#4 - Corporate Venture Capital & Building w/ Sebastiano Silvestri & Giacomo Manzoni (A2A)

Welcome to the fourth episode of The Corporate Venturing Podcast!

Corporate innovation leaders often debate: Should we invest in external startups or build new ventures from within? The answer may be both.

In this episode, I sit down with Giacomo Manzoni, Head of Corporate Venture Building, and Sebastiano Silvestri, Head of Corporate Venture Capital at ⁠A2A⁠—Italy’s leading multi-utility company focused on sustainability and energy transition. Together, they share how A2A is harnessing both CVC and CVB to drive long-term innovation and strategic impact.

We discuss:

• Why a2a established both a Corporate Venture Capital and a Corporate Venture Building unit—and how they complement each other.
• How to structure CVC initiatives to deliver not just financial returns but real industrial synergies.
• Building new ventures from within: the talent attraction advantage, IP generation, and the role of C-level sponsorship.
• Metrics that matter: From portfolio performance to internal adoption and cultural shifts.
• The biggest challenges in setting up CVC/CVB programs—governance, talent, and cultural mindset.
• Future trends: AI agents, digital twins of innovation teams, and simplifying startup collaboration through agile procurement.

Whether you’re launching a CVC fund, building a startup from inside your company, or designing a hybrid innovation strategy—this episode offers an in-depth, practical look into how A2A is doing it all.

Resources:

• Open Road Ventures

• Bundl Venture Club

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Stay curious, keep innovating, and we’ll see you next time on The Corporate Venturing Podcast!