Why do most corporate venture arms fail within four years, and what are the three principles that make them last?

In this episode, Andreas Munk Holm and Jeppe Høier speak with Oliver Schmäschke, Managing Partner at T.Capital, the €2.3 billion investment arm of Deutsche Telekom.

Oliver shares practical insights on what actually works in corporate venture capital, built around three core principles that shape how corporates invest, operate and create long-term impact.

Key highlights

Strategic vs financial investing
Access and value creation as competitive edge
Governance and decision-making speed
Why most CVCs fail
Hiring and retaining top talent

Timestamps

(00:00) Introduction and guest background

(02:00) Oliver’s journey and T.Capital overview

(04:00) Strategic vs financial investing

(07:00) Core principles of CVC

(12:00) Talent and hiring in CVC

(16:00) Corporate edge vs traditional VCs

(23:00) Structuring a CVC and value creation

(29:00) State of CVC in Europe and closing

For more European VC thought leadership, visit our website.

Learn more about T.Capital here.

E723 | Oliver Schmäschke (T.Capital): 3 Principles to Prevent CVC Failure

EUVC

E723 | Oliver Schmäschke (T.Capital): 3 Principles to Prevent CVC Failure