The corporate venturing groups were certainly impressed by the watchman in this case, as they voted Hijazi's company the "most investable" among the 15 finallists at the competition, held in partnership with American Security Challgenge.

Corporates plan for electric car future.

A trend to watch for much of this year will be corporates coming in to lead rounds for exciting new technologies of a capital intensive nature. For contrarian corporates getting in, while others are pulling back, the opportunity is promising.

The multi-track element signifies Astellas is developing its innovation toolkit - including R&D, venture-backed entrepreneurs and licensing - so various units can work relatively independently on similar medical problems and leave it up luck and judgement as to which one might work and then be distributed if successful enough.

The $79m oversubscribed up-round for Quantenna, comes after corporate venturing units played a part in putting the wi-fi chip company on a path to success.

SAP Ventures' Violin Memory deal appears to be another deft selection by the corporating venturing unit of the Germany-based technology company.

Samsung Venture Investment Company, the corporate venturing unit of the eponymous South Korea-based conglomerate, is nearing first potential exit from its European team set up two years ago.

In this world, and future ones of potential products derived from the operation of sentiment machines able to learn, could be sparked the next wave of productivity and economic growth.

The power of networks is evident - even in a world of a frictionless payments, everyone needs contacts.

Advanced Micro Devices' (AMD) agreed purchase of server maker SeaMicro for $334m is a case where a bit more light would be helpful.