Energy

Venture capital firm applies pharmaceutical companies' approach to drug discovery to its business model to create an incubation partnership.

Reed Elsevier Ventures is one of the few corporate funds set up in 2000 - the heady days of the dot.com bubble - to be celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. Diana Noble, a former partner at Schroder Ventures (now Permira), was persuaded to lead it and first to join her was Tony Askew. Kevin Brown followed as a principal and was promoted to partner the next year. Noble stepped down as managing partner at the end of 2004 to join the William J Clinton Foundation and Askew took the reins. The three of them discussed with editor James Mawson in last month's issue how the venturing team was originally architected and, in this second article, Reed Elsevier Ventures' approach to investing.

Software AG, the second-largest software vendor in Germany, examined how and whether to set up a corporate venturing unit and decided against it a few days before gaining expected ratification from the full board. Global Corporate Venturing editor James Mawson spoke to Frederic Hanika, senior vice-president and head of mergers and acquisitions.

In-house solutions are being replaced by partnerships

Summary of September 2010's deal activity with a corporate venturing involvement.

Companies are best when portfolio out their corporate venturing unit's portfolio when the division is managed independently.

Flotation price of $16 per share for biofuels company Amyris less than French oil major Total's purchase of 20% of the company in July.

TJ Cross Engineers backs GlassPoint Solar, a US-based provider of solar steam generators for oil recovery.

Vikas Desai joins PVT Solar as chief executive with latest funding completed.

Erik Sebusch joins US-based venture capital firm CMEA Capital in a new role of partner to manage its strategic relations.

Icos Cleantech Early Stage Fund II has Netherlands-listed industrial companies Royal BAM Group, CSM and Imtech as investors.