A majority of the corporate investors we polled take LP positions in VC funds, in parallel with direct investing. It is a way to widen their scope.
Category: CVC Advice
Five steps to successful “intrapreneurship”: Lessons from scaling an internal startup
It is hard to build an agile, innovative startup inside a big corporation. But not impossible. Setting boundaries and defining your terms carefully will help minimise the risk of failure.
5 reasons CVC should declare independence
Why more corporate venturing units are choosing a more independent legal footing for their funds.
The downturn is the perfect time for CVCs to pivot to business development
Here’s how to do that smoothly.
5 corporate investing pitfalls to avoid
Corporate investors have a more complicated role to navigate than financial VCs. But these 5 strategies can help smooth the job.
Investors divided over linking startup funding to commercial deals
Investors either focus almost exclusively on investments where there was a commercial deal, or avoid any requirement at all.
Opinion: Four reasons corporate venture capital comes into its own in a downturn
The stability and strategic partnering power of corporate investors comes into its own in a downturn. But CVCs must make sure they are ready.
The secret to creating a long-lasting CVC unit
Only a small portion of CVCs have lasted longer than two decades. Here are their secrets to staying the course.
How Johnson & Johnson Innovation lasted 5 decades
The oldest standing CVC in the world owes its staying power to discipline, adaptability and unwavering management support says Debi Watson.
Chevron’s five keys for CVC longevity
There are five key factors that have helped the US oil and gas company’s corporate investment unit keep going for 23 years.
Half of corporate investors negotiate special rights for portfolio company exits
Corporate investors rarely acquire the portfolio companies they invest in, but most will still negotiate special rights around an exit.
90% of corporate investors take board seats
An overwhelming majority of respondents in our poll said they took board seats — mainly to influence and help the startups in their portfolio.
What next after being “whacked in the face” by CVC?
Companies that struggle with early corporate venturing efforts will often turn to CVC-as-a-service, says Bill Reichert of Pegasus Ventures.
How CVCs can survive a downturn — 6 tips from JetBlue and Merck
Invest in a business development function — early. Be creative with funding and careful with how your strategic value is measured.