the world.

The planned flotation of financial services group Ant Group expected later this year for at least a $200bn valuation will be a significant milestone.

Majid Mufti has left as CEO of Saudi Aramco Energy Ventures (SAEV), the corporate venturing unit of the world’s largest oil and gas company, to be replaced by Mahdi Aladel.

UK-based consumer goods technology provider Hut Group (THG) is preparing for a flotation at a reported £4.5bn ($5.85bn) equity valuation.