As part of a series of interviews with leading innovation and venture developers, Andrew Gaule, founder of the Corporate Venturing Network, talks to Dr Josef Wu?nsch, managing director, BASF Venture Capital.
Category: People
CrunchFund time for Michael Arrington and AOL
Michael Arrington, the founder of the technology-focused business website TechCrunch, has resigned as editor of the AOL-owned site in order to found his own venture capital (VC) fund, to be known as CrunchFund, in conjunction with Patrick Gallagher, a partner at VantagePoint Capital Partners. Crunchfund closed its initial financing at $20m, with AOL Ventures as… Continue reading CrunchFund time for Michael Arrington and AOL
Yoon Choi leaves Samsung venture unit
Yoon Choi departs Samsung’s corporate venturing unit after eight years at the technology company to go to US semiconductor company Maxim.
Macrae climbs on board the BGF
The Business Growth Fund makes its latest appointment, this time to its Scotland office.
Western Union sets up ventures unit
Diane Scott is president of Western Union Ventures. David Yates, the company’s executive vice-president of business development and innovation, is departing.
Kenandy: from Hawaii beach to the cloud
Salesforce’s chief executive Marc Benioff [pictured] reportedly convinced Kenandy founder Sandra Kurtzig to end her retirement to launch her company, while they talked on a beach in Hawaii.
Jobs goes, will Apple look to venture?
Steve Jobs is one of the great business icons of our time, and he steps down from the reins as chief executive of Apple (to become chairman) after it fleetingly became the world’s biggest company this month. Yet in the world of corporate venturing he is arguably the man who wasn’t there.
Carmel leaves Cisco for Pincus
Hilton Romanski, vice-president of service provider strategy and major partnerships at Cisco, has reportedly replaced Charles Carmel in charge of Cisco’s 45-strong mergers and acquisition and corporate venturing group, according to news provider Fortune.
Novo backs KalVista
Eye treatment company KalVista Pharmaceuticals won the backing of Novo and SV Life Sciences in its spin off from Vantia Therapeutics. The two venture firms also backed Vantia’s founding in 2008.
Rockfish Brand Ventures to survive WPP deal
The corporate venturing unit, which was set up in March, had done one deal before its parent was bought by WPP.
ClariPhy teases out extra funding
ClariPhy Communications changes its chief executive and takes the total funding it has raised to more than $55.5m with backing from an undisclosed strategic investor.
Mark Felix joins Dow venture unit
Mark Felix makes an internal move within Dow Chemical Company to work in the European venture unit.
WPP-backed Buddy Media toasts $54m
US-based social media management platform Buddy Media has raised $54m in series D funding. Insight Venture Partners joined its fellow venture capital (VC) firms Bay Partners, GGV Capital and Institutional Venture Partners (IVP), all of which were existing investors, in the round. WPP Digital, a division of the global communications company WPP, backed Buddy Media… Continue reading WPP-backed Buddy Media toasts $54m
Gattamneni begins Venture Pursuit
Gattamneni is now managing director of Venture Pursuit. His two directors are Dimitrios Stoimenou and Gudrun Herrmann.