Global logistics is a tough market, but it is also one of the most advantaged arenas for corporate venture building. In this episode, DSV venture builder and former Schenker Ventures leader Tom Schneider joins Alloy Partners’ Drew Beechler to share how they built and spun out ventures from inside a logistics giant, what they learned from NxtLog, and why AI is accelerating the pace of experimentation.
Episode breakdown
Intro & Tom’s path into venture building – From industrial engineering and autonomous vehicles at Volkswagen to venture building in logistics.
Why Schenker launched a venture studio – Low margins, emerging digital platforms, and the need to monetize existing data and network assets.
Studio design and spin-out decisions – Strategic vs. studio ventures, portfolio outcomes, and why revenue is the core validation metric.
Talent, incentives, and ownership – Hiring founders, internal rotations, and the difficulty of matching startup-like upside inside a corporate.
NxtLog as a case study – Starting with paid PDF “MVPs,” overbuilding a platform, and refocusing on customer value in logistics data and decision support.
AI and the next wave of venture building – Using LLMs and lightweight tools to ship prototypes in days and what that means for corporate venture teams.
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