Interviewed October 18, 2025

In this episode of Corporate Venturing Insider, Nicolas Sauvage sits down with Jody Thelander, founder and CEO of J. Thelander Consulting, to unpack how compensation shapes autonomy, retention, and performance in corporate venture capital. Together they explore the delicate balance between VC-style incentives and corporate governance. Listeners will learn how to design compensation models that align mission, motivate teams, and earn the mothership’s trust.

Interviewed October 6, 2025

In this episode of Corporate Venturing Insider, Nicolas Sauvage sits down with Annie Goman, Managing Director of Btomorrow Ventures, to explore how BAT’s venture arm is redefining corporate innovation. Goman shares how she led a strategic reset of Fund II, emphasizing “high alignment and high autonomy” to guide BAT’s transformation beyond nicotine. She also shares her scout bee analogy—describing how Btomorrow Ventures is charting the path to the company’s next hive of growth.

Interviewed September 25, 2025

In Episode #113 of Corporate Venturing Insider, Nicolas Sauvage speaks with Alexandra Renner, Program Manager at BMW Startup Garage, the world’s first venture client unit. Alexandra shares her journey from co-founding an augmented reality startup to shaping how BMW collaborates with hundreds of business units and pilots startup technologies at scale. She discusses the evolution of venture clienting, from early challenges to today’s best practices in scouting, piloting, and building lasting partnerships. Alexandra also explains how BMW balances startup speed with corporate rigor, the importance of internal communications, and why starting “big enough” is essential for success. This episode offers practical lessons for corporates, entrepreneurs, and anyone curious about how startups and industry giants can innovate together.

Interviewed August 15th, 2025

In this episode of Corporate Venturing Insider #112, Nicolas Sauvage speaks with Valery Yakubovich from Wharton’s Mack Institute about his latest report on corporate venturing. Valery explains how CVC has evolved from “David vs. Goliath” disruption toward symbiotic partnerships, where corporations and startups co-create value. The conversation unpacks six core corporate objectives—from risk management to ecosystem building—and explores emerging practices like venture clienting, venture building, and even AI-enabled startups.

Interviewed August 14, 2025

Nicolas Sauvage interviews Tammi Smorynski—24-year Intel Capital veteran and now GCV Institute instructor—on her winding path from J.P. Morgan to venture and why great CVCs must balance strategic impact with financial discipline. She shares boardroom best practices (say the hard thing first, observers can be powerful, use her eight-slide handover pack) and lessons from Intel Capital’s leaders summed up by Les Vadasz’s mantra: “steady as she goes.” Smorynski compares past downturns to today’s uncertainty, offers guarded optimism for deep-tech hardware, and urges aspiring CVCs to find mentors, treat failures as tuition, and prepare rigorously.

On July 21st, 2025, Corporate Venturing Insider welcomed Mike Smeed, Managing Director of InMotion Ventures, the CVC arm of Jaguar Land Rover.

In conversation with Nicolas Sauvage, President of TDK Ventures, Mike shared how InMotion balances strategic alignment with entrepreneurial agility through its evergreen structure, fast decision-making, and clear corporate engagement. The episode explores the central question guiding his journey: what kind of investor do you want to be?

Tune into our conversation with Matt Rhodes-Kropf, Managing Partner at Tectonic Ventures and Professor at MIT Sloan School of Management.

Interviewed on March 28th, 2025

Interviewed May 5th, 2025

In Episode 108 of Corporate Venturing Insider, Nicolas Sauvage sits down with Temple Fennell, cofounder and managing partner at Clean Energy Ventures. Temple shares his journey from systems engineer to climate-focused investor, offering insights into launching the CREO Syndicate and building Clean Energy Ventures. He breaks down his investment framework—like boundary rules and watch mode—and reflects on the evolving role of CVCs in climate tech. This episode is packed with strategic lessons for investors, founders, and innovation leaders.

Tune into our conversation with Angela Lee, Professor of Professional Practice at Columbia Business School.

Interviewed on April 15th, 2025

In this episode of Corporate Venturing Insider, Nicolas Sauvage sits down with Angela Lee, founder of 37 Angels and professor at Columbia Business School, to unpack her unconventional path from founder to investor and educator. Angela shares how she built 37 Angels to close both the knowledge and diversity gaps in angel investing, while offering frameworks for diligence, decision-making, and founder evaluation. The conversation also explores the evolving role of corporate venture capital, including its strategic potential, pitfalls like rights of first refusal, and practical advice on how CVCs can truly support startups.

Tune into our conversation with Gustavo Schwed, Professor of Finance and Professor of Management Practice at NYU Stern School of Business.

Interviewed on March 4th, 2025

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