Bosch Ventures’ Philipp Rose explains how purpose, independence and expanding the toolkit beyond investments have helped the CVC unit survive and evolve over 12 years.
What does it take for a corporate startup investment arm to remain valuable and relevant through more than a decade of changing markets, technologies and internal priorities? For Philipp Rose of Bosch Ventures, the answer starts with something simple: knowing why the corporate venture team exists in the first place.
When Rose joined Bosch Ventures 12 years ago, the corporate VC unit already had an international footprint and a steady stream of investments, but its purpose within the wider Bosch group was less clearly defined. Rose and his colleagues set out to establish a clearer strategy and, crucially, to give the investment team greater independence while working out how venture investing could deliver a more tangible benefit to the parent company.
That eventually led Bosch Ventures beyond investing alone. The unit developed its Open Bosch venture clienting activities, creating dedicated roles to help Bosch’s business units work with startups. The two activities remain separate — Bosch does not need to invest in a startup in order to become its customer — but together they have given the company a broader way to access innovation. Rose also discusses how Bosch Ventures has expanded geographically, including into China, where it has raised external funds, and more recently into Boston and London.
In this GCV Titans interview, Rose reflects on the lessons from 12 years at Bosch Ventures, including how to balance strategic and financial objectives, demonstrate impact to senior management, avoid following the herd during periods of market hype, and maintain a clear purpose through leadership changes. He also shares his views on where Bosch is looking for technology today, from AI and robotics to semiconductors, photonics, quantum computing and green technology.
Watch the full interview to hear Rose’s advice on building a CVC that can remain relevant — and survive — for the long term.
This interview is part of a series of conversations with senior corporate venture capital leaders, exploring their methodologies, operating models and insights on the essential ingredients of a successful startup investment function.
See the full CVC Titans series here.
Maija Palmer
Maija Palmer is editor of Global Venturing and puts together the weekly email newsletter (sign up here for free).