Our "imPulse" Podcast picks up on the topics of Founders Stories, Venture Building, Start-ups and Tech Trends. Nils Wagner, CEO of REHAU New Ventures, talks to founders, insiders and people who simply make a difference. The term "Pulse" conveys the pulse of the start-up world and points to the vitality, growth and rhythm of entrepreneurship. We set impulses by providing insights into inspiring founder stories or by looking at new technology trends from different angles.
#20 Kilian Karrasch | Corporate Venture Building for Hidden Champions
This episode of Founders Talk explores corporate venture building for hidden champions—specialized SMEs that lead their niche but remain largely unknown. Host Nils Wagner and guest Kilian Karas discuss how corporate venturing helps companies stay competitive, citing examples like Kodak’s failure to innovate. They cover key challenges such as balancing risk-averse corporate culture with entrepreneurial agility, aligning incentives, and the importance of long-term investment. The conversation highlights that building in-house venture expertise is crucial for sustained innovation and strategic growth.
Chapter:
00:00 : Introduction
00:20 : Guest Introduction: Kilian Karasch
00:45 : Kilian's Background and Journey
01:59 : Current Role and Activities
02:51 : Understanding Hidden Champions
04:27 : Importance of Corporate Venturing
08:26 : Different Tools in Corporate Venturing
08:40 : Process of Corporate Venturing
13:45 : Practical Implementation of Corporate Venturing
15:42 : Aligning Corporate Venturing with Company Strategy
17:08 : Challenges of Corporate Venturing in the Startup World
18:38 : Managing Expectations and Preparing for Challenges
21:45 : The Importance of Knowing When to Quit
23:44 : Incorporating Statistical Facts into Venture Building
26:20 : Corporate Entrepreneurs in Venture Building
27:10 : Building In-House Skills for Corporate Venturing
28:34 : The Risk-Reward Profile of Venturing
30:00 : The Venture Board in Corporate Venturing
31:13 : Dealing with Potential Conflicts and Misalignment in Corporate Venturing
32:27 : Communication and Inspiring People in Corporate Venturing
36:04 : Aligning Interests and Incentives in Corporate Venturing
36:53 : Examples of Successful Corporate Startups
39:48 : Closing Remarks
🔗 Useful Links:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kiliankarrasch/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/kiliankarrasch/)
2 Jul 2025
#19 Anja Schröpfer | FLEXFY – A Corporate Spin-off
Co-founder Anja Schropfer discusses with Nils Wagner the corporate spin-off FLEXFY, an innovative wall and power supply system, and shares insights on balancing corporate structure with entrepreneurial freedom in this interview.
4 Jun 2025
#18 Anja Rath | Futurebuilders & Real Asset Tech: How Startups are Transforming the Built World
Nils Wagner interviews Anja Rath of PT1 Ventures about how startups are transforming the built world through technology and innovation in the real asset sector, highlighting the importance of founder backgrounds.
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
8,837
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Spotify
4.1 / 5
15 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 40 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
34
Social presence
0
YouTube
68
Engagement
50
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