Advantaged: An Alloy Partners Podcast

Lessons in Autonomy and Turning Ideas into Independent Ventures (with DNV)

Episode Summary

Simon Ratcliffe, Venture Building Director at DNV, joins Drew Beechler and Elliott Parker to unpack Simon's journey from engineer to building and spinning out digital ventures. The conversation explores lessons learned, the realities of corporate spinouts, and how DNV aligns incentives and autonomy to accelerate innovation and growth.

Episode Notes

Episode Breakdown

• Simon Ratcliffe’s journey: from mechanical engineer to DNV’s Venture Building Director
• Early lessons in digital product failure and the importance of customer discovery
• The evolution of DNV’s venture building: from internal incubator to hybrid CVC and spinout model
• Funding innovation: why traditional budgets fail and how CVC models unlock growth
• Spinout criteria: what makes a venture “worthy” and the role of market validation
• Carving out ventures: challenges in team, tech, and incentives
• Aligning incentives and attracting external investors
• The real value of autonomy and entrepreneurial talent in post-spinout growth
• DNV’s purpose-driven approach to innovation and recurring digital revenue
• Advice for corporate innovators: internal selling, experimentation, and leveraging external expertise

Featured Guests

• Simon Ratcliffe – Venture Building Director, DNV (LinkedIn)
• Elliott Parker – CEO, Alloy Partners (LinkedIn)
• Drew Beechler – VP Marketing, Alloy Partners (LinkedIn)

Referenced in the Show

• DNV: Global quality assurance and risk management company, headquartered in Norway
• DNV Ventures: Corporate venture arm focused on strategic investments and venture building

Resources & Related Links

• Alloy Partners
• Previous Advantaged episodes