If you're in it, you'd know what we're talking about. The Construction industry - pragmatic and, at times, traditional, is under radical disruption and the Internet of Things is connecting the sector, and its players, like never before. The connection between everyday devices and building practice, and the internet, is now becoming more and more common. The application of smart-tech in buildings, machinery and even construction materials is quickly transforming the property and construction worlds, into a hot topic - which is why investors are sitting up and taking notice. In a previous blog, we featured FastBrick Robotics in our [...]

With the UK's Biotech industry being deemed the world's 3rd largest growth hub by sector, it's hardly surprising that investment into this industry - despite the economical uncertainty that looms - has been booming. And it's not quite that new. During 2015, financing rounds involving corporate venture capital amounted to $647 million of $1033 million invested in unquoted UK life sciences companies (2016: $567m of $965m), according to the Association of British Pharmaceutical Industry research. In fact, UK companies closed 68% of European financing rounds involving CVC in 2016, up from about a fifth a decade ago. Corporate Venture Capital, where [...]

What is Corporate Venturing? Corporate venturing, also known as corporate venture capital, is the practice of directly investing corporate funds into external start-up or early stage companies. This is usually done by large companies who wish to invest in new, innovative revenue streams, by taking equity stakes. The investing company may also provide other support, such as management and marketing expertise, strategic direction, and/or a line of credit.   Is Corporate Venturing something new? Corporate Venturing is not new. It is generally accepted that Pierre S. Du Pont, then president of chemical and plastics manufacturer DuPont, started it in 1914. [...]