corp dev

also referred to as: corpdev

6 statements across 6 episodes · 3 bullish · 2 bearish · 4 people on the record · first statement Jan 15, 2018 by Emilie Choi · across every show →

Everything said about corp dev, oldest first

Jan 15, 2018 positive

Insight

Choi: Startups should build ongoing corp dev relationships, not transactional contacts

“I'm a big fan of Mark Souster's line about, it's about lines, not dots. In other words, it's about long-term relationship and a series of dots, not just one transactional conversation. So don't just come to us when there's a transaction going on. Knowing the c…”

Emilie Choi Jan 15, 2018 ▶ 8:03 20VC: LinkedIn's Head of Corp Dev on Why and When Startups Should Start Relationship Building With Corp Dev, What The Structure of M&A Traditionally Looks Like & How To Mitigate The Biggest Risk of M&A, Integration Risk

Mar 26, 2018 positive

Opinion

Loftus: CorpDev teams aim to advocate for startups internally

“CorpDev wants to be your advocate within the company, not just for an M&A deal. Like, we spend our days talking to VCs and talking to startups, and we've self-selected for this job because we love entrepreneurs”

James Loftus Mar 26, 2018 ▶ 24:08 20VC: How Great VCs Handle Themselves In An M&A Process, Why M&A Has Become The Primary Method of Exit & How The Best M&A Teams Operationalise Their Process with James Loftus, Corporate Development Lead @ Square

Aug 23, 2021 positive

Insight

Choi: Corp dev value comes from gathering ecosystem insights through relationships

“The whole thing about corp dev is you're an external facing person. Who can get invaluable insights if you have amazing relationships with the whole ecosystem.”

Emilie Choi Aug 23, 2021 ▶ 25:29 20VC: Coinbase President & COO Emilie Choi on Building Coinbase Ventures into One of the Best Performing Funds with 0 Employees, How Coinbase Thinks Through Internal Resource Allocation and Prioritisation & Why, When and How To Hire Your COO and Head of C

Apr 17, 2025 negative

Assertion Not checkable as stated

Lemkin: Acquirers in nine-figure deals aggressively circumvent VC preferences

“My limited visibility recently in M&A is that every acquirer is looking for ways to get around all the VC preference. It's aggressive. Like it was always true, but now it's like super aggressive. It's like, we just don't Even give a rat's ass in corp dev how t…”

Jason Lemkin Apr 17, 2025 ▶ 1:13:03 a16z's $20BN Fund & Founders Fund's $4.6BN & Why Josh Kushner Has Mastered the Game · 20VC with Harry Stebbings

Dec 11, 2025

Insight

Lemkin: Founders need one real and one fake offer in M&A

“And if you've been, for folks, if you've gone through M&A, you really want to have two, two real offers. Back up, you want to have one real and one fake offer, like one, at least one fake offer. You can tell CorpDev you have another offer.”

Jason Lemkin Dec 11, 2025 ▶ 24:27 SpaceX Valued at $800BN & Harvey Raises $160M at an $8BN Price & Netflix Acquires Warner Brothers · 20VC with Harry Stebbings

Jan 12, 2026 negative

Insight

Rampell: Corporate development teams execute transactions, they don't buy companies

“You don't want to spend time with the corp dev people because most people are like, oh, corp dev buys companies. No, they don't. They execute transactions.”

Alex Rampell Jan 12, 2026 ▶ 1:00:28 Alex Rampell: The Best Founders Materialise Capital, Customers & Labour | The Future of Venture · 20VC with Harry Stebbings

corp dev

Everything said about corp dev, oldest first

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