What is Corporate Venturing?
The first episode. Bundl founder Thomas Van Halewyck on the foundations of corporate venturing, and why traditional R&D is no longer enough.
With Thomas Van Halewyck
From The Corporate Venturing Podcast, brought to you by Open Road Ventures
4 things this conversation gets into
- 01Collaboration, investment and venture building
- 02Why startups became powerful innovation partners
- 03The steps to set up a corporate venturing programme
- 04Building a culture of experimentation
Thomas Van Halewyck is the Founder and CEO of Bundl. In this opening episode he joins host Davide Ritorto to unpack the foundations of corporate venturing, from collaboration and investment to venture building.
Davide Ritorto is a management engineer from Italy with an international MBA, currently working at Lamborghini. He is what some call an intrapreneur, passionate about open innovation and corporate venturing, and driven by curiosity about how things work and how to make them work even better. Through Open Road Ventures he sets out to inspire and inform other innovators, intrapreneurs and dreamers.
He founded Open Road Ventures as a weekly publication on open innovation and corporate venturing, and The Corporate Venturing Podcast grew out of it. He also mentors startups at Motor Valley Accelerator and sits on the Open Innovation Advisory Board at UC Berkeley Haas.
The Corporate Venturing Podcast is made by Open Road Ventures. The Bundl Venture Club is a partner of the show.
Read the full show notes
Welcome to the first episode of The Corporate Venturing Podcast!
Corporate venturing is often defined as “the practice of established companies collaborating with or investing in startups to drive innovation and growth.” But what does that really mean in practice, and why has it become such a crucial strategy for companies to stay competitive in today’s 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 elements—collaboration, investment, and venture building—to unpacking why traditional R&D is no longer enough, we cover:
- Why startups are emerging as powerful innovation partners for corporates.
- The steps organizations need to take to set up corporate venturing programs.
- Real-world examples of leaders in corporate venturing, like Google Ventures.
- How to overcome common pitfalls and foster a culture of experimentation and entrepreneurship.
Whether you’re 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.
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Stay curious, keep innovating, and we’ll see you next time on The Corporate Venturing Podcast!
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