A (very short) History of Venture Clienting
A (very short) History of Venture Clienting
Let’s be real: the idea of companies working with other (smaller) companies to solve their problems isn’t new. Businesses have always partnered, bought from, or collaborated with others to get stuff done faster or better.
But what is new is treating this as a systematic approach to innovation. That’s where Venture Clienting - as a concept - comes in.
So where did it start?
The term “Venture Client” was coined in 2014 at BMW, where a guy named Gregor Gimmy (yes, he deserves a shoutout) developed the first structured Venture Client model. The idea? Instead of investing in startups through a corporate VC or just hoping for magic from an accelerator, BMW would become a client of startups - buying their products to solve real business problems.
Gregor later founded 27pilots, a company that helped other corporates set up their own Venture Clienting Units. Over time, the concept spread across Germany, and then across Europe.
Fun fact: The term Venture Clienting is still mostly a European thing.
In the US, the practice exists, big companies working with startups to solve problems but they just don’t call it Venture Clienting. Same thing, different branding.
In 2023, 27pilots was acquired by Deloitte, marking a kind of “coming of age” moment for the model, proof that Venture Clienting had grown from niche idea to recognized innovation strategy.
In Short
- The concept is old — the systematic approach is new.
- BMW + Gregor Gimmy = Venture Clienting pioneers.
- It started in Germany, spread across Europe, and is now a global trend (even if not always by name).
Hi, I'm Madlen, and I lead the Venture Clienting solutions at GlassDollar. At GlassDollar, we empower corporations to quickly identify and test cutting-edge startup technology. Our outstanding team of Venture Clienting experts is committed to helping corporations harness startup innovations and drive growth at any stage. Whether you need strategic consulting, support in establishing a Venture Clienting unit, or assistance in operating and scaling it, we are your ideal partner.
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Everything you need to know about Venture Clienting
Welcome to Venture Clienting
Learn what Venture Clienting is (and what it isn’t), where the model came from, and why it’s become a fast path to measurable business impact. It also clarifies the differences to CVC and Venture Building, shows how the three can work together, and closes with practical “golden rules” to start with the right problems, win early PoCs, and build the trust you’ll need to scale.
Getting Started
A quick on-ramp into Venture Clienting: a checklist to see if your organization is actually ready, the minimum setup you need (one owner, a starter budget, and light leadership backing), plus a plain-English glossary so everyone—from business units to procurement—uses the same terms and avoids confusion from day one.
The 3 Phases of Venture Clienting Units
A practical maturity map for how Venture Clienting Units evolve over time — from START (prove the model with a few high-impact PoCs), to GROW (make it repeatable and expand reach), to SCALE (run high volume with strong selectivity, efficiency, and strategic alignment). It clarifies what to prioritize in each phase: budgets, timelines, lead volume, stakeholder setup (procurement/IT/legal), and the specific habits that drive momentum without burning quality.
The Venture Clienting Process
A practical, end-to-end guide to running Venture Clienting in real life — from uncovering internal pain points and qualifying PoC leads to sourcing startups, running focused demos, executing lean PoCs, and turning successful pilots into real implementations with measurable business impact.
Advanced Topics
This chapter covers advanced Venture Clienting topics you’ll face once the basics work: managing PoCs as a portfolio, working effectively with IT, accelerating projects through alternative contracting models, and securing lasting C-level support. It shows how to reduce bottlenecks, allocate resources smarter, and turn Venture Clienting into a strategic, scalable capability.