In today’s newsletter:
- 🗞️ Quick Hits: Optimizing Corporate Venturing: Balancing Autonomy and Impact in Innovation Units - AI Powered Market Landscaping
- 🛰️ Industry Radar: To keep you ahead on industry trends
- 🔎 Research: Global AI Investments: The USA's Leading Role and Top Corporate Investors
Let’s open the vault 🏦
🗞️ Quick Hits
Short & sweet—news that caught our eye this week.
📊 The research explores how corporate venturing units (CVUs) can balance autonomy with impact by drawing on expert insights. It emphasizes the importance of leadership, budget independence, and strategic incentives in driving innovation. Key themes include leveraging agility metrics, forming strategic partnerships, and developing tailored autonomy models, all with a focus on holistic impact assessment to align with organizational goals.
📡 Industry Radar
Stay ahead of the curve— some of the hottest news & trends across our reference industries paired with some bonus insights from FounderNest.
🔋 Oil & Energy - Future Energy Ventures Bets on Solar and EV Innovation
Future Energy Ventures (FEV), a VC firm spun out from E.ON in 2022, invests in startups tackling challenges in solar and EV markets. Despite sector struggles and a tough fundraising climate, FEV is nearing its second fund goal, leveraging abundant buy-side opportunities to drive innovation in energy.
🍏 Food & Bev - Restaurants: Drive Holiday Sales with QR Codes and SMS Marketing
During the holiday rush, restaurants can boost sales with QR codes and SMS marketing. QR code usage has increased 187%, improving engagement and streamlining operations. Creative placements can offer videos, playlists, or charity donations, while SMS and email campaigns drive loyalty, fostering long-term customer connections.
FounderNest Bonus: We were curious and decided to explore how QR codes are shaping key trends that are transforming the overall restaurant experience—from dynamic menus to personalized customer interactions. Sign up for a FounderNest account to access more data now!
♻️ Climate Tech - Amid Climate Tech Dip, AI and Energy Innovations Thrive
Despite a decline in climate tech funding, investors are finding opportunities in AI, climate adaptation, and energy innovation. AI ventures raised a record $6 billion in 2024, and energy start-ups saw more support. Large companies are backing later-stage projects, using their expertise to scale solutions in the growing low-carbon economy.
📦 Retail & Logistics - eBay Powers Up Sustainable Fashion with Bold Moves
eBay is expanding in secondhand fashion, with 40% of its sales in 2023 being pre-owned. Key initiatives include the Circular Fashion Fund, fee-free selling in Europe, and partnerships with Fashion Weeks and Elton John’s auction, emphasizing sustainable, trusted shopping.
🏥 Healthcare - Breakthrough Women’s Health Startups to Watch in 2024
In 2024, women’s health startups are thriving, with companies like Midi Health and Flo Health leading the way. Newer ventures like Ru Medical, Eli, and Gabbi are innovating in menopause care, hormone testing, and breast cancer detection, highlighting a growing focus on women’s health.
FounderNest Bonus: We've created a dedicated space for women's health, where you can explore companies, discover the latest trends, learn about emerging technologies and more. You can check it out here!
🌷 Beauty Industry - Beauty’s Growth: Price Hikes Lead, Innovation Drives the Future
The global beauty industry grew 10% in 2023, driven largely by price hikes. With inflation cooling, brands must focus on sustainable growth and innovation. Emerging markets show promise, while China’s growth lagged. Adapting to consumer shifts and leveraging AI will be key for future success.
📈 Banking - Future of Banking: 5 Tech Trends Transforming Finance by 2035
By 2035, banking will be reshaped by quantum computing, AI, DeFi, embedded finance, and biometrics, enabling personalization, seamless access, and security. Banks must adopt these technologies to lead a human-focused future.
👨🌾 Farming & Agriculture - Unlocking Sustainability: The Power of Regenerative Agriculture
Regenerative agriculture improves soil health, boosts biodiversity, and increases farm productivity, all while addressing environmental challenges. Its practices help farmers build resilience and sustainability.
FounderNest Bonus: We wanted to explore the leaders in regenerative agriculture, so we run a light search and here’s what we came across. You can explore more by signing up for a FounderNest account.
💻 IT - Transforming IT: Key Trends Shaping 2025
In 2025, IT departments will use AI, cybersecurity, and new technologies to boost efficiency and security. AIOps will automate tasks, while evolving infrastructure and cloud solutions, along with changing C-suite roles, will drive business growth.
💊 Pharma - Lilly Invests $3B to Boost Production of Key Diabetes, Obesity Drugs
Eli Lilly is investing $3 billion to expand a Wisconsin plant, increasing production of its popular diabetes and weight loss drugs, Zepbound and Mounjaro. The move, part of a $23 billion push, will create 750 jobs and meet growing demand for GLP-1 medications.
🌐 Technology - AI: The Invisible Force Shaping the Future
The future of technology lies in AI’s quiet ubiquity, seamlessly embedded into daily life like electricity or the internet. From optimizing traffic to enhancing healthcare and education, AI will power innovations across industries, becoming an unseen force that makes the world smarter, faster, and more intuitive.
