Top 107 Corporate Venture Capital Investors (Free List)
The most active corporate venture capital investors backing UK startups with strategic and commercial relevance.
CVC and Investors and Why They Matter
💡 This page features the most active corporate venture capital (CVC) investors. These are venture funds backed by large companies, investing in startups that align with their strategic, technological or commercial priorities.
Whether you are exploring strategic investment, commercial partnerships, or longer-term acquisition pathways, this list helps you identify corporate investors by sector, stage and typical investment focus.
Looking for other types of investors? Explore our dedicated lists for angel investors, pre-seed VCs, seed VCs, Series A investors, or browse venture capital firms by sector.
Why corporate venture capital matters for your startup
Corporate venture capital sits alongside traditional VC, but with a different mandate. CVC investors back startups not only for financial return, but for strategic relevance. This can include access to new technology, future products, market insight or commercial advantage.
A well-aligned CVC investment can unlock distribution, customers, technical expertise and credibility. When misaligned, it can slow decision-making or constrain strategic options. Understanding incentives on both sides is critical.
What CVC investors are typically looking for
- Strategic fit: clear relevance to the corporate’s industry, roadmap or customer base.
- Commercial readiness: products that can be piloted, integrated or sold within enterprise environments.
- Execution credibility: teams capable of navigating longer sales cycles and complex stakeholders.
- Long-term potential: technologies that matter over years, not just quarters.
Below is a curated list of active corporate venture capital investors in the UK, with links to websites, LinkedIn profiles and contact details. Use the filters to narrow by sector or investment focus before engaging.
107 Most Active CVC Investors
Corporate Venture Capital Investors (websites, linkedin and twitter accounts)
| Corporate Venture Capital Firms | Investment Sector | Location | Funding Round | Contact Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 NYC, US | ||||
 Morgan Stanley(more info 🔒) Morgan Stanley participates in venture investing primarily through strategi... | NYC, US | |||
 London | ||||
London | ||||
London | ||||
 Munich, Germany | ||||
| Data Analytics | No funding stage or sector information available | |||
NY, US | ||||
| Data Analytics | NYC, US | No funding stage or sector information available | ||
San Francisco, US | ||||
Mountain View, US | ||||
 Novartis Venture Fund(more info 🔒) Novartis is a global pharmaceutical company headquartered in Switzerland, k... |  Basel, Switzerland | |||
 Milan, Italy | ||||
 Copenhagen, Denmark | ||||
London | ||||
London | ||||
 BNP Paribas(more info 🔒) BNP Paribas Corporate Venture Capital invests in innovative startups that s... |  Paris, France | |||
Tokyo, Japan | ||||
 Toronto, Canada | ||||
London | ||||
London | ||||
London | ||||
NYC, US | ||||
 Pfizer Ventures(more info 🔒) Pfizer is a leading biopharmaceutical company focused on vaccines and treat... | NYC, US | |||
 Sanofi Ventures(more info 🔒) Sanofi is a multinational healthcare company specialising in pharmaceutical... | Paris, France | |||
 Porsche Ventures(more info 🔒) Porsche is a German automotive manufacturer known for high-performance spor... | Stuttgart, Germany | |||
London | ||||
 Deutsche Bank(more info 🔒) Deutsche Bank is one of Europe’s largest financial institutions offering co... | Frankfurt, Germany | |||
Miami, US | ||||
 Shell Ventures(more info 🔒) Shell Ventures is the corporate venture arm of Shell, investing in energy t... | London |
Click here for a full list of 801 UK VC Funds
How to use this corporate venture capital investor list
Corporate venture capital investors are highly selective and mandate-driven. This list works best when used to identify a small number of strategically aligned corporates rather than broad outreach. Start by understanding what the parent company does, then assess where your product fits their priorities.
- Shortlist CVCs with clear strategic overlap, not just capital availability
- Review portfolio companies to understand use cases and integration paths
- Research the parent company’s business units and decision-makers
- Frame outreach around strategic value, not only financial upside
Is corporate venture capital right for you?
CVC can be a powerful partner for the right startup, but it is not suitable for everyone. Startups that raise from corporate investors often have:
- Products that solve real problems for large enterprises or regulated industries
- Longer sales cycles and complex buyer environments
- Clear boundaries around IP, exclusivity and commercial relationships
- A willingness to balance speed with strategic alignment
If your startup prioritises rapid iteration, minimal constraints or purely financial outcomes, traditional VC may be a better fit at this stage.
What to do next
Once you have identified relevant CVC investors, preparation matters more than volume. Successful CVC engagements are driven by clarity around strategic value, commercial pathways and governance expectations. Many founders start by pressure-testing how their product fits a corporate environment before initiating conversations. If you want deeper insight into investor behaviour, portfolio patterns or strategic fit, you can explore related resources or upgrade for advanced filters and analysis.
