HG Ventures

As robotics moves deeper into industrial and infrastructure applications, the demands on talent are changing. With open roles at Molg and R3 Robotics, Mitch Black looks at why execution-focused engineers are in short supply, and why that matters for companies trying to scale in the real world. ➡️ See link in Comments for details of open roles. https://lnkd.in/gWqkH9-6

This is a strong example of circularity moving from concept to infrastructure. As deployment accelerates, the question isn’t whether we need recycling capacity, it’s whether we can build it fast enough, and at scale. 

In a guest article for Environment+Energy Leader, Ginger Rothrock highlights the vital role played by startups, and the VCs who back them, in tackling the world's most pressing technological challenges. ➡️ https://lnkd.in/dEzEB4tp

As artificial intelligence drives an unprecedented surge in electricity demand, what happens to the economics of industrial electrification? In a new post, Ginger Rothrock considers the options, and the implications for those invested in industrial infrastructure. https://lnkd.in/gibXuFpc

Erin C. has been named to Global Corporate Venturing's Rising Stars list, which recognizes the next generation of leaders in corporate venture capital. Ginger Rothrock says: “Erin represents the very best of the next generation of venture investors – a killer work ethic, insatiably curious, and already delivering impact well beyond her years. This makes her not only a rising star, but a foundational part of what makes our team successful.” Congratulations, Erin! https://lnkd.in/gBTQYwvk

At the forthcoming GCVI Summit, organized by Global Corporate Venturing, John Glushik will join Victoria Slivkoff of Chemonics International, Evan Gutoff of Kearney Ventures and Neal Hansch of Silicon Foundry to explore the idea of "The Corporate as Platform: CVC Role in Building the Enterprise Innovation Ecosystem." Innovation is not just something we look for in our portfolio companies, it is culturally embedded throughout The Heritage Group. By combining venture investment with The Heritage Group's capabilities, we equip internal teams with new tools, processes, and partnerships, while also enabling portfolio success. That's the perspective John will bring to the keynote discussion next week. More details here: https://lnkd.in/eZiWkHY7

Startups are nowadays highly likely to wind up with a corporate investor on their board. Around 1 in 5 funding rounds involves a corporate investor and 92% of corporate investors will either a board or observer role. That's not a bad thing. A corporate board member can bring a lot of value. But it is essential for the right person at the company to be in that seat and for them to have the training and preparation. Otherwise this can end up hurting the relationship and run into unresolvable conflicts of interest. A big thank you to Luca Gori at DLA Piper, Martin Cheski CPA at TELUS Global Ventures (TGV) and John Glushik at HG Ventures for teasing out some of the best practice and nuance of this for us. Link to the full article in the comments.

In April, HG Ventures and Xylem will convene a meeting of senior operators, investors, and industry leaders for a focused discussion on industrial water strategy. In a new post, Ginger Rothrock unpacks why this is such an important yet under-invested area. Registration details in comments. https://lnkd.in/gZe3MjWm

Tim Boeltken, co-founder and CEO of e-fuels company INERATEC, recently sat down with John Glushik to talk candidly about what it really takes to build a hard-tech company at industrial scale: why modularity matters, why patience is not optional, and why execution, not vision decks, is the real differentiator. This is a window into how a founder thinks when the stakes are high, timelines are long, and failure is very expensive. Read the conversation here: https://lnkd.in/guT-B-zY

When a corporate VC invests, who should get a board seat?  It's a source of some debate within the CVC community and John Glushik will be making the case for CVCs in a webinar hosted by Global Corporate Venturing on March 11th. Sign up to learn why: https://lnkd.in/gyJvzTyX