Cheat sheet for the GCV Symposium 2017
THE corporate venturing event in Europe starts tomorrow and I will be participating the event with our investor services task force. As I don't want to miss a second, here's my plan plan for day one (23 May).
9:10AM Arriving at Heathrow (don't let me down Finnair), with Heathrow Express to the Paddington train station. Taking Circle Line to the Blackfriars Station, arriving 10:25AM. Good sign: found my Oyster card!
10:30AM The first meeting during the Morning coffee break. Looking forward to meet our CVC contact. Note: need to save her phone number.
11:00AM Softbank, DFJ and Telefonica on scaling up. Wonder who they will mention as their top partners and how they find right talent for their operations.
11:40AM A hard choice to make, go to "Advanced manufacturing" in Milton Suite or get to know fellow participants by the water cooler.
12:00PM Quick meet with James Mawson, the founder behind the whole event.
12:10PM Merck, GE, HSB and McLaren on collaboration with startups. Topic: how can you make most of the minority stake.
12:45PM Lunch! Meeting our CVC and VC clients. Note: send the last email reminders today.
2:00PM Best part of the day, unpanel! Topics like "uneasy relationship between a CV unit and its parent company", "can CVC be true value-added investors", "will VC and CVC live happily ever after" and "the relationship between global CVC investment flows and innovation activities". And "the differences in CVC and VC portfolio venture management". Note: follow speakers in Twitter beforehand.
3:30PM Coffee break, I bet people are hyped up by the unpanel discussion and the caffeine. Note: set up few investor interviews for my colleague Aino Makkonen.
4:00PM Energy venturing with BP Ventures and Accsys - we had the Cleantech Forum Europe last week, a nice continuation with the same theme.
4:30PM Fund debate between Microsoft Ventures, PwC and REV Venture Partners. Which arguments will draw most blood, time will tell.
5:00PM Break. Note: look for my other colleague Timo Felin.
5:15PM Update on how J&J and Evonik are doing on healthcare in the Milton Suite.
5:30PM Drinks and fun time at the Gala dinner!
Midnight? Note: get some shut-eye and be ready for day two.