How Tech Giants Invest in DeepTech & AI: Inside Intel, Google & Samsung's Venture Strategy

What happens when tech giants decide external innovation beats building everything in-house?

The numbers tell a compelling story! The global Deep Tech market is racing toward $714.6 billion by 2031, growing at 48.2% annually. Even more striking? Deep Tech ventures now secure 20% of all venture capital funding —that's double what they captured just ten years ago.

But here's where it gets really interesting: artificial intelligence grabbed 46.4% of US venture capital funding in 2024, jumping from 36.0% the previous year. While the broader venture market struggled, AI startups thrived. This surge explains why Intel, Google, and Samsung built dedicated venture arms to stake their claims in the DeepTech space.

Despite longer development cycles — often spanning several years to over a decade — these tech giants continue doubling down on external innovation. Why? How do their investment strategies actually work? And what can founders learn about landing corporate backing?

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How Corporate VCs Differ from Traditional VCs

Corporate venture capital hit nearly $100 billion across 5,000 investment rounds in 2022 alone. But here's what makes corporate VCs fundamentally different from traditional venture capitalists: they're playing an entirely different game.

Why tech giants created venture arms

The competitive landscape shifted dramatically. Well-funded startups now reach scale faster than ever, challenging established players on their home turf. Meanwhile, emerging technologies like autonomous vehicles and blockchain threaten entire business models.

Tech giants needed eyes and ears in the market. As Patrick Eggen, Managing Director of Qualcomm Ventures North America, puts it: "Think of Qualcomm Ventures as the eyes and ears for Qualcomm to identify future technology trends". When disruptive technologies compress innovation cycles, this intelligence becomes critical for survival.

The strategic vs financial return mindset

Here's the fundamental split: 44% of corporate VCs cite supporting new market expansion as their primary objective. Traditional VCs? They focus almost exclusively on maximizing financial returns.

This creates a dual approach where corporate VCs balance:

• Strategic investments targeting technologies that align with the parent company's future roadmap

• Financial investments seeking returns comparable to traditional VC funds

The results speak for themselves — 60% of organizations report that dedicated CVC funds outperform direct balance sheet investments (13%) or investing as limited partners in VC funds (27%).

Longer timelines and higher technical risk tolerance

Traditional VCs expect rapid growth within tight timeframes. Corporate VCs? They understand DeepTech reality. One McKinsey expert notes: "In corporate venture capital, you are looking at a minimum of five years for these investments to mature".

This patience enables corporate VCs to back higher technical risks, especially when startups align with strategic priorities. For AI and DeepTech founders facing lengthy development cycles, this extended runway often makes the difference between success and failure.

Inside Intel Capital: Deep Tech at Scale

Intel Capital just made a major move! The 34-year-old venture giant recently spun off as a standalone investment fund in January 2025. With more than $20 billion invested over three decades, it has evolved into the world's largest corporate venture firm dedicated to advancing the future of compute.

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Intel Capital's investment thesis

What makes Intel Capital different from other corporate VCs? They hunt for disruptive startups that align with Intel's strategic vision for the future. The firm primarily targets growth-stage companies that have demonstrated traction and possess rapid scaling potential. Their global investment strategy actively seeks promising ventures across the United States, China, Western Europe, and Israel.

Even when markets turned rough, Intel Capital kept deploying capital. While overall funding dropped 30% globally in 2023, Intel Capital deployed more than $350 million into 30 new investments.

Key sectors: semiconductors, AI, and edge computing

Intel Capital structures its investments around four key domains shaping the future of compute:

• Silicon: Advanced semiconductor technologies

• Frontier: Cutting-edge innovations including AI and autonomous systems

• Devices: Smart and connected hardware solutions

• Cloud: Data center, infrastructure, and cloud computing technologies

AI runs deeply through all four domains. Since 2014, Intel Capital has been an active investor in artificial intelligence, with investments exceeding $1 billion in companies advancing the field.

How Intel supports startups beyond capital

Here's where Intel Capital really shines — they go way beyond writing checks. In 2024 alone, they facilitated 1,300 highly curated introductions to Global 2000 customers, helping portfolio companies establish meaningful relationships. Through 37 Customer Connect events worldwide, they introduced startups to over 600 unique customers across key industries.

But wait, there's more! Intel Capital placed more than 30 Embedded Experts and Consultants within portfolio companies, providing hands-on technical support and strategic guidance. This program helps startups tackle complex challenges and seize new opportunities such as CHIPS funding and AI infrastructure development.

Intel Capital investments: notable examples

Intel Capital's portfolio showcases their commitment to pioneering AI and deep tech. Recent investments include:

• Scale AI: Participated in a $1 billion Series F funding round, helping the company reach a valuation of nearly $14 billion

• Ayar Labs: Supported the optical interconnect solutions leader with financing that elevated the company's valuation above $1 billion

• RunPod: Co-led a $20 million Seed funding round for this globally distributed GPU cloud computing service

The results speak for themselves. Intel Capital has created over $170 billion in market value in the past decade alone, demonstrating both strategic vision and financial acumen in the DeepTech space.

Google Ventures (GV): AI-First Investment Strategy

Here's something that might surprise you: GV actively backs startups that compete directly with Alphabet's own AI projects! Most corporate VCs avoid funding their parent company's competitors. GV? They've built their entire strategy around it.

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GV's approach to AI venture capital

Operating with complete independence from Alphabet gives GV something most corporate venture arms lack — speed. While other corporate VCs navigate internal politics and approval processes, GV makes investment decisions without interference. The result? They've assembled a global portfolio exceeding 100 AI companies across the entire AI stack.

This approach creates an interesting dynamic. GV can back the next breakthrough in AI, even if it threatens Google's existing products. That's strategic thinking beyond quarterly earnings!

Google Ventures portfolio highlights

GV's AI investments span every layer of the technology stack:

• Application Layer: Harvey (legal AI), Synthesia (video generation), Vercel (development platform)

• Infrastructure: Snorkel AI (data labeling), Lightmatter (photonic computing), Modular (unified compute layer)

• Foundation Models: Thinking Machines Lab (joined $2 billion seed round)

How GV balances risk with innovation

Even with their risk appetite, GV maintains discipline around concrete signals. Take their investment in Thinking Machines Lab — they focused on the leadership team's ability to attract top AI talent. At the application layer, GV waits for genuine traction before investing, often leading later rounds after initial validation.

It's a calculated approach to calculated risks.

GV investments in foundational AI and biotech

Lucky us — GV has expanded beyond core AI into healthcare applications, backing 20 companies in AI-powered healthcare. Their standout investment? Isomorphic Labs, which raised $600 million in 2025. This Alphabet spin-off from DeepMind uses AI for drug discovery, signing deals with pharmaceutical giants Eli Lilly and Novartis worth nearly $3 billion combined.

Samsung Next: Building the Future Through CVC

Samsung Next took a different path when it launched in 2013. Rather than just hunting for the next unicorn, Samsung built their venture arm as a strategic vehicle for DeepTech innovation with one clear mission: build, grow, and scale software and services that complement Samsung's global hardware footprint.

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Samsung Next's role in DeepTech innovation funding

The $150 million venture capital investment fund sits at the heart of Samsung Next's strategy, targeting everything from pre-seed to Series B investments. But here's what makes them unique — they don't just write checks. Samsung empowers tech entrepreneurs with capital, resources, and deep domain expertise.

Patrick Chang from Samsung NEXT Ventures puts it perfectly: "Our mandate is primarily around innovation; it's not just an investment team".

Focus areas: smart devices, AI, and blockchain

Samsung Next organizes their investments around four strategic domains:

Artificial Intelligence - Technologies unlocking human potential through groundbreaking AI applications

Health Technology - Software and hardware delivering better outcomes at lower costs

Consumer Experiences - Technologies enhancing lifestyle and entertainment, including blockchain

Frontier Technologies - Emerging innovations pursuing "the imagined and impossible"

Samsung Next investments and global reach

With offices spanning Silicon Valley, New York, Suwon (Korea), and formerly Tel Aviv, Samsung Next maintains a truly global presence. This worldwide footprint helps them spot promising startups everywhere. Recent investments include AI startup Memories.ai, which landed funding for its advanced video analysis capabilities.

How Samsung collaborates with startups

Samsung goes beyond traditional investment models! They've created collaboration programs that span the entire technology readiness spectrum. Startups can engage through initiatives like LEAP-S — a joint program by Samsung Research America and Samsung NEXT that provides grant funding for early-stage startups building proof-of-concepts.

The approach creates mutual value: startups gain access to Samsung's massive platform plus technical guidance, while Samsung enhances consumer experiences through external innovation. It's partnership, not just investment.

Conclusion

Here's what we learned about how tech giants approach DeepTech investing: each has carved out a distinctly different playbook.

Intel Capital brings massive scale and deep technical expertise — perfect for hardware-focused startups needing significant capital and direct customer connections. Google Ventures operates with remarkable independence, backing potential Alphabet competitors to build the strongest AI portfolio possible. Samsung Next creates a symbiotic relationship, seeking software and services that enhance their hardware ecosystem.

But the most valuable thing these corporate VCs offer? Time.

📌 Their tolerance for longer development cycles gives DeepTech founders breathing room that traditional VC timelines simply can't match.

The shift toward corporate venture capital signals something bigger happening in tech innovation. Instead of building everything internally, tech giants now recognize that strategic investments in external startups often yield better results. Startups get resources and market access. Corporations stay ahead of disruptive forces.

We expect this trend to accelerate. The intersection of strategic corporate interests with entrepreneurial innovation will shape which DeepTech breakthroughs actually reach widespread adoption and which remain lab experiments.

For founders navigating this landscape, understanding what each corporate venture arm uniquely offers becomes essential. Intel's customer connections? GV's independence? Samsung's hardware integration? Finding the right strategic partner could determine whether your DeepTech vision becomes reality.

The future of innovation isn't just about having the best technology — it's about finding the right corporate partner to help scale it.

Whether you're an enterprise seeking cutting-edge AI technologies or a DeepTech startup ready to scale with industry leaders, Elpis Labs specializes in connecting innovators with transformative partnerships — contact us to discover how we can power your innovation journey.

FAQs

Q1. What are the key focus areas for tech giants' AI investments? 

Tech giants primarily invest in areas like advanced semiconductors, edge computing, foundational AI models, and AI applications across various sectors. They also focus on complementary technologies such as blockchain, smart devices, and health tech that can enhance their existing product ecosystems.

Q2. How do corporate venture capital firms differ from traditional VCs? 

Corporate VCs often have longer investment timelines and higher technical risk tolerance compared to traditional VCs. They prioritize strategic alignment with the parent company's goals alongside financial returns. Corporate VCs also offer startups additional benefits like access to Fortune 500 customers, technical resources, and global distribution networks.

Q3. What advantages do startups gain from corporate VC backing? 

Startups backed by corporate VCs often benefit from patient capital, allowing for longer development cycles typical in DeepTech. They also gain access to valuable resources such as technical expertise, customer introductions, and potential integration with the parent company's products or services. This support can significantly accelerate a startup's growth and market penetration.

Q4. How are tech giants adapting their investment strategies for AI and DeepTech? 

Tech giants are increasingly establishing dedicated venture arms to invest in external innovation. They're adopting more flexible approaches, sometimes even backing potential competitors. Many are also creating specialized programs to support startups at various stages, from early proof-of-concept grants to later-stage investments, to stay ahead in rapidly evolving technology sectors.