E597| EUCVC Summit 2025: Petr Mikovec, Inven Capital Moderator: Andreas Munk Holm, Eu.vc Founder: Building A Culture For Innovation EUVC podcast

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E597| EUCVC Summit 2025: Petr Mikovec, Inven Capital moderator: Andreas Munk Holm, eu.vc founder: Building a culture for innovation

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Welcome back to the EUCVC Summit Talks, where we bring you the candid insights of Europe’s leading founders, corporate leaders, and investors reshaping venture collaboration.

In this episode, Andreas Munk Holm speaks with Petr Míkovec, Managing Director of Inven Capital, the CVC arm of ČEZ, one of Central Europe’s most conservative utilities. From nuclear power plants to climate tech bets, Petr shares how Inven Capital was born inside a 30,000-person corporate giant—and why culture by design, not default, is the only way to make innovation stick.

From boardroom alignment to founder empathy, this conversation reveals what it takes to balance corporate DNA with startup speed—and how Inven Capital won founders’ trust despite starting from scratch.

00:00 Culture by design, not by default—why Inven Capital had to reinvent itself inside ČEZ.
01:38 Building credibility in a conservative culture—why early adopters matter more than the majority.
03:25 Workshops, t-shirts, and pyramids—breaking hierarchy to create founder empathy.
05:00 Involving the board—how Inven secured sponsorship and continuous support.
06:30 Bridging the brand gap between ČEZ and Inven—winning trust with transparency and feedback.
08:00 Respecting failures—why structured feedback became a cornerstone of founder relationships.
09:00 Finding the right distance—how to be independent from the mothership but still connected.

💡 One-liner takeaway: Inven Capital proves that even the most conservative corporates can build trusted venture arms—if they design culture intentionally, empower early adopters, and earn founders’ respect through transparency and empathy.

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