Early Stage Report 2015: Nearly half of corporations look to universities for early-stage ideas. Many of the most innovative corporations look the most globally. Corporations running more accelerators and investing in the startups.
Category: Analysis
Awards toast an industry in growth mode
Every year it is a great privilege to pick the shortlist for our awards to the corporate venturing industry.
The Intramezzo Talent Capital Award – Naspers
Founded in Cape Town in 1915, Naspers began as an Afrikaans newspaper publisher but significant expansion, driven by a highly acquisitive business model, has seen the business develop into a multinational group of media and e-commerce platforms with a presence in over 130 countries worldwide and some 19,000 employees.
Consultancy Firm of the Year – PwC
From tax advice, such as the concept of participation exemption, to helping corporates decide whether setting up a CVC unit is in their best interests, PwC is strengthening the professionalism of corporate venturing across multiple sectors and markets. In 2014 the advisory firm brought in CVC professional Mark Muth, formerly of Unilever Ventures, as a director to its London-based corporate finance team, to… Continue reading Consultancy Firm of the Year – PwC
Software Service Provider of the Year – Salesforce
Few businesses have made as big a wave as enterprise software producer Salesforce.com has over the past few years.
Financial Firm of the Year – Silicon Valley Bank
Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) has long been an integral cog in the corporate venturing engine, with its advisory business supporting many of the largest players in the industry. The firm has consistently balanced the needs of startups and corporate venturing units. Its venture debt is a flexible and welcome option to many company founders that… Continue reading Financial Firm of the Year – Silicon Valley Bank
Legal Firm of the Year – DLA Piper
DLA Piper has a specialised international practice dedicated to emerging growth and venture capital, with 200 lawyers in the US and 400 around the world who specifically serve entrepreneurs, technology companies and venture funds by focusing on private equity and venture capital transactions.
Sub-$50m Investment of the Year – Instacart
American Express Ventures, the corporate venturing unit of the eponymous financial services company, has tapped into what could be one of the fastest growing consumer IT investment stories in the past year, Instacart. Its move into the convenience grocery delivery segment has helped it win the sub-$50m investment award, highlighting new ways that financial services companies can strategically tap into the disruption of the retail sector.
Large Investment of the Year – Xiaomi
The series E funding marks a victory for Bin Lin and founder Lei Jun, as well as its corporate venturing backers such as Qualcomm Ventures – an early backer of the company. The funding was raised from investors including All-Stars Investment, DST Global, GIC, Hopu Fund, Yunfeng Capital and Ratan Tata, chairman Emeritus of India-based industrial group… Continue reading Large Investment of the Year – Xiaomi
IPO of the Year: Alibaba
In the last week of September 2014, the financial news wires were white hot as Yahoo and Softbank-backed Alibaba priced its IPO at $68 per share, initially raising $21.8bn, before the China-based e-commerce company reported that it had sold additional shares in the company, making the listing the biggest in history.
M&A Exit of the Year: Beats – $3bn to Apple – Vivendi/Universal
Beats Electronics (Beats) comprises the ‘Beats by Dr. Dre’ line of premium consumer headphones and speakers, as well as patented Beats Audio software technology and streaming music subscription service Beats Music. Apple acquired Beats for a total of $3bn, consisting of a purchase price of approximately $2.6bn and approximately $400m that will vest over time. The company’s founders, artist and producer… Continue reading M&A Exit of the Year: Beats – $3bn to Apple – Vivendi/Universal
New Entrant of the Year and Fund of the Year: DRX Capital
The meeting of minds between IT and healthcare is a strategic move that will help accelerate big data convergence in the wider healthcare and life sciences segments. New Entrant of the Year recipient DRX Capital has capitalised on this exciting investment segment with a fellow corporate venturing unit, potentially urging others to co-fund digital health investment opportunities.
Lifetime achievement award: Arvind Sodhani, Intel Capital
As news emerged today that Arvind Sodhani was stepping down as head of Intel Capital in Autumn, we republish our write-up for the lifetime achievement award he received at our Global Corporate Venturing Symposium last month.
Unit of the Year: Merck Global Health Innovation Fund
Merck Global Health Innovation Fund, the corporate venturing unit owned by pharmaceutical firm Merck, has quickly become one of the biggest corporate venturing players in the digital health segment and is dedicating a sizeable amount of its $500m fund to larger deals with private equity and other strategic partners. Given the significant impact it has made over a short period of time, there was a significant number of votes from our advisory board to make it unit of the year.