Gregor Gimmy's Recent LinkedIn Posts

Day 2 at Slush – we are hyped 🙌🏼 Let’s take a moment to rewind yesterday’s incredible highlights: 💎 6 Stage Sessions featuring 7 top Venture Clients – Equinor, Holcim MAQER Ventures, Siemens Mobility, Airbus, BMW Startup Garage, FORVIA and Zurich Insurance! 💎 2 Masterclasses on Venture Clienting – from introducing the Venture Client Model to exploring the tech and data driving its success. 💎 Countless Conversations – answering an endless stream of questions from startups eager to learn about the search fields of attending Venture Clients and how to kick-start a pilot project. Today’s Lineup: One more masterclass and four exciting stage sessions. If you’re at Slush, don’t miss your chance to join the action at the Venture Client Track! Huge thanks to everyone supporting on stage and behind the scenes – you’re the reason this is all possible. #Slush2024 #VentureClienting #ventureclient

🚀 Exciting News! 🚀 I'm thrilled to announce the release of the very first book about Venture Clienting in Japanese! 📚✨ This milestone signifies how far Venture Clienting has come since its inception at BMW Group / BMW Startup Garage in Germany in 2015. From a pioneering concept to a global phenomenon, Venture Clienting is now recognized and implemented by companies worldwide. 🌍🌟 I am honored to be a co-author of this book. A huge kudos to the main author, Masayuki Kimura, whose invaluable contributions have complemented my initial work and brought this new book to life. Your enthusiasm, dedication and insight have been instrumental in making this project a success. 🙌👏 Join us in celebrating this achievement and explore how Venture Clienting continues to revolutionize corporate venturing. #VentureClienting #OpenInnovation #CorporateVenturing #NewBook #BMW #Munich #Japan #CorporateInnovation #Entrepreneurship Translation: Title: New Method from BMW to Make Startup Collaborations Successful: The Venture Client Model Authors: * Toshiyuki Kimura * Gregor Gimmy Chapter Titles: * Why the Venture Client Model? * The Venture Client Model Overview and Its Benefits to Large Companies * How to Become a Venture Client Selected by Startups * The Venture Client Model Built by BMW * Interviews with Key Persons of Open Innovation in Japanese Companies * Nine Points to Successfully Implement the Venture Client Model Internally

🚀 New Article: The History and Definitions of Venture Clienting: From BMW Group to Global Adoption 🚀 Ten years ago, Venture Clienting didn’t exist—not as a term, a model, or a structured corporate venturing function. Today, it is transforming how corporations drive competitiveness with startups. As Venture Clienting gains popularity, so does the curiosity around it—leading to more questions, discussions, and evolving understandings of what it truly means. In my latest article, I not only trace the origins and evolution of Venture Clienting—from its birth at BMW in 2014 to its widespread corporate, academic, and market adoption in 2025—but also provide fundamental definitions of Venture Clienting and related terminology, derived from its historic evolution. These definitions clarify its core principles, making the concept more accessible and actionable for companies and researchers alike. 📚 What are the core definitions of Venture Clienting? 📚 How did Venture Clienting emerge as a new approach to corporate venturing? 📚 What key milestones shaped its evolution and success? This article delivers a fact-based account of how Venture Clienting became a defining force in corporate venturing—offering conceptual clarity for companies, researchers, and professionals shaping its future. Looking forward to your thoughts and discussions in the comments! 👇 #VentureClienting #CorporateVenturing #Startups #Innovation #VentureClientModel #VentureClientUnit #VentureClient

🚀 Venture Clienting goes Wharton! A new milestone for Venture Clienting! The latest Corporate Venturing Report by the prestigious The Wharton School Mack Institute for Innovation Management (by leading scholars Gary Dushnitsky, Claudio Garcia, Serguei Netessine, Valery Yakubovich 🙏 ) recognizes Venture Clienting as key corporate venturing practice. 📢 Quote : “...Venture clienting has emerged as a key tool [...] to adopt and implement [startup] innovations ‼️ faster and cheaper ‼️ than traditional CVC ...” 🚀 The speed of adoption is impressive: Just 10 years after the term Venture Clienting was coined and the first dedicated Venture Client Unit was launched at BMW in 2015, 40% of Forbes 500 adopted Venture Clienting. For comparison: CVC started +30 years ago. Today, 50% of the F500 use it – according to the report. (The report mentions BMW, yet no dates.) This speaks for a clear trend: Venture Clienting is on track to become the new standard in corporate venturing. I'm thrilled to see that a top US business school is now recognising Venture Clienting. That said, it’s worth noting that European business schools and companies have led the way: 👏 2016: Prof. Andreas König (Universität Passau - Germany) and Prof. Albrecht Enders (IMD - Switzerland) first course on Venture Clienting. 👏 2017: Harvard Business Review article by König, Enders, Dominik K. Kanbach. Prof. Dr. Thor Stephan Stubner (both HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management) 👏 2019: Prof. Joerg Niessing (INSEAD - France) published the first business school case on the topic. Academics, of course, research Venture Clienting because it was pioneered by visionary companies that understood early on how critical it is to adopt startup innovations at scale – and that just bending CVC would not suffice. Here are the pioneers, who stand our for implementing high-quality venture clienting: ✅ BMW Group / BMW Startup Garage ✅ Bosch / Open Bosch ✅ BSH Home Appliances Group / BSH Startup Kitchen ✅ Holcim / Holcim MAQER Ventures ✅ OTTO / Otto Dock 6 ✅ Siemens Energy / Siemens Energy Ventures ✅ CAF (Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles) / CAF Startup Station ✅ Siemens Mobility / Siemens Station X ✅ Volkswagen Group / VW Cariad, VW Group Innovation, A4nXT ✅ Airbus ✅ MTU ✅ Equinor / Equinor Startup Hub ✅ Zurich Insurance ✅ AXA (Chronological order, to the best of my knowledge.) Finally, I want to acknowledge an entrepreneurial company founded in 2018 with the sole purpose of helping companies achieve Venture Clienting excellence through dedicated services and technology: 27pilots. Without 27pilots, I’m certain, Venture Clienting would not have reached its current level of quality and speedy adoption. 🦾 Kudos to the 27pilots team – present & past! Find the full report here: https://lnkd.in/erySJ2kj #ventureclienting #ventureclient #corporateventuring #openinnovation #wharton #cvc #startups #bmwstartupgarage #strategy #innovation

🚀 Registration is now open — join my Venture Clienting Essentials course in Vienna this June As technology cycles accelerate, startups are driving many of the most relevant innovations for cost reduction and revenue growth. Companies without Venture Clienting capabilities risk missing these high-impact technologies. That’s why I designed and will lead the course Venture Clienting Essentials at the Corporate Innovation Summer School: a 5-day executive intensive in Vienna (June 22–26, 2026). Twelve years ago, I pioneered the Venture Client Model at BMW Group / BMW Group Startup Garage. Since then, it has evolved into the global standard — adopted by companies globally, from multinationals like Bosch, Siemens Energy, and Airbus Aircraft, and also SMEs. This program distills practical 12 years experience from building and scaling Venture Client Units across industries, combined with the latest academic research and state-of-the-art best practices. What you will gain: → A clear framework to design and implement a state-of-the-art Venture Client function → Proven methods for identifying relevant strategic challenges, sourcing cutting edge startup solutions, validating and integrating these into your products and processes → Execution discipline — operational models, KPIs and technology — to measure business impact This course is designed for: ✓ Senior leaders in Strategy, Innovation, R&D, and Corporate Venturing ✓ MBA, PhD, and Master’s students specializing in innovation and entrepreneurship ✓ Professionals ready to move beyond pilots toward scalable impact Venture Clienting is rapidly becoming the standard in corporate venturing — enabling companies of all sizes to systematically adopt the best startup technologies fast, at low cost and without capital risks. 📍 Impact Hub Vienna | June 22–26, 2026 💰 Early Bird: €1,800 (until April 15) | Regular: €2,500 ⚠️ Limited seats 👉 Apply now: innovatebusiness.eu #VentureClienting #CorporateVenturing #CorporateInnovation #OpenInnovation #ExecutiveEducation #StartupAdoption #SummerSchool

🚀 👍 🦾 Erfreulich! Start-ups spielen im Koalitionsvertrag 2025 von CDU, CSU und SPD eine sichtbare Rolle. Besonders spannend – es gibt vier Passagen, die klar Venture Client-relevant sind. Auch wenn der Begriff der neuen Regierung offenbar nicht geläufig ist - noch! 😉 1 🚀🚀 Wir unterstützen den Technologietransfer ... von Start-ups in etablierte Unternehmen... 2 🚀🚀 Wir wollen, dass ... Start-ups besser am Markt für Raumfahrtlösungen teilnehmen können und streben an, dass der Staat stärker als Kunde auftritt 3 🚀 🚀 Auf Bundesebene werden wir die Wertgrenze bei Direktaufträgen ... für Start-ups mit innovativen Leistungen ... auf 100.000 Euro erhöhen... 4 🚀 🚀 Wir fördern verstärkt Zukunftstechnologien für die Bundeswehr ... Hierzu ist auch ein vereinfachter Zugang mit ... Start-Ups notwendig... Hier alle Nennungen von "Start-ups": 🚀 Start-ups sind die Hidden Champions und DAX-Konzerne von morgen. Um Bürokratie zu reduzieren, prüfen wir eine Gründerschutzzone und wollen notarielle Vorgänge vereinfachen 🚀 Die gesamte Start-up-Finanzierungsarchitektur unterziehen wir einem „Effizienz-Check“ 🚀 Frauen sind bei Start-up Gründungen unterrepräsentiert. Deshalb wollen wir einen stärkeren Fokus auf ihre Unterstützung legen und spezielle Förderungen für Gründerinnen ausbauen 🚀 Wir wollen, dass ... Start-ups besser am Markt für Raumfahrtlösungen teilnehmen können und streben an, dass der Staat stärker als Kunde auftritt 🚀 Rahmenbedingungen für Start-ups werden wir weiter verbessern. Dafür werden wir insbesondere die Verfügbarkeit von Wagniskapital durch bessere Beteiligungsmöglichkeiten institutioneller Investoren erhöhen 🚀 Auf Bundesebene werden wir die Wertgrenze bei Direktaufträgen ... für Start-ups mit innovativen Leistungen in den ersten vier Jahren nach ihrer Gründung auf 100.000 Euro erhöhen 🚀 Wir starten deshalb eine altersübergreifende digitale Kompetenzoffensive. Hierfür nutzen wir die Vielfalt von Start-ups 🚀 Wir wollen Deutschland zu einem starken Digitalstandort mit starkem digitalen Ökosystem entwickeln – vom Start-up über den Mittelstand bis hin zum Tech-Giganten. Wir unterstützen den Technologietransfer von Hochschulen in die Wirtschaft, von Start-ups in etablierte Unternehmen 🚀 Besonders ... Start-ups unterstützen wir durch gezielte Angebote wie KI-Reallabore 🚀 Wir starten eine Hightech Agenda ... Wir wollen dazu in definierten Missionen technologieoffene Innovationsökosysteme und Forschungsfelder organisieren und fördern mit klaren Zielen und Meilensteinen und unter Einbeziehung von ... Start-ups 🚀 Wir fördern verstärkt Zukunftstechnologien für die Bundeswehr ... Dies gilt insbesondere für die Bereiche: ... Hierzu ist auch ein vereinfachter Zugang und vertiefter Austausch mit ... Start-Ups und Industrie notwendig Hier der Vertrag: https://shorturl.at/4HzaP #startups #koalitionsvertrag #ventureclienting #ventureclients

One week to Slush! We’re counting down the days with an exciting lineup for our Venture Client Track. First up—calling all airplane, train, and car enthusiasts, because this one is huge! Meet some of the biggest names in mobility on Wednesday, 20th November: 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗥𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝗠𝗼𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 – 𝗔 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗦𝗶𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽𝘀 🕒 12:30 - 13:00 Dr. Şilan Hun, Head of Startup Partnering at Siemens Mobility, will dive into the transformative potential of sustainable rail solutions like alternative drives and AI. Startups learn how Siemens is partnering with innovative companies to drive the future of rail mobility - moderated by our very own Sebastian R. Fischer. 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗿𝘂𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗲𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲 – 𝗔 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗶𝗿𝗯𝘂𝘀’𝘀 𝗩𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘁 🕒 13:30 - 14:00 Grzegorz (Greg) Ombach Ph.D, Senior Vice President of Disruptive Research & Technology, sits down with our CEO Gregor Gimmy. They will dive into how Airbus integrates startup innovations to meet the challenges of modern aerospace. From electrification to digitalization, startups will hear how their solutions can shape the next generation of air travel. 𝗡𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗦𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 – 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽𝘀 𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝗦𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗕𝗠𝗪 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗮 🕒 14:15 - 14:45 Join Alexandra Renner, Startup Lead R&D at BMW Startup Garage, and Lars Biermeyer, Innovation Manager at FORVIA, as they share advice on navigating the complexities of the automotive sector. From procurement to industrialization, startups will gain a clear view of how to make an impact with leading automotive players - moderated by our very own Carolin Lutzenberger. If your startup is building for the future of mobility, don’t miss the chance to connect with some of the world’s top Venture Client Units at Slush. Find the links to all sessions in the comment below! #slush #ventureclient #ventureclienting BMW Group

🚀 Exciting News! 🚀 I am thrilled to share that the Venture Client Model has made it onto the Gartner Hype Cycle for new Innovation Practices! This milestone event prompted me to write an article addressing related questions: ✅ How did Venture Client Model emerge at BMW in 2014? ✅ What is the Gartner Hype Cycle? ✅ How did the Venture Client Model make it to the Gartner Hype Cycle? ✅ What does this mean for the Venture Client Model? ✅ What are the challenges ahead for the community of Venture Client practitioners and academics? Kudos to the visionary teams at BMW Startup Garage, 27pilots and in academia (Passau-Andreas König, INSEAD-Joerg Niessing, IMD-Albrecht Enders, WHU-Dr. Nadine Kammerlander, ETH-Prof. Dr. Stephan Wagner, HHL-Dominik K. Kanbach) and pioneer practitioners (Airbus, Bosch, CARIAD, FORVIA HELLA, HELM AG, Holcim MAQER Ventures, Knauf, LBBW, Miele, MTU Aero Engines, OTTO, Siemens Energy and many, many more) working in and advancing Venture Client Units globally for making this achievement possible. To ensure that the Venture Client Model does not succumb to the Trough of Disillusionment, we—the community of Venture Client practitioners and academics—must continue to produce high-quality academic research and provide superior consulting, technology, and data services. This will further establish the Venture Client Model as a powerful tool that enables corporations to drive strategic benefits from startups. #VentureClient #VentureClientModel #Innovation #CorporateVenturing #GartnerHypeCycle

As the frontier of technological innovation shifts toward startups, Venture Clienting has become indispensable for firms and nations seeking sustained competitiveness. How can the automotive industry adopt cutting-edge startup technologies through effective Venture Clienting? That’s a central question shaping the VDA Future Tech Day 2025 — and the reason I’m looking forward to being part of it. 🚀 On November 4, Berlin becomes the meeting point where pioneers and thought leaders in Venture Clienting share insights and actionable answers on how to leverage the startup ecosystem to gain competitive advantage. The event’s focus: ➡️ Seeing startup solutions as an essential source of competitiveness for companies and nations ➡️ Building effective Venture Client capabilities ➡️ Establishing win–win–win relationships between Startups, VCs, and Venture Clients I’ll share my newest thinking on Venture Clienting — ideas I hope will inspire both managers and policymakers to rethink how startup technologies can drive the growth of companies and nations. 💡 📍 Berlin, Radisson Collection Hotel 📅 November 4, 2025 🎟️ Program & tickets: 👉 https://lnkd.in/ewE9P9Ae Who else will be there? Let’s connect in Berlin. 🙌 #FutureTechDay #VDA #VentureClienting #VentureClientModel #Startups #MobilityTech #CorporateVenturing #Competitiveness #Innovation #FutureTechDay #VDA #VentureClienting #VentureClientModel #Startups #MobilityTech #CorporateVenturing #Competitiveness #Innovation German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA)

🌟 Calling all corporate innovators, venture leaders, and startup founders! 🌟 How do corporations unlock strategic value from startup technologies? The State of Venture Client Survey 2024 aims to answer this! By participating, you’ll contribute to vital insights that will shape the way companies adopt and scale startup solutions. Your input will help create a comprehensive State of Venture Client Report 2024, a free resource designed to benchmark and enhance corporate venturing practices across industries. Here a brief article answering FAQs: 1. What is the State of Venture Client Survey and Report? 2. Who participates in the State of Venture Client Survey? 3. Why is the value of the State of Venture Client research and who benefits? 4. Why participate in the State of Venture Client Survey? 5. Who is 27pilots, and why does it pioneer and sponsor the State of Venture Client Survey? 6. What is a Venture Client, what is Venture Clienting, and what is a Venture Client Model? I would like to acknowledge the following academics and academic institutions for their invaluable contribution advancing the state of venture clienting: Andreas König (Universität Passau), Joerg Niessing (INSEAD Business School), Prof. Dr. Stephan Wagner (ETH Zurich), Dr. Nadine Kammerlander (WHU). ⏳ Participate! Join us in advancing corporate venturing—your expertise is essential!https://lnkd.in/eGz885KF #VentureClient #CorporateVenturing #Startups #VentureClienting #Innovation #VentureCapital #StateofVentureClient

Honored to be featured in this week's Corporate Venturing newsletter, discussing the Venture Client Model, pioneered at BMW Startup Garage, and introduced to corporations globally by 27pilots, since 2023 as part of and alongside Deloitte. It's a journey from concept to global implementation I'm passionate about sharing. Thanks for the spotlight Jeppe Høier #VentureClientModel #corporateventuring #openinnovation #corporatestrategy #ventureclienting

Reflecting on the landmark 2023 Venture Client Awards ceremony in Berlin on March 14, 2023, I have published an in-depth piece on Medium about the pivotal role these awards play in the landscape of corporate venturing. In addition to acknowledging the winners and describing the winning Venture Client Projects and startups, my article offers reflections on why Venture Clients matter -in alignment with Marc Andreessen's essay "The only thing that matters for new startups" It also offers insights into the evolution of Venture Clienting into a significant corporate venturing vehicle over the past decade. Finally, I attempted to list and acknowledge the great work of inhouse Venture Client Units that are known to me through my research and professional activities at 27pilots, which helps companies accomplish Venture Client Excellence since 2018. Congratulations to the 2023 Venture Client Awards winners BMW Startup Garage, Holcim MAQER Ventures and OTTO Dock 6, which were selected for their exceptional impact on product innovation, sustainability, and process improvement. Special thanks to the people and organizations that made this award possible! _Award organizers: 27pilots - a Deloitte business, Deloitte _Sponsors: Deutsche Börse, IONOS _Advisory Board Fast50s and Venture Client Awards: Dietmar Harhoff (Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition), Christian Teichmann (Burda), Sonja Moosburger, @FalkoWeinert (DeutscheBörse), Lars Hinrichs (CincoCapital) I am looking forward to your comments and feedback! #VentureClientAwards #Fast50Award #VentureClienting #VentureClientUnits #Startups #CompetitiveAdvantage

Startups (and VCs) know that good clients are essential for success, and that bad clients can ruin the venture. In this webinar, we answer how good corporate Venture Clients enable startups to: 🚀 expedite Product-Market-Fit 🚀 obtain mission-critical user feedback 🚀 boost market recognition and branding 🚀 increase revenue and valuation without dilution All our insights are based upon 27pilots 6-year experience helping leading corporations such as Airbus Aircraft, BMW Group, Bosch, Holcim, Siemens Energy, OTTO, and many more to establish world-class Venture Client Units. **Who should attend?** This webinar is primarily for startups and their VCs. Venture Client Unit teams can also benefit, as the startups they are in contact with will likely as them about the benefits of Venture Clienting **Pre-Webinar Questions & Wishes?** Pls reach out to the webinar hosts – Sebastian Schäfer or myself – should you have any questions or content-wishes prior to the seminar. #startups #venturecapital #ventureclient #ventureclienting #corporateventuring #productmarketfit

𝗧𝗛𝗥𝗘𝗘 weeks till Slush 2024! 𝗧𝗪𝗢 fully packed days at Slush are not enough in our opinion. That is why we are co-hosting the number 𝗢𝗡𝗘 side event for Venture Clients on Day 𝗭𝗘𝗥𝗢! Get ready for an exclusive evening of insight-sharing and networking at the 𝗙𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗩𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 side event in Helsinki! Join Gregor Gimmy, the founder of 27pilots and inventor of the Venture Client Model, along with corporate venturing experts Tommi Mäenpää and Petteri Tulikoura from Deloitte, as they reveal why traditional approaches are falling short and introduce a game-changing model adopted by industry giants like Airbus, BMW Group, and Siemens. What can you expect? 𝗗𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀: Learn directly from Venture Client pioneers how cutting-edge strategies create real value in today’s corporate landscape. 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴: Connect with fellow innovation leaders to share insights, challenges, and victories in Venture Clienting. 𝗩𝗶𝗲𝘄𝘀 & 𝗩𝗶𝗯𝗲𝘀: Enjoy breathtaking views of Helsinki’s skyline from one of the city’s most sustainable buildings, complete with drinks, great food, and even better company! 📅 When: November 19th, 5:30 PM 📍 Where: Deloitte Office, We Land, Itämerenkatu 25, Helsinki Sign up now: https://lnkd.in/gPm6JNXE #VentureClient #VentureClienting #CorporateVenturing #Slush

Startups and Venture Clients! Are you ready for the spotlight? You have until February 1st to join the ranks of those who have made history. We're giving credit where it's due by celebrating impactful projects on the global Venture Client stage. It's your time to step up, if your partnership has created an impact in Process Improvement, Product Innovation, or Sustainability, the three categories for the Venture Client Award, then don't miss this chance for recognition. Submit your application for any one or all of our award categories! The Venture Client Award is a new accolade within Deloitte's Technology Fast 50 Award which spotlights rapid-growth tech companies across different industries. The award ceremony will take place in Berlin in March 2024. See you in Berlin ;) Get the recognition your Venture Client project deserves. Apply here: https://lnkd.in/dEGWBuzu Carolin Lutzenberger Sebastian Greiss Sebastian R. Fischer Sebastian Schäfer Kevin P Schmid Dr. Martin Fink Salina Castle Paulo Kalkhake

We're going live in 2 hours! Gregor Gimmy and Sebastian Schäfer will share their insights in how startups benefit from top Venture Clients. You'll get hands-on advice from experts that have worked with thousands of startups and multiple leading Venture Client companies. This is your last chance to save a spot for the webinar that will boost your startup's product-market fit like a rocket: https://lnkd.in/gQj5-YXh

This week, we hosted a webinar answering the question "will Venture Client save CVC". To understand, why CVC needs saving, you need to know why CVC was started in the first place. The ultimate goal of corporate venturing has always been to gain a strategic benefit from startups, i.e. to access their vastly innovative technologies. As Gregor Gimmy explains, the only way originally for corporations to gain any information on startups was to position themselves as investors. When startup databases like PitchBook and CB Insights emerged in the early 2000s, suddenly everyone could retrieve startup data. So being an investor is no longer a necessity, but has even become an obstacle to gain access to a startup's technology. A non-controlling minority stake in a company does not grant free access to use that company's product. Otherwise, everyone with Apple shares would enjoy a complimentary Iphone. This is where the Venture Client Model "saves" CVC, as it fixes exactly that problem: It allows corporations to simply purchase and use a startup's technology. And at a much lower risk and capital expenditure. No need to position your company as an investor, simply become a good Venture Client! Let us know in the comments what you think: do we suffer from a savior complex, or is (strategic) CVC a thing of the past? We thank everyone who joined our webinar. The full recording will be available sometime next week, so make sure to follow us to stay-up-to-date!

“The Venture Client Track offers something truly special for founders. While Slush is already known for connecting startups with investors, this track is where corporates come together. It’s the one place where startups can engage with corporates who are excited to become their early adopters, providing real market opportunities and growth.” - Aino Bergius, CEO of Slush Startups attending the Venture Client Track can expect to connect with leading corporates like Airbus, Siemens (#SiemensforStartupsMobility), Holcim (Holcim MAQER Ventures), Equinor, Otto Group (#OttoDock6), Zurich Insurance, and more. These companies are actively looking to adopt innovative solutions, offering startups direct access to real market traction. If you’re looking to connect with forward-thinking corporates eager to become your startup's Venture Client, this is the place to be. Read more in Slush's newest article about the Venture Client Track: https://lnkd.in/g7fc8GA4 #VentureClient #VentureClienting #Slush #VentureClientTrack

🚀 Venture Client Units on the Rise! Just published: A new article on the 2024 State of Venture Client Report — packed with fresh insights and data about how leading companies adopt startup innovations to drive competitiveness. Spoiler insight: Creating dedicated Venture Client Units makes a big difference! 👉 What makes the Venture Client Model so powerful? It has no limits to the business impact it can generate — if executed with proficiency. And one of the key drivers to improve this proficiency is learning from those who practice it. Since 2018, 27pilots has not only pioneered the development of a complete suite of Venture Client Solutions — from strategy consulting to native Venture Clienting software. We’ve also been committed to advancing academic research on Venture Clienting from day one. One of our recent contributions: the State of Venture Client Survey. First published in 2023, we’re excited to share the second edition — the 2024 State of Venture Client Report! 📘 Together with my colleague Sebastian Schäferäfer, we just published a new article that summarizes the key findings. Check it out — and let’s push the Venture Client movement forward. 💪 We would like to thank ETH Zürich (@StephanWagner) , INSEAD (Joerg Niessing), Universität Passau (@AndreasKönig), and WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management (Dr. Nadine Kammerlander) for their valuable contributions to advancing the State of Venture Client research. Their academic support and insights are instrumental in shaping a deeper understanding of this emerging business function. #VentureClient #CorporateVenturing #StartupInnovation #StateOfVentureClient #27pilots

https://lnkd.in/ecn3PxVa

In 2007, Marc Andreessen, co-founder of Andreessen Horowitz, wrote his "Pmarca Guide to Startups", sharing his knowledge and experience on how to build high-tech startups. Part 4 of this guide is titled "The only thing that matters" and it addresses the importance of finding product/market fit. He argues that you can have a great team, a great product, and substantial funding, but if you don't have a great market, your startup will fail. Always. Finding product/market fit as soon as possible is essential for startups. Our very own Gregor Gimmy expands on this article and argues that the only thing that matters for startups are Venture Clients: https://lnkd.in/gD-gVeWj In our upcoming webinar, he - together with Sebastian Schäfer - will share why the Venture Client Model is a breakthrough - not just for corporates - but for startups. Sign up now and find out, how your startup can find and win top corporate customers like the BMW Group, Bosch, Siemens, Airbus, Holcim, ... and many more: https://lnkd.in/gQj5-YXh

Guess who? 😉 We tried to resist. But to no avail. So here they are: action figures of some of our Pilots — the people who make Venture Clienting possible for you, our customers. From building tailored tools and technology,  to sourcing the right startups,  to setting up and scaling Venture Client Units across industries —  we turned them into action figures because… well, they kind of are. And if you’ve worked with us, you might just recognize a few 🚀 Accessories include: coffee, strategy, and years of Venture Clienting experience. #VentureClient #CorporateInnovation #Startups

Thoughts on 27pilots' “Native” Venture Client Software: As Venture Clienting matures into a strategic function for securing competitive advantage from startups, one thing has become obvious: it’s difficult to run a Venture Client Unit with generic innovation tools. With the rising relevance of Venture Clienting, many vendors respond by adding “venture clienting features” to their platforms — or by pivoting their scouting tools. 😒 But add-ons and pivots hardly support best-practice Venture Clienting in its full depth and complexity. 27pilots is the pioneer, leading the development of truly native Venture Clienting software. Development of the system began in 2018 as an internal tool to support the daily work of the 27pilots team operating Venture Client Units at multiple corporations incl. BMW Group and Airbus, and at family owned companies such as OTTO. Today, 27pilots makes its mature software available to companies worldwide that want to start or strengthen their Venture Client operations. 🚀 A key advantage: Companies using the 27pilots software automatically learn best-practice Venture Client methods — refined over almost ten years and dozens of real-world implementations of a proven Venture Client Model. 27pilots “Native” Venture Client Software: 🚀 Purpose-built beats generic or patched innovation & scouting tools. 🎯 Built by Venture Client experts for Venture Client experts. 🏆🎯🚀 Native Venture Client Software by 27pilots automatically drives best-practice Venture Clienting. #VentureClienting #StartupAdoption #CorporateVenturing

Here a translation summary of an article about French banks divesting from their fintech startups — Why French banks are parting ways with their fintechs By Danièle Guinot They are divesting from startups that haven’t achieved success or that compete with them, often during a leadership change. A page in the history of banks and startups in finance (fintechs) is being closed. After years of enthusiasm, banks are distancing themselves from fintechs. In recent years, there have been numerous examples of this trend. The latest to follow is La Banque Postale, a subsidiary of the public postal service, which announced the imminent closure of its online bank, Ma French Bank, launched in 2017. “Our objective of reaching the break-even point in five years is no longer achievable,” the bank stated. Other banks, large and small, have also stepped back. La Banque Postale is not the only one. The list of failures is growing: Orange Bank, C-Zam from Carrefour, and soon Nickel from BNP Paribas. These retreats illustrate a broader trend. As the French fintech ecosystem matures, banks are now deciding to divest from startups that haven’t managed to meet expectations. “Financing their own competitors” “Banks have realized how difficult it is to recover from investments in companies they essentially end up competing with,” says Thierry Merquiol, co-founder of WiSEED. “Some of them have chosen to finance projects they didn’t control,” adds Louis Alexandre de Froissard, an investor specializing in fintechs. Some projects were overhyped, supported by vast advertising campaigns, and have not lived up to the investment. In addition, some bank executives are cautious about supporting fintechs in which they don’t have significant control. Certain institutions have shut down projects that no longer align with their strategic objectives. For instance, Societe Generale closed its tech-focused venture division and prefers to focus on digital transformation within its core business. Crédit Agricole has similarly pulled back, while Caisse d’Epargne and Banque Populaire are also divesting from fintechs. Banks now prefer to focus on sectors they can influence and on areas where they can actually deliver results.