#12 - From Corporate to Co-Founder: Venture Building that Actually Works w/ Patrick Luke (Co-Founder & CEO, ZigZag)
The Corporate Venturing Podcast
<p>🎙️ Welcome to a new episode of <em>The Corporate Venturing Podcast</em>!</p>
<p>What separates corporate ventures that actually scale from those that stall in POC limbo?</p>
<p>In this episode, I’m joined by <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-luke-3660a210/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Patrick Luke</strong></a>, Co-Founder and CEO of <a href="https://zigzag.dog/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Zigzag</strong></a>: a fast-growing B2C startup born from inside Nestlé Purina and now thriving as an independent, purpose-driven B Corp. </p>
<p>Patrick shares the rare perspective of someone who’s <em>lived</em> every side of corporate venture building: from strategy and innovation at HQ, to spinning out a venture and leading it full-time as founder.</p>
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<p>Together, we unpack what truly makes venture building work—and where it often breaks down.</p>
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<p>In this episode, Patrick shares insights on:</p>
<p>🏗️ Structural enablers : the systems, setups, and governance models that allow ventures to scale</p>
<p>💡 Consumer centricity as a North Star: why business value follows user value</p>
<p>⚖️ The corporate-venture tension: where to draw the line on autonomy vs. integration</p>
<p>📊 Real-world metrics: proving value with data and traction, not just vision</p>
<p>🧪 Why B Corp? the thinking behind Zigzag’s rare certification, and its unexpected benefits</p>
<p>🚫 Common pitfalls: why many ventures fail due to speed, funding, or unclear ownership</p>
<p>🧠 Team building in venture mode: hiring for pace, ownership, and adaptability</p>
<p>🔁 Lessons in iteration: how Zigzag evolved its strategy through constant learning loops</p>
<p>🎯 From strategy decks to scientific proof: the study that validated Zigzag’s impact</p>
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<p>We close the episode reflecting on Patrick’s most meaningful milestones: from corporate innovation teams to publishing peer-reviewed research, and what it <em>really</em> took to get there.</p>
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<p>Resources:</p>
<p>• <a href="https://openroadventuress.substack.com/" rel="nofollow">Open Road Ventures Newsletter</a></p>
<p>• <a href="https://www.bundl.com/venture-club" rel="nofollow">Bundl Venture Club</a></p>
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<p>🎧 Follow the podcast for grounded stories and actionable insights from inside the world of Open Innovation and Corporate Venturing.</p>