corporate venturing: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, Business/Corporate
Quick answer
What does “corporate venturing” mean?
The practice of a large, established company investing in or partnering with small, innovative, external startup companies, typically to gain access to new technologies, markets, or business models.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The practice of a large, established company investing in or partnering with small, innovative, external startup companies, typically to gain access to new technologies, markets, or business models.
A strategic activity where a corporation provides capital, expertise, or resources to external entrepreneurial ventures. It can include direct equity investments, incubator programs, or structured partnerships, serving as an alternative or supplement to internal research and development (R&D).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No major lexical differences. The concept and term are identical in both varieties. Spelling follows local conventions for 'corporate'.
Connotations
Identical connotations of strategic, forward-looking business investment.
Frequency
Equally common in both UK and US business and academic finance contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “corporate venturing” in a Sentence
[Company/Corporation] + [verb: engages in/is active in/has a] + corporate venturingcorporate venturing + [prep: in/into/with] + [area/startup]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “corporate venturing” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The firm is actively venturing into new markets via its startup partners.
- They have chosen to venture capital into three bio-tech firms.
American English
- The company is venturing into AI through strategic partnerships.
- They decided to venture funds into an autonomous driving startup.
adverb
British English
- The company invests venturously in cutting-edge tech.
- They acted more venturously than their competitors.
American English
- They are investing venturously in blockchain startups.
- The division operated quite venturously last year.
adjective
British English
- The corporate venturing strategy has been a success.
- They set up a new venturing arm last quarter.
American English
- Their corporate venturing program is highly selective.
- The venturing activity has led to two acquisitions.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
The board approved a new corporate venturing budget to tap into fintech innovations.
Academic
The study analysed the impact of corporate venturing on incumbent firms' absorptive capacity.
Everyday
Rarely used. Might be paraphrased as 'big companies investing in small startups.'
Technical
The CVC unit's mandate includes equity-based corporate venturing in Series A and B rounds.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “corporate venturing”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “corporate venturing”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “corporate venturing”
- Using it as a plural countable noun (e.g., 'many corporate venturings'). It is generally uncountable. Confusing it with 'venture capital' from independent funds. Adding 's' to 'venturing'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Venture capital (VC) is done by independent firms raising funds from investors. Corporate venturing (or CVC) is done by established companies using their own balance sheet, with strategic goals (e.g., innovation access) often as important as financial returns.
Typically no. By definition, it involves external, independent ventures. Internal innovation projects are usually called 'intrapreneurship' or 'internal R&D'.
Common forms include direct minority equity investments in startups, accelerator or incubator programs for external teams, and innovation partnerships where the startup's product is tested or integrated by the corporation.
It is often managed by a dedicated 'Corporate Venture Capital (CVC)' unit, a business development team, or a strategic innovation department, reporting to senior leadership or the C-suite.
The practice of a large, established company investing in or partnering with small, innovative, external startup companies, typically to gain access to new technologies, markets, or business models.
Corporate venturing is usually formal, business/corporate in register.
Corporate venturing: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkɔːp(ə)rət ˈvɛn(t)ʃərɪŋ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkɔːrp(ə)rət ˈvɛn(t)ʃərɪŋ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[To] bet on external innovation”
- “[To] scout for startups”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a large corporate 'VENTURE' ship sending out small scout boats (ventures) to explore new lands (innovations).
Conceptual Metaphor
INNOVATION IS A TERRAIN FOR EXPLORATION (venturing into new territories); CORPORATIONS ARE LARGE VESSELS/INSTITUTIONS.
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary goal of corporate venturing?