Paolo Bavaj serves as head of corporate venturing for Henkel Tech Ventures, the corporate venture capital (CVC) unit of Germany-based adhesives, cosmetics and laundry care product manufacturer Henkel.
Bavaj initially joined the Adhesive Technologies division in late 2010 as head of strategy and business development before ascending to lead new business development in 2013. He took up his current position ahead of the unit’s official launch in early 2017.
Henkel Tech Ventures targets series A and B deals across 3D printing, printed electronics, batteries, thermal management, smart building materials, functional coatings, smart packaging and sustainable solutions, direct-to-consumer platforms, the internet of things, smart packaging, influencer brands, new materials and ingredients, and personalised offers.
Regarding his role, Bavaj said: “As head of Henkel Tech Ventures, my role is to identify and evaluate startup technologies that complement or enhance our existing portfolio in adhesives, sealants and coatings, and to facilitate collaborations between those startups and Henkel’s core businesses. We want to find technologies – and people – that can bring something fresh to Henkel’s existing brands and technical expertise.”
Among its recent deals are involvement in the $18m series B round for LoveLocal, a digital platform for retailers based in India, and participation in the $7m series A round for Feelit, a nanomaterial technology developer.
Bavaj received his PhD in chemical engineering at RWTH Aachen in Germany and shortly after joined Celanese Chemicals in 1996, where he worked in operations, new business development and led then a global R&D and new business development team.
