Three (easy) ways to build traction for your venture client unit.
Let’s be honest: most venture client units are under-marketed.
You’re piloting brilliant startup tech. You’re solving real business problems. But unless your colleagues know, care, and act—none of it sticks. Internal traction isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s the fuel your unit runs on. And marketing is how you get that fuel in the tank.
So, what should your marketing efforts actually support?
Here are the five core objectives of every venture client setup:
Demand generation – Get business units to care about startups.
Lead generation – Surface real, startup-relevant problems.
Startup adoption – Turn pilots into long-term solutions.
Customer success – Keep internal stakeholders engaged and coming back.
Executive buy-in – Secure continued funding and strategic support.
And the good news? You don’t need a comms department to start doing this well. Here are three quick wins, from low effort to high impact.
Quick Win 1: Use existing internal channels
(e.g. intranet, internal newsletters, division-wide updates)
Don’t reinvent the wheel. Most large companies already have internal comms channels—newsletters, intranet features, or monthly digests. You just need to get your content in there. Which means, you need to make friends with internal communications.
What this supports:
Demand generation
Executive visibility
Lead generation (with the right CTA)
Tips to make it work:
Target newsletters that reach key functions (e.g. R&D, C-level, supply chain).
Use news-worthy content: a new pilot, startup success, open calls, or insights from your ecosystem.
Plan for consistency. The comms teams in charge of these internal channels don’t want to repeat the same message—build a content plan with variety: “Startup of the Month,” “Tech Spotlight,” “Behind the Pilot,” etc.
Messaging to use:
Make it relevant and simple. “Startups are solving real problems—here’s one that might apply to your team.”
Keep it short, visual, and value-focused.
Quick Win 2: Host 'Lunch & Learn' sessions
(virtual or in-person)
You probably won’t get your entire organisation to read your venture client deck. But they’ll show up for an inspiring founder story or insight from another company’s venture client lead. This is where “Lunch & Learn” sessions shine.
What this supports:
Demand generation
Lead generation
Stakeholder education
Tips to make it work:
Bring in external speakers (startup founders, VCs, peer VCU leads).
Keep your intro to 5 minutes max—this isn’t a sales pitch.
Always end with a simple, clear CTA: “Drop your problem here.”
Promote the session across multiple internal channels—it’s not just an event, it’s also content.
Messaging to use:
“We're not here to pitch—we’re here to inspire and connect. And yes, we’re also here to help you solve problems faster.”
(Not so) Quick Win 3: Organize a Startup Training & Networking Day
(once you’ve hit ~5+ active pilots)
This one takes effort—but if done right, it’s a game-changer. Invite your startups, their project leads, and relevant executives for a focused day of connection, training, and momentum-building.
What this supports:
Startup adoption
Customer success
Executive buy-in
Tips to make it work:
Provide value: sessions on procurement, IT integration, or post-pilot processes.
Use it as a platform for startups to pitch ongoing pilots to other business units.
Finish strong: host an executive dinner to give your leadership meaningful face-time with your top startups.
Map your internal stakeholders beforehand—invite broadly, but target smartly.
Messaging to use:
“This isn’t just about startups. It’s about scaling what already works—together.”
Final Thought
In the current climate, no one’s looking to throw money around. Budgets are tight, and no one wants to overspend—especially not on marketing. When jobs are on the line, no one’s throwing lavish parties. And that’s fine—because good marketing doesn’t need bells and whistles.
You don’t need fireworks. You need focus.
Solid content, relevant formats, and experiences that actually move things forward.
Less is more, they say.
We’d argue: if there’s less budget, you just need more creativity.
If that’s the kind of marketing you want for your venture client unit—we’re ready when you are.