Knowledge

**Experience for new business:
‍Articles, whitepapers, toolkits and studies**

Dive deeper into various corporate innovation and venturing topics. Explore the knowledge we share about venture building, intrapreneurship and new business models.

Studies, guides & frameworks

Read our resources below to learn more and take your corporate venturing know-how to the next level.

The state of corporate venture building 2025

We are at a pivotal moment. A new phase of new business building begins — shaped by uncertainty, driven by strategy and defined by results. Gain practical insights on how to become confident in building new business — even in times of economic uncertainty.

Inside the whataventure fund – building companies through pooled capital and shared assets

The fund model combines pooled capital, corporate assets, and a portfolio mindset to make company creation repeatable, fast, and effective. The whataventure fund applies this logic to help investors build ventures that combine strategic focus, efficient capital use, and solid governance. Join the webinar to see how this model turns ambition into measurable results and sets a new standard for new business building.

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Expert Webinar

Efficient company creation in times of reduced budgets

Budget cuts, fewer resources, higher expectations. Sounds familiar? In this webinar, we unpack how corporates can still build successful ventures under pressure. You will hear from experienced industry experts about what’s working right now in new business building and funding, and take away proven approaches for doing more with less.

The Venture Operating Model: Systemizing new business creation

Gain strategic clarity across structure, governance, and execution with the Venture Operating Model. This framework ensures that venturing is rooted in strategic reasoning and systematically executed.

From B2B to D2C: Why, when and how manufacturers should sell underperforming products direct-to-consumer

B2B manufacturers can unlock new revenue streams by building direct-to-consumer channels for underperforming product lines. Discover when and why D2C is an effective approach, and how to efficiently build this new channel.

Your venture building self-assessment canvas

Use our self-assessment canvas to evaluate your organization's current capabilities and identify areas for improvement to achieve successful outcomes with venture building.

Why venture building is key to successful intrapreneurship

Discover why venture building is vital to the success of your intrapreneurship program, plus how to be future-ready by combining the two approaches to bring radical ideas to life.

Your 6-step guide to corporate venture building

Use the Business Idea Journey framework to guide yourself through the venture building process and make decisions with confidence.

How to choose the right approach to venture building

The only guide you need to learn more about your corporate venture building options and how to identify which approach works best for building your next venture.

Your complete guide for successful corporate startup collaboration

We are sharing our structured approach and key learnings from over a decade of guiding corporate startup collaborations to success.

The bumpy road from a prototype to a profitable company

This paper provides you with an overview of the road from a prototype to a profitable company, the minimum viable company phase, and the key success factors.

Cheat sheet for scouting startups like a pro

Optimize your startup screening process and find the best startups to collaborate with our scouting cheat sheet.

The ultimate guide to intrapreneurship

Gain insights into Europe's most successful intrapreneurship programs with our comprehensive guide. Discover the framework, unique features, and success factors that empower intrapreneurs to drive innovation within organizations.

5 steps to successfully collaborate with startups

An easy-to-use guide for finding the right format for your next startup collaboration.

29 business model strategies to inspire you

Uncertain situations require more strategic thinking and choosing the right business model can be a game-changer. To get you inspired, we put together a list of 29 business models, with examples of successful companies from all industries using them.

3 methods for building sustainable corporate ventures

Read this guide and learn how you can unlock the power of your organization to drive meaningful action against climate change. You’ll explore three methods for building sustainable ventures with real-world examples.

The state of corporate venture building 2024

76% of corporates we interviewed are using venture building to generate new revenue streams: it’s no longer just about culture, fun, or simply spinning ideas but about staying relevant on the market. Download our report ‘The state of corporate venture building 2024’ and gain practical insights on how to build successful corporate ventures.

Boost Revenue Through a Direct –to-Consumer Channel: Three Examples of How Manufacturers Build New Business with D2C

Potential to build new revenue streams is often closer than you might think. Spotting the opportunity within the existing portfolio is crucial. With the right approach a new D2C revenue stream can be built up in months. 3 examples of how manufacturing companies have created new business through a direct sales channel.

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Elisa Schweigkofler

Entrepreneurship is a mindset

Discover how the entrepreneurial mindset drives real innovation at whataventure — where Venture Architects don’t just generate ideas, they turn them into impactful businesses. This article reveals how curiosity, proactivity, and hands-on problem-solving shape a unique culture that empowers every team member to lead.

What I learned about venture building after a decade as a founder

For June's newsletter, Mario Eibl, Lead Venture Architect, shared his experience and learnings from a decade as the founder of multi-use e-bike startup, GLEAM.

From a curious intern to a confident leader: Karyna’s career growth at whataventure

From intern to leadership—Karyna’s story shows what’s possible when talent meets trust. Her journey at WhatAVenture is a powerful example of growing fast through real ownership and learning by doing. A must-read for anyone seeking meaningful career growth.

How regulatory changes are creating new business opportunities in the energy sector

Take a look at our May newsletter, now online. This month, we explore how regulatory changes are creating new business opportunities in the energy sector.

Building a sustainable future: Lessons from the construction industry

Delve into our April newsletter, now republished as a blog post, where we spotlight the construction industry's potential to drive positive climate change. We explore three key material efficiency strategies alongside sector shifts like digitization and enhanced connectivity.

How to generate new revenue streams with corporate venture building: Insights from the experts

Building on our latest study, we convened a panel featuring experts from various venture building roles. Explore their insights on how corporate venture building can future-proof your business.