šļø Welcome to a new episode of The Corporate Venturing Podcast!
Why do so many corporate innovation programs struggle? Not because of a lack of ideas, but because their internal culture isnāt ready to embrace them!
In this episode, I sit down with Mar Serra, Global Lead for Product Application at NestlƩ (and former head of NestlƩ Accelerator in Lausanne), and Benjamin Lickfett, Global VP of Breakthrough Innovation at Diageo, to explore how to build internal cultures that truly support external ideas.
Together, we dive into the real challenges (and the practical solutions) for creating openness inside large organizations:
š The cultural clash between corporate scale and startup agility
ā” Why innovation fails without the right structures, incentives, and psychological safety
š ļø Concrete tactics: accelerators, mentorship, reverse mentoring, hackathons, and ācelebrating the killā
š„ Spotting and developing the right internal champions (because innovation isnāt for everyone)
š How to adapt governance and processes (like Diageoās Ignite model) to move at startup speed
š Maintaining momentum once pilot hype fadesāturning wins and failures into long-term belief in innovation
šÆ Securing leadership alignment without slowing everything down
š” Why Return on Learning is as important as ROI
Both Mar and Benny share candid lessons from NestlƩ and Diageo: two global giants learning to balance core business discipline with entrepreneurial freedom.
And we close on a personal note: the most rewarding transformations theyāve witnessed: individuals and teams returning from innovation programs with new confidence, resilience, and mindsets that ripple across the company.
If youāre building corporate innovation teams or trying to spark cultural change inside your organization, this episode is packed with practical wisdom and hope that it is possible.
Resources:
š§ Follow this podcast for more grounded stories from inside the world of Open Innovation and Corporate Venturing.
šļø Welcome to a new episode of The Corporate Venturing Podcast!
How can corporates buy innovation at startup speed, and amplify their R&D budgets by tapping into billions of euros of external capital? Today, I sit down with Fabian Dudek, co-founder and CEO of GlassDollar, pioneers of Venture Clienting (aka innovation procurement). We unpack why this model has emerged as a core pillar of corporate venturing, explore hard data from GlassDollarās 2025 Impact Study, and dive into practical frameworks and real-world lessons.
In this episode, Fabian shares his perspective on:
š§ Macro-trends fueling Venture Clienting ā economic pressure, accelerating tech cycles, and the limits of in-house R&D
āļø The Corporate Venturing Toolbox matrix ā how to choose between build, buy, partner, or invest
š Surprising insights from 66,424 PoCs ā success rates, time-to-first value, ROI, and why many teams still overlook these metrics
š Maturity stages: Starter, Growing, Pro ā the concrete signals to self-diagnose your stage and the #1 shift to scale your PoC program
š ļø Lean PoC governance ā fail-fast loops, cost-control, and cross-functional alignment with IT and procurement
š KPIs that matter ā measuring true strategic impact vs. vanity metrics
š Bridging startup agility with corporate process rigor ā breaking through IT and procurement bottlenecks
š Benchmarks from Siemens & Samsung ā how leading corporates leverage ā¬20ā60 bn of VC funding through startup partnerships versus their internal R&D
š” Startups vs. traditional suppliers ā why innovation procurement demands a different playbook
š® The future of Venture Clienting ā policy levers, AI-driven analytics, and emerging tech frontiers
Plus, we close with Fabianās most rewarding moments building GlassDollar, and how heās helped corporates indirectly tap into over ā¬55 bn of external innovation funding.
Resources:
ā¢ Corporate Venturing Matrix mentioned by Fabian
ā¢ Open Road Ventures Newsletter
š§ Follow the podcast for more grounded stories and actionable insights from inside the world of Open Innovation and Corporate Venturing.
šļø Welcome to a new episode of The Corporate Venturing Podcast!
What does it take to build a Corporate Venture Capital unit from scratch and scale it into one of the worldās most respected deep tech investors?
In this episode, I sit down withĀ Dong-Su Kim, Ph.D., Founding CEO of LG Technology Ventures, and one of the top 2025 GCV Power List leaders. Since 2018, Dong-Su has led LGās CVC arm from zero to nearlyĀ $900 million AUM, with over 80 investments and more than 10 exits and IPOs acrossĀ AI, batteries, energy, advanced materials, and more.
We dive into the bold choices and core principles that guided him in building LG Ventures as an autonomous, future-focused, and globally connected investor: operating more like a financial VC, but wired for strategic value.
Dong-Su shares his perspective on:
š§ The false dichotomy of strategic vs. financial value in CVC
āļø How to structure teams forĀ bothĀ investment performance and startup collaboration
š Balancing Silicon Valley speed with Korean corporate culture
š§Ŗ Why deep tech is the foundation of LGās long-term edgeāand how CVC fits in
š§± How LG Ventures helps startups validate tech, enter markets, and scale
š The real meaning of āvalue creationā beyond just capital
š Lessons from past investments and avoiding hype cycles
š® Why heās considering a new fund with external LPs to double down on breakout ventures
Plus, we close with a candid look at what personally drives Dong-Su: the joy of helping exceptional founders succeed.
Whether youāre running a venture arm or navigating corporate-startup collaboration, this episode is a real-world blueprint for building something that lasts.
Resources:
š§ Follow the podcast for more grounded stories from inside the world of Open Innovation and Corporate Venturing.
šļø Welcome to a new episode of The Corporate Venturing Podcast!
What does it take to lead Corporate Venturing in a global organisation, when the rules are shifting, and the real challenge is not building venturesā¦ but making them stick?
In this episode, I sit down with Patricia Kroondijk, Head of Corporate Venture Capital and Venture Building at Canon, to explore what it means to drive innovation inside a company known for excellence and legacy, but hungry for transformation.
Patricia shares her personal framework of the three roles every corporate venturer must master:
š© The Diplomat ā navigating power structures and getting buy-in
š§ The Therapist ā helping the organisation unlearn old habits
šŖ The Magician ā creating value where no one thought it was possible
+ Of course, The Entrepreneur (quite obvious)
We also discuss:
š§ Why venturing is ultimately a cultural transformation tool
āļø The power dynamics between core business and new ventures
š« Why pushing too fast can trigger antibodies ā and how to pace the journey
š How her team thinks globally but executes in alignment with local units
š§± The invisible work behind aligning stakeholders before a venture even launches
Whether youāre building a venture unit, managing a CVC fund, or trying to bring real innovation into a complex organisation, this episode is a masterclass in the nuance, realism, and persistence it takes to make it work.
Resources:
ā¢ ā Bundl Venture Clubā
š§ Follow the podcast for more grounded stories from inside the world of Open Innovation and Corporate Venturing.
šļø Welcome to a special solo episode of The Corporate Venturing Podcast!
You know those meetings or keynotes where terms like Open Innovation and Corporate Venturing get thrown around like they mean the same thing? Spoiler: they donāt.
In this episode, I take a step back to clear the confusion ā and properly introduce myself along the way (yes, finallyā¦ after six episodes).
We unpack:
šŖ What Open Innovation and Corporate Venturing really means ā beyond the buzzwords
š” The difference between integrating external knowledge and betting on ventures
šø How Corporate Venturing fits under the Open Innovation umbrella ā and where it requires real capital
š ļø Practical tools: from venture building to accelerators, CVC, and venture clienting
šÆ When to use Open Innovation vs. Corporate Venturing in your discussions
ā” Why Venture Clienting sits in between ā and helps lower the barrier to startup collaboration
š How to sequence your approach ā and avoid falling into pure āinnovation theatreā
Whether youāre new to this world or refining your companyās innovation strategy, this episode helps cut through the noise ā with research, real-world examples, and honest reflections from my experience and beyond.
Resources:
ā¢ Open Road Ventures Newsletter
If you enjoy this episode, follow the show, share it with your team, and stay curious. See you next time!
šļø Welcome to the sixth episode of The Corporate Venturing Podcast!
How do you build new ventures inside a global corporateāand still move with startup speed?
In this episode, I sit down with Jasdeep Sawhney (Managing Director) and Dan Northover (Venture Principal) from InMotion Ventures, the venture studio of Jaguar Land Rover, to explore how theyāre building successful ventures that orbit the corporate mothershipāstrategically aligned, but free to move fast.
We discuss:
š What makes InMotion Ventures a hybrid between a studio and a corporate builder
š°ļø Orbiting the mothership: how to stay close enough to benefit, far enough to stay agile
š Their five-phase playbook: from ideation to scale-up
š§± Building ventures while protecting brand equity in a luxury market
š Business model innovationāfrom ride-hailing to car subscriptions
š§ Lessons from collaborating across legal, brand, and engineering teams
šÆ Knowing when to spin a venture back into the coreāor keep it independent
Whether youāre setting up a new studio or refining your corporate venture model, this episode cuts through the theory and shows how it works on the groundāstructure, agility, governance, and stakeholder buy-in included.
Resources:
If you enjoyed this episode, donāt forget to follow, rate, and share The Corporate Venturing Podcast.
Stay curious, keep innovatingāand weāll see you next time!
šļø Welcome to the fifth episode of The Corporate Venturing Podcast!
Proving the Return on Investment (ROI) of corporate venturing is one of the most persistentāand misunderstoodāchallenges innovation leaders face. Itās not just about the money. Itās about showing how innovation drives strategic growth, cultural change, and long-term value creation.
In this episode, I sit down with Peter Roeber, innovation leader at Gore, a global material science company known for Gore-Tex and its strong innovation culture. Peter shares how Gore evaluates its venturing efforts, balances financial and strategic returns, and uses early wins to build momentum and stakeholder confidence.
We discuss:
š” How Gore defines ROI across strategic and financial dimensions
š Metrics that matterāfrom TAM/SAM analysis to real-win-worth frameworks
š§ The importance of learning velocity and how exploration teams act as āstrategic scoutsā
š¬ Communicating innovation success to executive stakeholders and securing long-term buy-in
šÆ How to recognize and track intangible returnsālike brand credibility, talent attraction, and culture change
ā ļø Lessons learned from misaligned venturesāand how to avoid getting the rug pulled out
Whether youāre building new ventures or evaluating the impact of your innovation portfolio, this episode offers deep, practical advice on how to prove the value of your work.
Resources:
If you enjoyed this episode, donāt forget to follow, rate, and share The Corporate Venturing Podcast.
Stay curious, keep innovating and weāll see you next time!
Welcome to the fourth episode of The Corporate Venturing Podcast!
Corporate innovation leaders often debate: Should we invest in external startups or build new ventures from within? The answer may be both.
In this episode, I sit down with Giacomo Manzoni, Head of Corporate Venture Building, and Sebastiano Silvestri, Head of Corporate Venture Capital at ā A2Aā āItalyās leading multi-utility company focused on sustainability and energy transition. Together, they share how A2A is harnessing both CVC and CVB to drive long-term innovation and strategic impact.
We discuss:
Whether youāre launching a CVC fund, building a startup from inside your company, or designing a hybrid innovation strategyāthis episode offers an in-depth, practical look into how A2A is doing it all.
Resources:
Donāt forget to follow, rate, and hit the bell button to stay updated on the latest episodes.
Stay curious, keep innovating, and weāll see you next time on The Corporate Venturing Podcast!
Note: We experienced a minor technical issue with the microphone during this recording, so the audio quality may not be perfect at times. Thanks for your patienceāwe promise the insights are worth it!
Welcome to another episode of The Corporate Venturing Podcast!
Startups are becoming an increasingly vital source of innovation for corporationsābut what does it take to build successful partnerships? How can large enterprises collaborate effectively with agile startups to drive real business impact?
In this episode, I sit down with Karen Dams, Strategy and M&A Manager at Brussels Airport, and Andrew Erlick, Innovation Manager at Reckitt, to explore the art of sourcing and engaging startups. Drawing from their experience in industries as diverse as aviation and consumer goods, they share practical insights on:
ā¢ Why startups are a crucial driver of innovation and agility for corporations.
ā¢ How large companies can effectively identify and evaluate promising startups.
ā¢ The best collaboration modelsāventure clienting, accelerators, corporate venture capital, and beyond.
ā¢ Overcoming common challenges in startup engagement, from internal resistance to governance hurdles.
ā¢ The future of corporate-startup partnershipsāwhat trends are shaping the next wave of innovation?
Whether youāre leading an innovation team, a startup founder looking to partner with corporates, or simply curious about the evolving world of corporate venturing, this episode offers actionable strategies to navigate the landscape successfully.
Resources:
Donāt forget to follow, rate, and hit the bell button to stay updated on the latest episodes.
Stay curious, keep innovating, and weāll see you next time on The Corporate Venturing Podcast!
Welcome to the second episode of The Corporate Venturing Podcast!
Corporate venturing has become a key strategy for companies looking to stay ahead in an evolving business landscape. But what makes it so impactful for growth, and how can leaders ensure their venturing efforts succeed?
In this episode, I sit down with Phil Hague, Innovation Design Director at 3M, to explore the role of corporate venturing in driving business success. Drawing from his experience leading innovation at companies like Procter & Gamble, Lenovo, and Microsoft, Phil shares practical insights on:
ā¢ Why corporate venturing matters and how companies leveraging it outperform their market peers.
ā¢ Balancing short-term ROI with long-term strategic goalsāis innovation really just a cost center?
ā¢ How to measure the success of venturing initiatives, beyond financial returns.
ā¢ Creating an innovation-friendly culture and overcoming internal resistance.
ā¢ Corporate venturing vs. traditional R&Dāhow they can work together instead of competing for resources.
ā¢ Collaborating with startupsāwhat makes corporate-startup partnerships successful?
ā¢ Emerging trends in corporate venturing.
Whether youāre leading a venturing team, working to build a culture of innovation, or looking for strategies to future-proof your business, this episode provides real-world insights to help you navigate corporate venturing successfully.
Resources:
Donāt forget to follow, rate, and hit the bell button to stay updated on the latest episodes.
Stay curious, keep innovating, and weāll see you next time on The Corporate Venturing Podcast!
Welcome to the first episode of The Corporate Venturing Podcast!
Corporate venturing is often defined as āthe practice of established companies collaborating with or investing in startups to drive innovation and growth.ā But what does that really mean in practice, and why has it become such a crucial strategy for companies to stay competitive in todayās fast-changing business landscape?
In this episode, I sit down with Thomas Van Halewyck, Founder and CEO of Bundl, to explore the foundations of corporate venturing. From understanding its key elementsācollaboration, investment, and venture buildingāto unpacking why traditional R&D is no longer enough, we cover:
Whether youāre just getting started with corporate venturing or looking to take your efforts to the next level, this episode provides actionable insights to help you unlock growth, embrace innovation, and future-proof your business.
Powered by the Bundl Venture Club, this podcast series offers exclusive insights and invaluable perspectives to help you win internal support and build the ventures of tomorrow.
Resources:
Donāt forget to follow, rate, and hit the bell button to stay updated on the latest episodes.
Stay curious, keep innovating, and weāll see you next time on The Corporate Venturing Podcast!
šļø Welcome to The Corporate Venturing Podcast, where we explore how established companies are transforming through Open Innovation and Corporate Venturing. Iām Davide Ritorto, your host, bringing you insights and strategies from the leaders shaping the future of corporate venturing.
Powered by ā Bundl Venture Clubā , this podcast connects corporate entrepreneurs worldwide. Join us as we dive into the challenges and opportunities that drive corporate innovation.
š” Subscribe and hit the bell to stay updated on each new episode. And for weekly insights, check out my newsletter, ā Open Road Venturesā !
Letās push the boundaries of corporate venturing, together!
