Marc Thom (Henkel Ventures): CVCs can outperform VCs

Most VCs think corporate venture capital is slower, more conflicted and structurally weaker than traditional venture firms. Marc Thom, Corporate Vice President and Head of Henkel Ventures, argues the opposite and explains why the best CVCs may actually outperform traditional VCs over time.In this episode, Marc joins Andreas Munk Holm and Jeppe Høier to discuss how Henkel built one of Europe’s leading corporate venture platforms, why most startup-corporate partnerships fail and how corporates can create both strategic and financial advantage through venture investing.Topics coveredWhy the best CVCs can outperform VCsHow Henkel structures venture investing and partnershipsThe “holy bible” behind startup collaboration inside corporatesWhy most startup partnerships fail internallyThe role corporates should play on startup cap tablesHow AI is reshaping industrial R&D and materials scienceTimestamps(00:00) Why CVCs can outperform traditional VCs(04:00) How Henkel structures startup sourcing and partnerships(11:00) The use case framework behind Henkel Ventures(16:00) The “Role of Henkel” in startup investing(23:00) Why Henkel invested in ResearchGate(27:40) AI, chemistry and the future of industrial R&D(30:20) Why Marc believes CVCs can outperform VCs(36:00) How Henkel built internal alignment for venture investingSubscribe to EUVC, the home of European tech, for more insights.