Case: Google ventures

Google Ventures - the venture capital department of Google - couples the idea of a corporate incubator with the methods of a classical venture capital firm. A corporate incubator strives to create innovation, whereas a venture capital firm's idea is to create money. As such, corporate incubators fill their front end with new ideas and innovative businesses in development that are related to the parent companies' businesses. And venture capital firms select their portfolio of companies based on investment opportunities. Google Ventures tries to combine both investment strategies. Today, Google Ventures has invested in over 100 firms with a focus on the core topics mobile, gaming, energy, and life sciences. Google Ventures differs from other tech companies like Intel or Microsoft with regard to the form and intensity of support and engagement extended towards the companies Google invests in. Google Ventures makes no secret of investing deliberately in companies whose aim it is to directly compete with Google's products. The inclusion of the funded company into the parent company Google, or the sale of the funded company to another investor represent two exit strategies Google Ventures pursues.