Last year was a banner year for corporate venturing. The level of activity took off like a rocket ship at all levels of investment, with a 70.7% increase in the number of deals we tracked against 2013.
An analysis of the deal value of investments excluding acquisitions is especially marked, with 2013 deal value less than 40% of deal value in 2014.
This activity looks even more extraordinary when you visualise it on a deal by deal basis, which we did in partnership with portfolio management software provider Relevant Equity Systems and data analytics company QBIX Analytics and in our webinar (playback here) last week and in a joint stage appearance at IBF’s Corporate Venturing and Innovation Partnering conference in Newport Beach.
The slides for this Relevant-sponsored webinar detail 2014 investments round by round, and a read of at least slides seven to 14 is highly recommended. To hear the lucid explanation of this 2013 to 2014 increase by Jeff Carlson, of QBIX, go to minute 12. Slides seven to 11, show how much each round constitutes of deal value in 2014, while slide 12 shows 2013 data.
This partnership on stage and webinar, was complemented by our special supplement World of Corporate Venturing, which is available in print, and will be published digitally this week.
We are currently looking to form a wider data partnership with QBIX and Relevant, with the goal of developing a software platform to provide insights into corporate venturing activity and broader open innovation strategies. Contact tlewis@globalcorporateventuring.com if you are interested in participating.