Scouting for Growth

On this episode, Sabine VdL defines what venture scouting, also called technology scouting means and why companies and investors see it as so important. She also discusses what skillsets a technology scout needs to succeed as well as what should motivate them and how these strategies are delivered.   KEY TAKEAWAYS In recent months companies around the globe have seen new types of challenges affecting them all, including: changing customer needs (such as the "I want it now" generation demanding reduced engagement friction); rising competition (This does not only means the fast-moving dominance of BigTech, but also the arrival of new digital market entrants.); and increasing market volatility (Think about bitcoins and other digital currencies that have fluctuated up and down). Many companies see it as essential to closely monitor developments in core technologies and scan for emerging technologies with disruptive potential. Methods here include technological forecasting, technology foresight and technology intelligence. The basis of technology scouting is about enhancing the insight provided on emerging and advanced technologies and lowering the time lag between technological advancement and detection, accelerating the potential delivery of unfair competitive advantages for any company. One of the biggest obstacles to innovation is often the regional limitations and the siloed way of thinking that exist in many corporations today. They know though that to remain competitive, they need to acquire valuable information on emerging technologies the earliest as possible.   BEST MOMENTS ‘Strong technological competence plays a crucial role in maintaining and improving a company's competitive position, regardless of business size.’ ‘In an environment impacted by technological complexity and the globalization of R&D activities, the successful identification, and usage of external sources of knowledge is becoming increasingly essential and primordial as part of a business success strategy.’ ‘Technology scouts require lateral thinking, knowledge in science and technology, a certain level of credibility, recognition within the company, cross-disciplinary orientation, creativity, and imagination.’ ‘Think about venture/technology scouting as an early warning system for companies to make better innovation choices.’   ABOUT THE HOST Sabine is a corporate strategist turned entrepreneur. She is the CEO and Managing Partner of Alchemy Crew, a venture lab that accelerates the curation, validation, & commercialization of new tech business models. Sabine is renowned within the insurance sector for building some of the most renowned tech startup accelerators around the world working with over 30 corporate insurers & accelerating over 100 startup ventures. Sabine is the co-editor of the bestseller The INSURTECH Book, a top 50 Women in Tech, a FinTech and InsurTech Influencer, an investor & multi-award winner.  Twitter: SabineVdL LinkedIn: Sabine VanderLinden Instagram: sabinevdLofficial Facebook: SabineVdLOfficial TikTok: sabinevdlofficial Email: podcast@sabinevdl.com Website: www.sabinevdl.com

In this episode, Sabine VdL describes what corporate venturing is and what it entails, how it can help startups and entrepreneurs, why there is an increased drive towards corporate venturing today and the best strategies to deploy VC programmes.     KEY TAKEAWAYS With corporate venturing, large companies develop, sponsor or invest in startup companies from the earliest stages of formation to later stages of growth to identify emerging technologies and develop cutting-edge customer-driven solutions that can resist the effects of time. The central point is that a startup company is evaluated and then funded by the corporate venture capital arm of the established business. This works well to shake off protocol and bureaucracy which can weigh down innovation when a parent company gets involved in partnership and investment decisions. Venture Capitalists (VCs) are experts at the money side of things where they focus on the financial objectives, whereas the corporate venturing team draws expertise from finance but also from strategy and industry, with their fingers on the pulse of emerging trends, opportunities, and risks. Young startup businesses can benefit tremendously from accessing the distribution, assets, core capabilities including the global resources and infrastructure of the big guns. If those established companies have well-defined processes in place, they can facilitate the education of internal stakeholders alongside startup founders on how best their solutions could scale within one or multiple geographies while providing effective mentorship. They can also find a paved path to access specific customer markets and growth. In industries such as insurance, dominated by large players, this is especially important.   BEST MOMENTS ‘Corporate venturing has some similarities to what R&D is in many industries.’ ‘Corporate venturing also has some similarities to Venture Capital funding.’ ‘There will always be some great CVCs and less great CVC units out there.’ ‘80% of startups fail.’   ABOUT THE HOST Sabine is a corporate strategist turned entrepreneur. She is the CEO and Managing Partner of Alchemy Crew, a venture lab that accelerates the curation, validation, & commercialization of new tech business models. Sabine is renowned within the insurance sector for building some of the most renowned tech startup accelerators around the world working with over 30 corporate insurers & accelerating over 100 startup ventures. Sabine is the co-editor of the bestseller The INSURTECH Book, a top 50 Women in Tech, a FinTech and InsurTech Influencer, an investor & multi-award winner.  Twitter: SabineVdL LinkedIn: Sabine VanderLinden Instagram: sabinevdLofficial Facebook: SabineVdLOfficial TikTok: sabinevdlofficial Email: podcast@sabinevdl.com Website: www.sabinevdl.com

 I just thought I would explain… Why Scouting for Growth? I have been fortunate for the past six years to work with Tech ventures wanting to change the world of insurance, finance, health, and wealth to name but a few. And to accelerate great companies, one needs to understand a little bit about "business." I have been fascinated with building growth ecosystems for the past six years. Getting my ventures to collaborate better and faster. At the same time, I have been driven by the potential of enabling my corporate partners to collaborate better with tech ventures while enabling those growth ventures with the greatest potential to engage with the many investors who gave me their trust. "Scouting For Growth" is the underlying premise for both … Venture Capitalists and Corporate "Venturists!" One side is looking for financial returns mostly from investing in start-up ventures. The other side tries to balance both financial and strategic returns. And often create unnecessary tech bubbles through the process. Anyway, I want to demystify through this podcast series two important processes that yield strong financial outcomes though 1) partnership, 2) investment, but then leading to 3) growth and 4) scale. First, Scouting For Growth is about scouting for ventures: or identifying and nurturing startups that are aligned to major market problems. The outcome sought may mostly be partnerships and collaborations but also longer-term investment opportunities for the many. Second, Scouting For Growth is about building ventures: or creating and designing new customer value propositions supported by disruptive business models able to solve some of the most complex challenges we need to contend with today.  Hopefully, the lessons learnt will ensure that we gather the right tools and techniques to build the growth business of tomorrow. You will also find that… I am French. I have been in the UK for 30 years. I am fortunate to work every day with some renowned international companies. But despite my great English I still and often drop my “ses” and count in French. I hope you won’t mind. You can take the French gal out of France. But rarely will you change her truly!  ABOUT THE HOST Sabine is a corporate strategist turned entrepreneur. She is the CEO and Managing Partner of Alchemy Crew, a venture lab that accelerates the curation, validation, & commercialization of new tech business models. Sabine is renowned within the insurance sector for building some of the most renowned tech startup accelerators around the world working with over 30 corporate insurers & accelerating over 100 startup ventures. Sabine is the co-editor of the bestseller The INSURTECH Book, a top 50 Women in Tech, a FinTech and InsurTech Influencer, an investor & multi-award winner.  Twitter: SabineVdL LinkedIn: Sabine VanderLinden Instagram: sabinevdLofficial Facebook: SabineVdLOfficial TikTok: sabinevdlofficial Email: podcast@sabinevdl.com Website: www.sabinevdl.com

Hi, I am Sabine VanderLinden – Many of my friends call me Mrs VdL. I have been in business for over 25 years. I worked for very well-known and respected blue-chip companies. And 6 years ago, I decided to take the entrepreneurial and investor route and ran a very well-known acceleration program for early-stage startups in Europe and the United States, while also engaging with investors and corporations in Asia, Africa and LATAM.  Yes. I know. Five continents in 5 years. 70 startups accelerated during that period. Lots of Airmiles. $100 million invested in accelerated portfolios. And certainly, lots of learnings.  Since then, my team and I have scouted over 20,000 ventures to help both corporates and investors identify new sources of growth.  I want to dedicate this podcast to the founders, the entrepreneurs, the intrapreneurs, the investors, corporate fighters, the change markers who over the years have given me their time, patience, and trust.  We will together, demystify the world of corporate venturing for you. ABOUT THE HOST Sabine is a corporate strategist turned entrepreneur. She is the CEO and Managing Partner of Alchemy Crew, a venture lab that accelerates the curation, validation, and commercialization of new tech business models. Sabine is renowned within the insurance sector for building some of the most renowned tech startup accelerators around the world working with over 30 corporate insurers and accelerating over 100 startup ventures. Sabine is the co-editor of the bestseller The INSURTECH Book, a top 50 Women in Tech, a FinTech and InsurTech Influencer, an investor &  multi-award winner.  Twitter: SabineVdL LinkedIn: Sabine VanderLinden Instagram: sabinevdLofficial Facebook: SabineVdLOfficial TikTok: sabinevdlofficial Email: podcast@sabinevdl.com Website: www.sabinevdl.com