The RSA report recommends a number of measures policymakers could consider as ways of strengthening the ecosystem to encourage and support corporate venturing, such as a venture connectivity forum, a co-investment fund and fiscal incentives, including restarting the Corporate Venturing Scheme, wound up by the last government.

Venture is a people business and while there are notable tax and policies that can help, ultimately, the countries that succeed in this latest battlefield will be the ones that take a lead from the best entrepreneurs and hire and attract the top minds from around the world to work with them and create a true venture connectivity ecosystem. Sadly, a lack of vision is holding most countries back in this area.

Keynote Speech: Jon Moulton, Founder and Chairman, Better Capital.

Panel on the role of governments to help the ecosystem, moderated by Erik Vermeulen from Philips and Tilburg University Law School.

The Rt Hon David Willetts, MP for Havant, gives a Power-spot presentation.

"Introducing tax incentives for corporate investments in SMEs [small and medium-sized enterprises], together with any capital gains and dividends from these investments, could help stimulate the necessary step-change in corporate investment behaviour."

SAP's corporate venturing unit is reportedly re-thinkings its level of investment in India, due to changes to the tax rules there, after investing in four companies in the region.

In a video interview on the fringes of our conference on Tuesday, David Willetts, the UK minister for Universities and Science, said he thought it was great corporate venturing executives from around the world had come to the UK.