.webp)
.webp)
Key takeaways
- Corporate venture programs enable companies to invest in or partner with startups to access new technologies, market insights, and innovation opportunities.
- Over 50% of Fortune 100 companies have launched corporate venture programs to fuel growth and maintain a competitive edge.
- Successful venture programs prioritise strategic alignment over short-term financial returns.
- Programs can be customised to fit company-specific goals, from advancing sustainability efforts to accelerating digital transformation.
- Venture programs provide a long-term pathway to innovation, typically delivering measurable impact over a 3 to 7-year horizon.
---
Over the last decade, corporate venture programs have emerged as a proven tool to help companies fuel innovation and maintain a competitive edge. These vehicles are enabling companies across industries to tap into the external landscape:
- Accessing cutting-edge technologies
- Gaining emerging market insights
- Building thriving innovation ecosystems
So, it’s not surprising that today, over 50% of Fortune 100 companies have established their own venture programs, each tailoring their strategies to fit unique goals, assets, and capabilities. By investing in and partnering with startups, these companies are accelerating the innovation process, mitigating risks, and driving growth at lower costs.
To give you a better idea of how corporate venture programs work in practice, we’ve highlighted 10 real-world examples from top corporations in various industries, including tech, luxury, mobility, finance and more.
1. Unilever Ventures
Parent company: Unilever
Founded: 2002
Headquarters: UK
Active in: Tech, Beauty & Wellness
What is Unilever Ventures, and how does it work?
Unilever Ventures scouts and scales forward-thinking beauty, wellness, and technology-driven startups by providing them with the tools, funding, and global networks they need to become disruptive brands. It is stage-agnostic, investing in ventures from seed to series D.
The venture program is stage-agnostic, meaning it does not limit its investments to companies at a particular phase of development. Instead, Unilever Ventures is open to engaging with startups at various stages, from early seed-level companies just getting off the ground to more established ventures looking to expand in their Series D rounds. This flexibility allows it to support innovation at multiple levels and timelines, fostering a diverse portfolio of startups.
How does it benefit the parent company?
- Taps into external startup ecosystems
- Keeps Unilever at the forefront of consumer trends and technologies
- Integrates innovations into Unilever’s product offerings, maintaining its competitive edge
2. Porsche Ventures
Parent company: Porsche
Founded: 2018
Headquarters: Germany
Active in: Tech, Mobility, Sustainability
What is Porsche Ventures, and how does it work?
Porsche Ventures partners with entrepreneurs worldwide through its locations in Europe, the US, Israel, and China. It helps startups scale by providing them with access to Porsche's global network, industry expertise, and collaboration opportunities. By identifying and investing in emerging technologies, Porsche Ventures is helping to enhance Porsche's core capabilities in mobility, intelligent enterprise solutions and sustainability. This strategic approach helps drive innovation across all areas of the company.
How does it benefit the parent company?
- Provides early access to cutting-edge technologies
- Supports innovation in mobility, enterprise solutions, and sustainability
- Strengthens Porsche’s adaptability and competitiveness in evolving markets
3. Rabo Investments
Parent company: Rabobank
Founded: 2002
Headquarters: Netherlands
Active in: Agtech, Sustainability
What is Rabo Investments, and how does it work?
Rabo Investments is the venture capital and private equity division of Rabobank, focusing on opportunities in areas like sustainability, food production, and agricultural technology (agtech). Its goal is to foster the growth of high-potential startups that align with Rabobank's broader mission to establish a sustainable, future-proof food supply.
Rabo Investments manages its diverse portfolio through four dedicated teams: Private Equity, Fund & Co-Investments, Ventures, and Corporate Ventures. Each team brings specialised expertise and strategic support to their investments, ensuring a robust approach to nurturing innovation and growth within the food and agriculture sectors.
How does it benefit the parent company?
- Enhances Rabobank’s capabilities in agtech and sustainable food production
- Aligns startup innovation with Rabobank’s mission of building a future-proof food supply
- Diversifies Rabobank’s innovation and growth strategy
4. LVMH Luxury Ventures
Parent company: LVMH
Founded: 2017
Headquarters: France
Active in: Tech, Luxury
What is LVMH Luxury Ventures, and how does it work?
LVMH Luxury Ventures invests in emerging brands in beauty, fashion, and luxury retail, providing funding and access to LVMH’s global resources and expertise. With equity investments ranging from €5m to over €25m, it targets startups with the potential to advance the digital transformation of the luxury sector.
How does it benefit the parent company?
- Provides early access to disruptive trends in luxury markets
- Enriches LVMH’s portfolio with innovative, high-growth brands
- Strengthens LVMH’s leadership in digital and experiential luxury innovation
5. BMW i Ventures
Parent company: BMW Group
Founded: 2011
Headquarters: USA
Active in: Automotive
What is BMW i Ventures, and how does it work?
BMW i Ventures invests in cutting-edge ventures in areas like AI, hardware, software, sustainability, and manufacturing technologies. It supports startups at all stages, providing them with capital as well as strategic access to BMW’s network and industry expertise.
Since its inception in 2011, BMW i Ventures has produced over 11 unicorns, showcasing its success in advancing innovative technologies that align with BMW’s future-focused strategy.
How does it benefit the parent company?
- Accelerates BMW’s access to breakthrough technologies
- Supports BMW’s vision of smarter, more sustainable mobility
- Reinforces BMW’s competitive advantage in innovation-driven markets
6. Comcast Ventures
Parent company: Comcast NBCUniversal
Founded: 1999
Headquarters: USA
Active in: Tech, Media
What is Comcast Ventures, and how does it work?
Comcast Ventures invests in startups with the potential to shape Comcast’s next 60+ years. Established to identify and leverage technologies and market trends that align with Comcast's strategic interests, it invests in areas like data and AI, energy and sustainability, health tech, proptech, and more.
Ventures are nurtured and scaled with access to capital, valuable industry insights, and a vast network of resources within Comcast’s global ecosystem.
How does it benefit the parent company?
- Enhances Comcast’s customer experience and product innovation
- Diversifies Comcast’s service offerings through external innovation
- Positions Comcast to stay aligned with emerging technology trends
7. Intel Capital
Parent company: Intel
Founded: 1991
Headquarters: USA
Active in: Tech, Hardware, Software
What is Intel Capital, and how does it work?
Intel Capital is the venture capital arm of Intel Corporation, focused on investments in four key areas, including cloud, devices, frontier and silicon. Over the last three decades, it has invested over $20B to help develop innovations in these areas.
Through strategic funding, Intel Capital supports the growth of cutting-edge technology startups and facilitates the integration of their advancements into Intel's larger ecosystem.
How does it benefit the parent company?
- Broadens Intel’s access to disruptive technologies and emerging sectors
- Supports the integration of innovations into Intel’s core business
- Helps Intel maintain technological leadership and market resilience
8. Henkel Tech Ventures
Parent company: Henkel
Founded: 2016
Headquarters: Germany
Active in: Tech, Sustainability
What is Henkel Tech Ventures, and how does it work?
Henkel Tech Ventures invests in and co-develops technologies that can be integrated into Henkel's product offerings. Areas of interest include automated manufacturing, circular economy, predictive maintenance and more.
Henkel Tech Ventures invests in and co-develops technologies that can significantly enhance Henkel's product offerings. It focuses on areas like automated manufacturing, circular economy initiatives, predictive maintenance, and more.
How does it benefit the parent company?
- Accelerates the integration of new tech solutions into Henkel’s products
- Enhances Henkel’s sustainability and operational efficiency
- Strengthens Henkel’s long-term innovation capabilities
9. Microsoft Ventures (M12)
Parent company: Microsoft
Founded: 2016
Headquarters: US
Active in: Tech, Software
What is M12, and how does it work?
M12, Microsoft's venture fund, strategically invests in tech startups that complement and enhance Microsoft's core business areas and strategic growth objectives. The fund provides access to capital and Microsoft’s vast ecosystem, market insights, and technological expertise, all designed to help startups scale quickly and efficiently.
M12 focuses on a diverse range of technological fields, including AI, cloud services, cybersecurity, vertical SaaS, and emerging areas like Web 3.
How does it benefit the parent company?
- Provides early access to transformative technologies
- Fuels Microsoft’s strategic growth across core business areas
- Helps Microsoft maintain leadership in fast-evolving tech landscapes
10. Kering Ventures
Parent company: Kering
Founded: 2012
Headquarters: France
Active in: Luxury
What is Kering Ventures, and how does it work?
Kering Ventures strategically invests in early-stage startups that sit at the intersection of technology, commerce, and culture, shaping the future of the luxury sector. Focusing on fashion, beauty, and lifestyle segments, this venture program invests between €1M and €10M, supporting companies that bring cutting-edge perspectives and technologies to traditional luxury markets.
How does it benefit the parent company?
- Helps future-proof Kering’s brands for new consumer generations
- Brings fresh innovation and digital expertise into Kering’s portfolio
- Strengthens Kering’s position in a rapidly evolving luxury market
FAQs about corporate venture programs
Q. How do you design a successful corporate venture program?
A successful corporate venture program starts with clear strategic objectives, strong executive sponsorship, a dedicated team with investment and industry expertise, and a structure that balances startup agility with corporate governance. Aligning investments with the company’s long-term innovation roadmap is key.
Q. What are the biggest challenges in running a corporate venture program?
Common challenges include aligning startup speed with corporate decision-making processes, managing risk tolerance, ensuring strategic fit, integrating startup innovations into the core business, and maintaining long-term commitment despite short-term pressures.
Q. Should corporate venture programs focus on financial returns or strategic value?
While financial returns are important, most corporate venture programs prioritise strategic value, like access to emerging technologies, market insights, or ecosystem building, over purely monetary gains. A hybrid approach is often used to balance both goals.
Q. How long does it take to see results from a corporate venture program?
Corporate venture programs are long-term initiatives. It typically takes 3 to 7 years to see significant strategic or financial results, depending on the industry, investment stage, and startup scaling timelines.
Q. What’s the difference between a corporate venture capital arm and a venture client unit?
A corporate venture capital (CVC) arm invests equity in startups, often with a strategic lens. A venture client unit, on the other hand, acts as an early customer of startups, helping them validate products through real-world use cases without necessarily taking an ownership stake.
Q. How do corporate venture programs collaborate with internal R&D teams?
Corporate venture programs often work alongside internal R&D, providing an external complement to in-house innovation efforts. They bring in external technologies and market insights that can accelerate or redirect R&D priorities, fostering a more open innovation approach.
Final thoughts
Each of the examples featured in our list showcases how different companies have tailored the venture program strategy to fit their own unique set of assets, growth goals and resources, with stellar results. Use them as guidance and inspiration for your own innovation journey. For more great examples, be sure to check out our report, 25 Corporate Innovation Program Examples, highlighting how top corporates around the world tackle their venturing activities, innovation horizons, venture focus and more.
____
Looking to implement or boost your innovation strategy? We can help you build a practical roadmap that leverages your unique corporate assets to make it happen.
<img src="https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQMEvWH-6Tx-eG2tGKnpNzvv3xIQSGVVDrjC94V3SOL6ltxctpAasUp0vnOfRszoJK8mRgh"/>
.svg){kind=icon}
