Venture Clienting Decision Meetings: From Demos to PoC Selection
Decision Meetings
There’s no fancy trick to running a decision meeting - the real magic is having one in the first place.
If you don’t schedule a decision meeting, things will drift. People get busy, momentum gets lost, and suddenly the PoC never happens. So step one is simple:
Put a decision meeting on the calendar.
This gives everyone a clear deadline and creates commitment to make a call.
What’s the purpose?
To choose the startup you want to move forward with for the PoC. This is usually based on:
- The likelihood that the startup can solve the problem we’re trying to solve
- The impression the startup made during the demos
- Any other relevant info (pricing, etc.)
Who should be there?
Make sure all relevant decision-makers are in the room (or call).
This typically includes:
- The pain point owner
- Their manager or budget holder
- You (the innovation manager)
- Optionally, someone from procurement or IT if their input is needed at this stage
How to run it
- Start by summarizing
- Quickly remind everyone what the challenge is
- Recap which startups were demoed
- Show a visual (slide or GlassDollar software) with a simple side-by-side comparison of the options
- Invite impressions
- Ask: “Which one do you think solves the problem best?”
- Encourage input from the pain point owner first - they usually already have a favorite
- Share your perspective too, especially if you’ve seen many startups in this space
- If a decision is clear, then confirm it
- “Great. Then we’ll move forward with [Startup X] for the PoC.”
- If no decision yet, then ask what’s missing
- “What information would you need to make a decision today?”
- Get clear next steps: what needs to be clarified, by whom, and by when
- Set a second decision meeting immediately. Don’t let it hang open.
Your job in this meeting
- Keep the meeting focused
- Prevent “we’ll just think about it” from stalling momentum
- And most importantly: make sure a decision gets made
Reminder
A delayed decision is almost always worse than a wrong one. You can always correct course later but you can’t scale Venture Clienting if decisions drag on.
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.