EUVC

E371 | EUVC CVC | Redstone's Samuli Siren on the challenges of working with corporate investors

Oct 22, 2024

Samuli Siren, CEO of Redstone, a leading European venture capital firm, joins Jeppe Høier, a corporate venture capital expert. They discuss the hurdles of aligning corporate strategies with startup innovation and the critical role of communication in building trust with investors. Samuli shares insights on successful fundraising strategies, including the importance of tailored pitches and warm introductions. They emphasize the need for long-term relationships with corporate investors and how to navigate the complexities of venture capital to foster successful collaborations.

46:44

Creator website

Episode guests

Jeppe Høier

Samuli Siren

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Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Successful corporate venture capital requires bridging the cultural divide between established corporations and dynamic startups through effective communication and education.

Fundraising complexities demand a structured approach to investor relations, emphasizing trust-building and aligning with corporate investors' strategic interests.

Deep dives

Corporate Venture Capital Challenges

Corporate venture capital (CVC) often faces unique challenges that stem from the cultural clash between established corporations and startups. Corporations typically possess strong expertise in their core operations but struggle to understand and navigate the dynamic startup ecosystem. This gap creates hurdles in achieving effective collaboration, as corporate teams may lack experience in investment and innovation. Successful CVC requires bridging this divide, demanding patience and clear communication to educate corporate executives on startup practices and the distinct mindset needed to thrive in the venture space.

Intro

4min

Navigating Corporate Venture Capital

18min

Balancing Leadership and Fundraising in Venture Capital

2min

Navigating Corporate Investor Relations

8min

Navigating Investor Relations and Fundraising Challenges

2min

Balancing Passion and Innovation in CVC

13min

In this episode of the EUVC podcast, Andreas and our in-house CVC expert, Jeppe Høier, are joined by Samuli Siren, CEO of Redstone, one of Europe's most successful venture capital firms.

Together, we’ll dive deep into Redstone’s approach to corporate venture capital, exploring how they’ve built a portfolio with around €600M across ten different funds. Redstone specializes in Series A rounds and is headquartered in Berlin, focusing on DACH (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) and global markets—particularly the U.S.

Redstone's focus spans multiple sectors, though always with a digital and B2B edge. Some of their standout investments include PlanRadar, Liqid, Psy, Finanzguru, Atlas Metrics, and Yoto. With Samuli, Redstone has excelled in attracting corporate investors, making his insights invaluable to anyone looking to understand how to raise capital from corporates.

Go to eu.vc for our core learnings and the full video interview 👀

Chapters:

01:53 The Journey of Building Redstone
03:32 Challenges in Venture Capital
04:42 Working with Corporate Investors
07:03 Managing Corporate Relationships
14:07 Fundraising Strategies and Insights
16:15 The Importance of Investor Relations
19:32 Long-Term Relationships with LPs
24:01 The Importance of Professional LPs
24:32 Key Strategies for Success with Corporates
25:05 Making Startup Innovation Fun
25:33 Personal Touches in Business Interactions
26:50 Tailoring Pitch Decks for Corporates
28:33 The Pain of Cold Outreach
29:49 Fundraising Buckets and Success Rates
33:01 Balancing Passion, Family, and Self
34:11 Advice for Young CVC Professionals
40:52 Challenges in Corporate Digitalization

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