Building the business of tomorrow

We are hands-on entrepreneurs, leveraging the power of corporate assets and our entrepreneurial agility.

Trusted by corporate leaders. Proven by results.

We create measurable business innovations that drive real growth.

500M+

investment in projects
we launched

35+

hands-on entrepreneurs

40+

ventures built with
our partners

The state of corporate venture building 2025

Join our exclusive webinar to get an early look at the main results from our upcoming study. Hear directly from the experts who led the study on how to build new business confidently — even in times of uncertainty.

May 21st, 10:00 – 11:00 CEST, online

May 21st
10:00 – 11:00 CEST
online

References of what we built with our clients.

We are awarded for excellence and trusted by industry leaders for our honest and hands-on entrepreneurial approach, coming from building over 40 ventures. In the projects we launched, over €500M were invested.

References of what we built with our clients.

We are awarded for excellence and trusted by industry leaders for our honest and hands-on entrepreneurial approach, coming from building over 40 ventures. In the projects we launched, over €500M were invested.

Energy & Utilities
Tagline

Driving sustainability through open innovation at OMV Group

With the launch of the OMV Sphere platform, the group initiated an organization-wide program to tackle key sustainability challenges. Across five focus areas — sustainable aviation fuel certificates, smart energy management, sustainable packaging, circular by-products, and B2B retail intelligence — the initiative identified collaboration partners to unlock new business opportunities.

Industrial Goods & Services
Tagline

Co-creating the future of steel at voestalpine

As a strategic partner in the VERBUND X accelerator, voestalpine joined forces with leading corporates and institutions to future-proof steel production. By teaming up with selected startups, the initiative is unlocking new possibilities to increase efficiency, reduce emissions, and drive sustainable impact in industrial manufacturing.

Construction
Tagline

Empowering industrial innovation at RHI Magnesita

RHI Magnesita launched an innovation initiative to bring modern methodologies into the heart of product development. The focus was on exploring new ideas to drive smarter, more resilient solutions in the world of high-performance materials.

Construction
Tagline

Enabling startup collaboration with a world leader in mineral-based specialties for industry

A global leader in industrial minerals, launched a structured innovation program to identify new solutions in calcium carbonate and construction waste recycling. The initiative led to strategic partnerships with startups now implementing cutting-edge approaches to mineral recycling.

Consumer Goods
Tagline

Inspiring peak performance with GoPrimal

GoPrimal is a venture that produces supplements rooted in science designed to address the micronutrient deficiencies of modern life. Their goal is to improve the longevity of all athletes, from amateur to professional.

Energy & Utilities
Tagline

Building the marketplace for spare parts & services in the energy sector

Born out of a corporate venture initiative, a digital marketplace is transforming the energy sector by streamlining access to spare parts and services across the German-speaking region.

Consumer Goods
Tagline

Enabling disruptive innovations in the food industry with MAXFIVE

REWE Group's innovation agency MAXFIVE looks for new ways to identify attractive solutions and implement radically new business models for food retail.

Energy & Utilities
Tagline

Launching an intrapreneurship program to empower employees to build new ventures

TenneT PowerLab is an intrapreneurship program at TenneT, a leading European electricity operator. The program enables employees to accelerate their entrepreneurial projects in a systematic and sustainable way.

Mobility & Logistics
Tagline

Reducing fuel consumption on truck trailers using PV foil

TRAILAR uses clean energy from the sun to reduce a truck’s total fuel consumption by up to 5%. Special challenges such as the difficult market entry into the logistics sector or the need for rapid prototyping were mastered to make the project an overall, sustainable success.

Consumer Goods
Tagline

Revolutionizing the furniture industry with Variand

Variand offers modular furniture that can be adapted to any style or living situation. The team's vision is to offer a furniture system that can accompany customers throughout their lives, instead of being thrown away and replaced after a few years.

Mobility & Logistics
Tagline

Changing mobility with a new category of bikes

An electric cargo bike venture introduced a new category of mobility, combining tilting technology with multi-use design—scaling across 9 countries and building a strong distributor network within two years.

Construction
Tagline

Founding and scaling a corporate venture for modular wood buildings with Rubner

Wood_Space is a joint venture with Rubner Holzbau, and it creates sustainable modular buildings made of solid wood. The Wood_Space modules are delivered prefabricated, assembled on-site, and ready for occupancy within just a few days. The modules can be configured in multiple ways and are environmentally friendly and cost-effective.

Mobility & Logistics
Tagline

Launching a platform to instantly book full truck load routes

A digital logistics platform was launched to simplify truck route booking through a high-convenience portal powered by automated pricing—streamlining freight logistics and enhancing user experience.

Energy & Utilities
Tagline

Creating a sustainable innovation culture and a venture capital arm

A leading regional energy provider is embedding innovation into its core—boosting business outcomes and employer branding through a dedicated corporate venture arm.

Industrial Goods & Services
Tagline

Protecting high-value goods from counterfeiting

PixoAnalytics is a spin-off venture of the DPDHL Intrapreneurship Program. The technology allows sorting operators to identify fake and re-used stamps on letters and parcels.

Tagline

Building a venture arm for discovering new business models

The Miele Intrapreneurship Program has its roots in the New Growth Factory business unit which is responsible for identifying and tapping new growth fields outside Miele's core line of business.

Tagline

Revolutionizing logistics communication with Heylog

Heylog is a communication service for modern logistics. The SaaS tool simplifies the communication between dispatchers and their drivers. It integrates messaging services like WhatsApp, Meta Messenger, and Viber on one platform and combines them with additional features for dispatching.

Construction industry

Construction
Tagline

Empowering industrial innovation at RHI Magnesita

RHI Magnesita launched an innovation initiative to bring modern methodologies into the heart of product development. The focus was on exploring new ideas to drive smarter, more resilient solutions in the world of high-performance materials.

Construction
Tagline

Enabling startup collaboration with a world leader in mineral-based specialties for industry

A global leader in industrial minerals, launched a structured innovation program to identify new solutions in calcium carbonate and construction waste recycling. The initiative led to strategic partnerships with startups now implementing cutting-edge approaches to mineral recycling.

Construction
Tagline

Founding and scaling a corporate venture for modular wood buildings with Rubner

Wood_Space is a joint venture with Rubner Holzbau, and it creates sustainable modular buildings made of solid wood. The Wood_Space modules are delivered prefabricated, assembled on-site, and ready for occupancy within just a few days. The modules can be configured in multiple ways and are environmentally friendly and cost-effective.

Tagline

Building a venture arm for discovering new business models

The Miele Intrapreneurship Program has its roots in the New Growth Factory business unit which is responsible for identifying and tapping new growth fields outside Miele's core line of business.

Consumer Goods

Consumer Goods
Tagline

Inspiring peak performance with GoPrimal

GoPrimal is a venture that produces supplements rooted in science designed to address the micronutrient deficiencies of modern life. Their goal is to improve the longevity of all athletes, from amateur to professional.

Consumer Goods
Tagline

Enabling disruptive innovations in the food industry with MAXFIVE

REWE Group's innovation agency MAXFIVE looks for new ways to identify attractive solutions and implement radically new business models for food retail.

Consumer Goods
Tagline

Revolutionizing the furniture industry with Variand

Variand offers modular furniture that can be adapted to any style or living situation. The team's vision is to offer a furniture system that can accompany customers throughout their lives, instead of being thrown away and replaced after a few years.

Energy & Utilities

Energy & Utilities
Tagline

Driving sustainability through open innovation at OMV Group

With the launch of the OMV Sphere platform, the group initiated an organization-wide program to tackle key sustainability challenges. Across five focus areas — sustainable aviation fuel certificates, smart energy management, sustainable packaging, circular by-products, and B2B retail intelligence — the initiative identified collaboration partners to unlock new business opportunities.

Energy & Utilities
Tagline

Building the marketplace for spare parts & services in the energy sector

Born out of a corporate venture initiative, a digital marketplace is transforming the energy sector by streamlining access to spare parts and services across the German-speaking region.

Energy & Utilities
Tagline

Launching an intrapreneurship program to empower employees to build new ventures

TenneT PowerLab is an intrapreneurship program at TenneT, a leading European electricity operator. The program enables employees to accelerate their entrepreneurial projects in a systematic and sustainable way.

Energy & Utilities
Tagline

Creating a sustainable innovation culture and a venture capital arm

A leading regional energy provider is embedding innovation into its core—boosting business outcomes and employer branding through a dedicated corporate venture arm.

Industrial Goods & Services

Industrial Goods & Services
Tagline

Co-creating the future of steel at voestalpine

As a strategic partner in the VERBUND X accelerator, voestalpine joined forces with leading corporates and institutions to future-proof steel production. By teaming up with selected startups, the initiative is unlocking new possibilities to increase efficiency, reduce emissions, and drive sustainable impact in industrial manufacturing.

Industrial Goods & Services
Tagline

Driving sustainability through open innovation at OMV Group

With the launch of the OMV Sphere platform, the group initiated an organization-wide program to tackle key sustainability challenges. Across five focus areas — sustainable aviation fuel certificates, smart energy management, sustainable packaging, circular by-products, and B2B retail intelligence — the initiative identified collaboration partners to unlock new business opportunities.

Industrial Goods & Services
Tagline

Protecting high-value goods from counterfeiting

PixoAnalytics is a spin-off venture of the DPDHL Intrapreneurship Program. The technology allows sorting operators to identify fake and re-used stamps on letters and parcels.

Mobility & Logistics

Mobility & Logistics
Tagline

Reducing fuel consumption on truck trailers using PV foil

TRAILAR uses clean energy from the sun to reduce a truck’s total fuel consumption by up to 5%. Special challenges such as the difficult market entry into the logistics sector or the need for rapid prototyping were mastered to make the project an overall, sustainable success.

Mobility & Logistics
Tagline

Changing mobility with a new category of bikes

An electric cargo bike venture introduced a new category of mobility, combining tilting technology with multi-use design—scaling across 9 countries and building a strong distributor network within two years.

Mobility & Logistics
Tagline

Launching a platform to instantly book full truck load routes

A digital logistics platform was launched to simplify truck route booking through a high-convenience portal powered by automated pricing—streamlining freight logistics and enhancing user experience.

Ready to grow beyond your core business?

Start the conversation that could flip the switch on how you build new business at your organisation.

Karyna Hornostai

Lead Venture Architect
karyna.hornostai@whataventure.com

Start the conversation that could flip the switch on how you build new business at your organisation.

Max Steindl-Ditzel

CEO & Managing Partner
max@whataventure.com

Start the conversation that could flip the switch on how you build new business at your organisation.

Stefan Peintner

CEO & Managing Partner
stefan.peintner@whataventure.com

Start the conversation that could flip the switch on how you build new business at your organisation.

Franziska Abare-Korn

Partner
franziska.abarekorn@whataventure.com

Start the conversation that could flip the switch on how you build new business at your organisation.

Philippe Thiltges

Venture Partner & Co-Founder
philippe.thiltges@whataventure.com

Start the conversation that could flip the switch on how you build new business at your organisation.

Mario Eibl

Lead Venture Architect
mario.eibl@whataventure.com

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