1st Edition
The Founders’ Guide to Corporate Venture Capital Navigating Strategic Investment
Acknowledgments. Disclaimers. About the Author. Introduction: Why Does This Book Exist? Chapter 1: Strategic Ally or “Dumb Money”: Why Should You Work with a CVC? Chapter 2: CVC Structures and Motivations (And Why They Matter to You). Chapter 3: Beyond the Fund: Engaging Corporate Incubators, Accelerators, and Innovation Labs. Chapter 4: When Is the Right Time to Engage a CVC? Chapter 5: Decoding the Side Letter: Common Partnership Terms. Chapter 6: Less Common CVC Terms. Chapter 7: Chinese CVCs. Chapter 8: Homework and Due Diligence. Chapter 9: After the Close. Concluding Remarks: The CVC as a Strategic Instrument. Glossary of Terms
Biography
Frederick (Freddy) Dopfel is a full-time CVC investor. In 2025, he was named “Corporate VC of the Year” by the Association for Corporate Growth, Silicon Valley. His commentary has appeared in TechCrunch, VentureBeat, and other publications, and he is a frequent speaker to founders, MBA programs, and accelerators. He has invested through LG Technology Ventures, Samsung Ventures and institutional funds such as Grishin Robotics. He holds an M.S. in Management Science and Engineering from Stanford University and a B.S. in Engineering Physics from UC Berkeley.
