CORPORATE VENTURE CAPITAL FOR ESTABLISHING LINKS BETWEEN LARGE AND TRADITIONAL INDUSTRIAL COMPANIES AND STARTUP FIRMS: A REGIONAL INNOVATION SYSTEM SURVEY

Abstract

This research aims to evaluate the actual level of understanding and application of Corporate Venture Capital (CVC) in the Regional Innovation System (RIS) present in the Metropolitan Region of Curitiba (MRC). The survey focuses the large and traditional industrial companies (LTIC) which have tremendous importance to State of Paraná, due to taxes and formal jobs generation. While the LTIC needs to innovate, creating or recovering competitive advantage, the startup firm seeks for partnerships or private equity. In this context, there is an opportunity of establishing linkages between different actors through the CVC. The article presents the results of a survey consisting of an online questionnaire and a focal group, where the data was analyzed through a qualitative approach. The research demonstrated a minor part of the survey respondents practicing CVC, although an expressive number of companies intends to invest in startups. It was also possible to observe that the risk aversion, anxiety for financial payback and different vocabulary between startup and LTIC are still barriers to an effective adhesion to CVC in this regional context. This work contributes to scientific literature when highlight the importance of understanding and properly narrowing large companies of startups. However, the asymmetries between parts and the maturity for dealing and absorbing knowledge from startups is an issue that the RIS organizations could be involved. Submited: September 2022 Accepted: December 2022 DOI: 10.18226/23190639.v10n2.06