Global logistics is a tough market, but it is also one of the most advantaged arenas for corporate venture building. In this episode, DSV venture builder and former Schenker Ventures leader Tom Schneider joins Alloy Partners’ Drew Beechler to share how they built and spun out ventures from inside a logistics giant, what they learned from NxtLog, and why AI is accelerating the pace of experimentation.​​​

• Intro & Tom’s path into venture building – From industrial engineering and autonomous vehicles at Volkswagen to venture building in logistics.​
• Why Schenker launched a venture studio – Low margins, emerging digital platforms, and the need to monetize existing data and network assets.​​
• Studio design and spin-out decisions – Strategic vs. studio ventures, portfolio outcomes, and why revenue is the core validation metric.​​
• Talent, incentives, and ownership – Hiring founders, internal rotations, and the difficulty of matching startup-like upside inside a corporate.​
• NxtLog as a case study – Starting with paid PDF “MVPs,” overbuilding a platform, and refocusing on customer value in logistics data and decision support.​​
• AI and the next wave of venture building – Using LLMs and lightweight tools to ship prototypes in days and what that means for corporate venture teams.​​

Tom Schneider – Senior Manager Venture Building, DSV (formerly Schenker Ventures)

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-schneider-muenchen/​

DSV: https://www.dsv.com/en-us/​

NxtLog: https://www.nxtlog.io/​

Drew Beechler – VP of Marketing, Alloy Partners

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drewbeechler​

Alloy Partners: https://www.alloypartners.com​

• Schenker Ventures – Corporate venture capital and venture builder at DB Schenker
• DB Schenker & NxtLog: A Visionary Collaboration
• DSV completes acquisition of Schenker

Advantaged: An Alloy Partners Podcast

On this episode of Advantaged, host Drew Beechler sits down with Amplio CEO and co-founder Trey Closson to unpack the journey from corporate supply chain leader to venture-backed founder, and the hard-earned lessons behind Amplio’s major product pivot. They explore how Sprint Week at Koch Industries sparked Amplio’s creation, why surplus industrial inventory became the company’s true north, and what it really takes for startups and corporations to experiment together successfully.​

• Trey’s non-linear path from philosophy major to supply chain operator to founder
• Sprint Week: how Amplio was born
• Why private ownership structure can enable longer-term, experiment-friendly decision-making​
• Amplio’s first act: predictive supply chain risk software
• Early customer traction and raising a seed round from Construct Capital, Slow Ventures, Alpaca, High Alpha, and Flexport
• The catalyst for a pivot: surplus inventory
• Building a marketplace for surplus assets, decommissioned industrial equipment, and raw materials
• Working with strategic corporate investors
• Why corporates must place real experimental bets—often through external startups—to sustain long-term growth​

Trey Closson – CEO & Co-founder, Amplio ​

Host: Drew Beechler – VP of Marketing, Alloy Partners

• All In Podcast – Dave Ricks interview on GLP-1s, obesity, and building an innovation culture at Eli Lilly
• Flexport – Modern freight forwarding and logistics platform
• Georgia-Pacific – Koch Industries company where Trey led international logistics and experienced entrepreneurial corporate culture.​
• Koch Industries – Privately held industrial conglomerate that partnered with Alloy Partners to create Amplio.
• Amplio Seed Round — Led by Construct Capital with participation from Slow Ventures, Alpaca VC, Flexport, High Alpha, and others.
• Amplio $11M Series A — Led by Hitachi Ventures & Yamaha Ventures.

• https://www.amplio.com/​​
• https://www.alloypartners.com/​
• Advantaged: An Alloy Partners Podcast – Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.
• Wavelength Newsletter

Advantaged: An Alloy Partners Podcast

• Evolution of the SaaS Benchmarks Report: brief history and transition from OpenView to High Alpha
• “Operation AI”: AI’s move from feature to foundational infrastructure
• Market rebound in venture funding, driven by mega AI rounds
• In-person events and office-based teams: outperforming remote-first approaches
• Product integration of AI and the deep bifurcation between pre/post-2022 founders
• What distinguishes leaders—retention, expansion, and pricing innovation in a crowded AI world
• Impact of AI on headcount, efficiency metrics, and unit economics at scale
• Commentary on industry benchmarks: ARR per employee, gross margin trends, the rise of outcome-based pricing
• Debate: Will agentic AI disrupt SaaS, or does the delivery and human element remain essential?

• Blake Koriath – Partner & CFO, High Alpha (LinkedIn)
• Host: Drew Beechler – VP Marketing, Alloy Partners (LinkedIn)

• High Alpha 2025 SaaS Benchmarks Report
• 20VC Podcast w/ Harry Stebbings, Jason Lemkin, Rory O’Driscoll: Why Vertical SaaS is a Bad Investment Today & Why VC Today is Worse than 2021
• Meritech Analytics: SaaS Public Benchmarking
• Advantaged Podcast archive

• About High Alpha
• About Alloy Partners
• Sign up for the 2026 SaaS Benchmarks survey
• Subscribe on Spotify
• Subscribe on Apple Podcasts

If you enjoyed the discussion, be sure to rate, review, and subscribe.

Advantaged: An Alloy Partners Podcast

• The origin story of Woodchuck and its partnership with NorthStar Clean Energy
• How AI and data drive more sustainable waste management
• The evolution of NorthStar’s biomass and carbon management strategy
• Lessons in venture building, collaboration, and scaling from day zero
• Advice for corporates experimenting with startup creation

• Brian Hartmann, President & CEO, NorthStar Clean Energy
• Todd Thomas, Co-Founder & CEO, Woodchuck
• Elliott Parker, CEO, Alloy Partners
• Drew Beechler, VP of Marketing & Host, Alloy Partners

• Woodchuck Press Releases:
  • Woodchuck Launches to Transform Construction Waste into Renewable Energy
  • Woodchuck Secures $3.75 Million Seed Funding to Revolutionize Waste-to-Energy for Construction, Manufacturing & Bioenergy Industries
• Elliott Parker’s Book: The Illusion of Innovation: Escape 'Innovation Theater' and Build Real Businesses

Resources & Related Links

• Alloy Partners — Learn more about our venture-building approach
• NorthStar Clean Energy — Clean energy and carbon management solutions
• Woodchuck — Turning waste into renewable energy
• Advantaged Podcast — More episodes and updates

Advantaged: An Alloy Partners Podcast

• Strategic alignment vs. financial return in corporate venture
• Tenon's origin story: spotting white space, pitching, and co-founding with enterprise partners
• What product co-development with an enterprise really looks like
• Joint go-to-market: “sell with” field teams, shared decks, and landing global clients
• Navigating the balance between startup agility and corporate process
• Keys to successful collaboration: executive sponsorship, stakeholder communication, and mutual focus
• Lessons, red flags, and advice for founders and CVC leaders

• Ben Person — Co-founder & CEO, Tenon (LinkedIn)
• Shuchi Rana — Global Head of Whitespace Intelligence, ServiceNow Ventures (LinkedIn)
• Host: Drew Beechler — VP of Marketing, Alloy Partners (LinkedIn)

• ServiceNow Ventures’ $1B strategic venture commitment
• High Alpha + Tenon Launch Press Release
• “Acquired” Podcast episode featuring Bill McDermott
• Bill McDermott’s autobiography

• Tenon's Website
• ServiceNow Ventures: Website
• Alloy Partners: alloypartners.com

Advantaged: An Alloy Partners Podcast

Episode Breakdown

• Lessons from 10 years of venture studios
• Does a “corporate startup” exist?
• Internal vs. external venture creation: frameworks and pitfalls
• Why most internal “startups” never deliver
• The right moment and model for launching external startups
• Practical advice on governance, incentives, and measuring success
• Trends and headwinds in innovation teams
• Quickfire: books, podcasts, and startup ideas

Featured Guests

• Elliott Parker — CEO, Alloy Partners (LinkedIn)
• Drew Beechler — VP of Marketing, Alloy Partners (LinkedIn)

Referenced in the Show

• a16z partner's tweet on “no such thing as a corporate startup”
• Wharton & Mack Institute Corporate Venturing Report (2025)
• Indie.vc's Bryce Roberts’ “one-person billion dollar company” thesis
  • It's not quite a "billion-dollar one-person company", but the Indie.vc website says:
    We’re obsessed with the idea that someone is going to build a business doing $100M in revenue with less than 10 employees and see it as this generation of founders’ 4 min mile. Once someone shows it can be done, many more will follow. We want to partner with the one that does to help define a repeatable playbook for those that follow.
• Google/Alphabet Acquired podcast episode
• The Price of Time (book)
• Founders Podcast

Resources & Related Links

• Alloy Partners: https://www.alloypartners.com
• Advantaged podcast: https://advantaged.alloypartners.com
• Contact Alloy Partners for venture-building collaborations: https://www.alloypartners.com/connect

Advantaged: An Alloy Partners Podcast

• Téma’s journey from PhD physicist to leading global innovation at ENGIE
• The layered approach: corporate venture capital, open innovation, internal incubation, and the APAC venture studio
• How ENGIE Factory in Singapore identifies market gaps and builds ventures to address them
• The advantages of geographic and governance independence for corporate startups
• Structuring incentives: bringing in external founders and investors for alignment and agility
• Killing ventures quickly: managing and reviewing the portfolio for strategic fit
• Lessons on scaling innovation, de-risking experimentation, and creating new growth engines in energy

Téma Benhalima-Bouville
Global Innovation Managing Director, ENGIE
LinkedIn

Elliott Parker
CEO, Alloy Partners
LinkedIn

Drew Beechler
VP, Marketing, Alloy Partners
LinkedIn

ENGIE Factory

ENGIE Corporate

Alloy Partners

Learn more about venture building, visit the Advantaged archive at Advantaged Podcast

Connect with the hosts and guests on LinkedIn:

Téma Benhalima-Bouville

Elliott Parker

Drew Beechler

Advantaged: An Alloy Partners Podcast

• Introductions and backgrounds of all guests.
• Origins and principles of MIT Proto Ventures: why a university-embedded venture studio?
• The “channel” model: focus areas, external funding, and entrepreneurial leadership.
• Incentive alignment for builder talent and founders.
• Lessons learned from five years in deeptech startup creation.
• Key takeaways from the R&D Venture Studio Playbook: bringing discoveries to market, scaling beyond MIT.
• Portfolio highlights:
  • Vertical Horizons – Compact, efficient power supply units for AI/data centers (seed-funded, launched 2024)
  • Hyperion Transport Systems – Satellite thruster innovation
  • Interlink – Grid interconnection software
• The “translation gap” in academia and how Proto Ventures aims to move the needle.
• Vision for the future: universities as active engines of national security and economic dynamism.

• Gene Keselman – Managing Director, MIT Proto Ventures (LinkedIn)
• David Cohen-Tanugi – Venture Builder, MIT Proto Ventures (LinkedIn)
• Andrew Inglis – Venture Builder, MIT Proto Ventures (LinkedIn)
• Host: Drew Beechler – VP Marketing, Alloy Partners (LinkedIn)

• R&D Venture Studio Playbook
• The Hill: "Universities must become active launchpads for innovation"
• Vertical Horizons
• Embr Labs (founded by David Cohen-Tanugi)

• MIT Proto Ventures
• Alloy Partners
• Advantaged podcast archive

Advantaged: An Alloy Partners Podcast

Episode Breakdown

• 01:00—History of DCRI: The roots of Duke’s Clinical Research Institute and the rise of population-scale cardiovascular trials.
• 04:00—Meet Donna Parker: Donna’s journey from public health and pediatric trials to leading innovation as Director of i-Cubed at DCRI.
• 05:00—Why i-Cubed? The founding vision to speed up, de-risk, and democratize clinical trials via novel partnerships and commercialization pathways.
• 08:00—Entrepreneurship Inside Duke: The two “pipelines” for innovation—internal clinician/employee inventors, and industry/startup co-development.
• 09:30—The i-Cubed Model: Support for entrepreneurs from idea validation to market fit, pricing, and brand development; EIR program details.
• 15:00—Engaging Pharma and Industry: How traditional players partner with DCRI/i-Cubed for academic insight, validation, and AB testing.
• 21:00—Macro-Level Shifts: The impact of COVID-19, remote and decentralized clinical trials, and the new frontiers opened by AI and data.
• 25:00—AI in Clinical Research: From recruitment and protocol creation to governance and practical challenges; why trust and human connection still matter.

Featured Guests

• Donna Parker — Director, i-Cubed, Duke Clinical Research Institute (LinkedIn)
• Mamta Elias — Director, Alloy Partners (LinkedIn)
• Drew Beechler — VP Marketing, Alloy Partners (LinkedIn)

Referenced in the Show

• Duke Clinical Research Institute: dcri.org
• i-Cubed Center: DCRI i-Cubed
• DCRI Think Tank Program: Think Tanks at DCRI

Resources & Related Links

• Alloy Partners
• Partnership inquiries: [email protected]
• Past episodes of Advantaged: Alloy Partners Podcast

For more insights on corporate innovation and entrepreneurship in healthcare, subscribe to the Advantaged podcast and follow Alloy Partners on LinkedIn.

Advantaged: An Alloy Partners Podcast

Episode Breakdown:

• Introduction to startup communities: Why they matter and how they support founders and innovation
• The “Give First” mentality: David Cohen on the secret weapon of successful communities
• The Boulder Thesis and evolution of startup community principles: Brad Feld on defining and evolving community leadership
• Instigators and ecosystem players: The role of non-founders and organizations in driving community success
• Government and policy: Ian Hathaway on how policy can help or hinder startup ecosystems
• Techstars’ approach to community partnerships: David Cohen on global mentorship and learning networks
• Denver Startup Week’s growth and inclusivity: Erik Mitisek on welcoming all voices and scaling impact
• Love of place and community care: Ian Hathaway and panelists on the importance of local pride and collaboration
• Overcoming gatekeepers: Brad Feld on the power of action and open access in building vibrant ecosystems
• Call to action: Everyone has a role in building their startup community

Featured Guests:

• Lesa Mitchell, General Manager, Alloy Partners (LinkedIn, X)
• David Cohen, Co-founder & CEO, Techstars (LinkedIn, X)
• Brad Feld, Partner, Foundry Group & Co-founder, Techstars (LinkedIn)
• Ian Hathaway, Partner, Far Out (FOVC) & Co-author, The Startup Community Way (LinkedIn)
• Erik Mitisek, Founder, Denver Startup Week (LinkedIn)

Referenced in the Show:

• Startup Communities by Brad Feld
• The Startup Community Way by Brad Feld & Ian Hathaway
• Global Entrepreneurship Congress 2025, Indianapolis
• Techstars Startup Community Partnerships

Resources & Related Links:

• Alloy Partners
• Techstars
• Foundry Group
• Far Out Ventures
• Denver/Colorado Startup Week
• Global Entrepreneurship Congress

Advantaged: An Alloy Partners Podcast