The effect of corporate venture capital (CVC) investments is far from being conclusively discussed in literature. Although the expected benefits of CVCs for corporations and start-ups are undisputed, empirical evidence is mixed. We combine and analyze the results of 32 CVC studies, including 105,950 observations: Our results suggest that while CVC investments are positively linked to start-ups´ and investors´ as well as strategic performance, we find no significant relationship between CVC investments and financial outcomes. The effects are moderated by the timing of the investment, the country and industry-effects. For instance, CVC investments in North America and the ICT sector report significant positive effects, while we find no statistical evidence for the health care sector.