🔍 Venture Clienting is just as easy as Google Search!

Not.

One more learning when it comes to Venture Clienting…

You can't just type in a problem and expect the perfect startup solution in return.

You need to deeply understand the real pain in order to conduct a tailored, in-depth search for a solution. And that´s exactly why #Venture #Clienting is not an easy discipline. It requires (partially) different skills as Venture Building and luckily results can be made visible much faster, but again - it is not easy.

Whether it's manufacturing, supply chain, customer support or finance – the
#challenges can be super heterogenous and complex, technical, and deeply contextual. To find solutions that matter, you need to speak the language of the problem.

✅ That means:
- Digging into processes and pain points
- Understanding constraints, systems, and regulations
- Building trust with internal experts
- Translating all of that into startup collaboration with real traction

🚫 This isn’t startup shopping.
It’s a strategic discipline.
It takes curiosity, empathy, and operational insight.
Only then do pilots become products.
Only then does innovation scale beyond the slide deck.

Huge shout-out to our #Venture #Clienting Innovation Architects at New Ventures — diving deep into real problems, getting their hands dirty, and doing whatever it takes to uncover meaningful solutions. Manuel Völkl Anja Hornikel

💡 What we learned in the first weeks of #VentureClienting at #REHAU.

From first conversations to scaling solutions – the journey we’re building with our Start-up partners. Here’s what stood out most in our first few weeks:

1️⃣ Every challenge is an #opportunity.
At REHAU, there’s no shortage of real-world problems – and that’s exactly where scalable innovation can thrive.

2️⃣ #Focus is everything.
Trying to solve everything at once leads nowhere. We’re learning to prioritize the problems that matter most – for REHAU, for our customers, and for the Start-ups we work with.

3️⃣ It’s more than just a #match.
Great Venture Clienting takes curiosity, empathy, and cross-functional collaboration – across teams, domains, and hierarchy levels.

4️⃣ Not every pilot will #fly – and that’s okay. Clear expectations and open communication turn even failed pilots into meaningful progress.

✅ Our takeaway: Venture Clienting is not just about quick wins. It’s about #learning, #building partnerships, and turning the right challenges into long-term #value.

💬 What has worked for you in your Venture Clienting #journey – as a Start-up, investor, or corporate? We’d love to hear from you.

#ventureclienting #startupcollaboration #corporateinnovation #openinnovation #REHAUNewVentures #learnings #newways #scalewithstartups

“Kite Compliance: How a Start-up finally makes hardware compliant - without slowing down product development"

Besides other investors, we're backing Kite Compliance. While our European focus has recently shifted toward #VentureClienting, our Venture Building efforts in the U.S. remain strong – most recently leading to the launch of Kite Compliance, a pre-seed venture founded by Brian Chen that addresses the compliance bottleneck with KITE: Knowledge. Innovation. Trust. Excellence.

Kite helps hardware teams identify and manage product regulations, certifications, and testing requirements – for every target market, right from day one.

🧩 The result? Less time lost in complexity. Fewer market entry delays. And full compliance from concept to launch. Whether it’s robotics, consumer electronics, or smart furniture – Kite integrates compliance early, turning a major blocker into a competitive advantage.

💡 Why we’re excited:
- Real pain point, real market pull
- Applied AI, not AI hype
- A founder with product depth and execution clarity

This is the kind of challenge we love at REHAU New Ventures: turning real-world friction into scalable solutions.

👉 Let’s talk if you’re building in hardware – or help others who do. Connect directly with Brian Chen to explore opportunities.

🌐 www.kitecompliance.ai

#REHAUNewVentures #VentureBuilding #HardwareStartups #ComplianceTech #AIinIndustry #DeepTech #EarlyStage #StartupSupport #CorporateVenturing #KiteCompliance

🚨 Why so many Start-up pilot projects fail in the corporate environment - and how things can be done differently

“As soon as a Start-up solves a real, critical problem, the door to collaboration is already ajar.” - Natalie Lorberboym Mano, PepsiCo Labs

In the new episode “Bridging Innovation: PepsiCo's Approach to Start-up Partnerships and Strategic Ventures”, Natalie Lorberboym Mano talks to our CEO Nils Wagner about success factors in the collaboration between Start-ups and corporations.

- What does it take to turn a proof of concept into a real partnership?
- How do you manage the balancing act between corporate complexity and a Start-up mindset?
- And why is long-term thinking the real game changer?

🎯 An episode for everyone who approaches innovation strategically - whether as a Start-up, corporate innovator or VC.

💬 At REHAU New Ventures, we believe that entrepreneurial thinking and bold collaborations are crucial for the future viability of large organizations.
This episode shows how such #partnerships work in reality - and what both sides need to bring to the table.

🎧 Listen now & think ahead! Link in the comments.

#CorporateInnovation #StartupPartnerships #OpenInnovation #PoC #ScalingImpact #StrategicCollaboration #REHAUNewVentures #PepsiCoLabs #InnovationLeadership

🧠 "Innovation is more than just new products – it changes the mindset within a company." – Anne Decker

Many medium-sized companies face the same #challenge:
How can we stay innovative without losing focus or taking too many risks?

In the latest imPulse podcast, our CEO Nils Wagner talks to Anne Decker, Managing Director at wattx, about the balance between innovation and risk – and what innovation needs to deliver today.

🎯 Key topics:
- Why venture building needs #courage to change in medium-sized companies
- Why culture and #ownership matter more than product ideas
- How #venture #clienting can drive pragmatic innovation
- Why sometimes it's best to give founders #responsibility instead of keeping control

📢 At REHAU New Ventures, we've learned similar lessons and evolved into a more market-oriented, collaborative innovation unit.

🎧 Listen now: links in the comments

🗨 What does it take for innovation to succeed in medium-sized companies? Share your thoughts!

#imPulsePodcast #REHAUNewVentures #CorporateInnovation #Intrapreneurship #VentureClienting #Maschinenraum #Leadership #wattx

Rethinking Innovation: Why Venture Clienting is the way forward

At REHAU New Ventures, we have gained valuable insights into the world of innovation over the past few years. Today, we are using this #experience to achieve short-term and measurable #impact for the REHAU Group.

After working intensively on #VentureBuilding, we are shifting our focus to Venture Clienting - a strategy that directly links innovative solutions from external Start-ups with the challenges of REHAU Subgroups.

What does that mean in concrete terms?
🚀 Accelerated innovation cycles
🔒 Reduced investment risk
📈 Immediate added value for our business

With this realignment, we are not only creating faster and more efficient innovation processes, but also laying the foundation for a sustainable future in the REHAU Group.

By collaborating with innovative Start-ups, we are not only driving technological progress, but also contributing to future-proof solutions that will change our industry.

We are excited: How do you see the role of #VentureClienting in corporate innovation? Let's discuss it in the comments!

#Innovation #StartupCollaboration #SustainableInnovation #VentureClienting #REHAUGroup #CorporateInnovation #VentureBuilding #REHAUNewVentures