Welcome to Crown Castê, your financial literacy podcast for small businesses. We publish inspiring, insightful conversations with investors and stewards of capital.

In this episode of Crown Castê, we sit down with Victoria, Head of Finance and Portfolio at Wayra UK, to uncover the unique ways that corporate venture capital (CVC) can drive strategic growth and innovation. Victoria shares her journey and reveals why Wayra, Telefonica’s venture arm, goes far beyond traditional VC approaches to build partnerships that truly impact startups (2:46).

Victoria explains how Wayra scouts for companies that fit Telefonica’s strategic goals, investing between €50,000 and €5 million in startups that align with their vision. She delves into their streamlined process for smaller investments. Wayra actively seeks solutions that enhance connectivity, network infrastructure, and fraud prevention, bringing true value to both the startup and the corporate world (5:31). Through scouting sprints, they’re building partnerships with some of the most innovative minds in tech (12:13).

Once in the portfolio, Wayra provides extensive resources to help founders navigate Telefonica’s corporate landscape, including internal expertise, marketing support, and access to a network of industry experts (18:55). Victoria describes their portfolio management approach, with regular metrics and reporting, so startups are tracking well and have access to any support they need (21:13). Her advice to founders?

Tap into the full value of your investor relationships, leaning into the resources and guidance that a strategic partner like Wayra can offer (21:33).

This episode is a game-changer for anyone interested in how CVCs like Wayra UK are blending capital with strategic alignment to fuel innovation, growth, and success.

Where to Connect:

• Wayra UK website

• Victoria on LinkedIn.