Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi offer lessons for corporate innovators & startup CEOs — “In a dark place we find ourselves, and a little more knowledge lights our way.” — Jedi Grand Master Yoda As leader of the Jedi council in Star Wars, Yoda was essentially their CEO. It was his job to see the future, a talent specifically honed by the visionary warrior…

Focus on supporting the core, or preparing for disruption? — Corporate innovation executives often wrestle with the purpose of their venture capital (“CVC”) programs and how to implement policies to achieve objectives. In addition to the questions that face every new venture capital fund — like what sector, stage, and geographies should be targeted — corporate VCs must also address…

Human and A.I. customer service are regressing to the mean — I’m particularly interested in how brands build deep engagement with customers to create long-term relationships. I believe customer service interactions are pivotal in this regard, and I often seek out these experiences as a way to learn how smart brands drive loyalty. A few decades ago I had a customer…

Create order from chaos — “Alignment” is an important concept in business dealings between corporations and startups. The word refers to managing incentives so that all parties work together toward common goals. When there is misalignment, stakeholders find themselves fighting or working toward divergent goals. Structuring deals to create alignment was one of the initial…

The secret behind valuing seed & early stage startups — Venture capitalists frequently say that valuing startups is “more art than science.” If that’s true, then it’s absurdist art, because most seed stage businesses have no value. In fact, seed stage startups — companies that have not yet released a product, regardless of how many rounds they’ve raised — are…

The true role of a chairperson may surprise you — My friend Andrew Williamson of Cambridge Innovation Capital and I were discussing the process for hiring a board chair for one of our co-investments. Prior to bringing on the new chair, I asked Andrew if he considered serving in the role himself, since his firm acts as the “lead investor”…

If performance equity is in play, how should it be valued? — One of the top myths in our economy today is that startups and large corporations are enemies locked in an endless war. The conventional wisdom is that establishment entities prey on vulnerable entrepreneurs, or that ambitious upstarts disrupt obsolete dinosaurs. In reality, startups and corporations can work together to disrupt…

Corporate venture capital veteran with 20+ years experience will be based in Chicago as a venture partner — We are excited to announce that Mel Gaceta has joined Touchdown as our newest Venture Partner. In his new role, Mel will help manage our consumer investing practice. He brings 20+ years of corporate venture capital experience in multiple sectors such as CPG, food, technology, and financial services. Most recently…

Make the hiring process entertaining for candidates… and effective for your team — Have you ever participated in a series of on-site job interviews, moving from one meeting to another for a half day or even a full day of grill sessions? It’s exhausting, right? For job candidates, these interviews can feel like Groundhog Day, being asked the same questions about their job…