31 The Rise of Clienting to Drive Innovation and Scale In the evolving narrative of corporate venture, purchasing has quietly transformed from a back-office process into a potential strategic driver that can set the organization’s future. Venture clienting — whereby corporations act as customers for startups rather than investors — has emerged as a powerful extension of the corporate venturing toolkit. It also reflects an evolution in how organizations engage with innovation, weaving startup collaboration into the fabric of everyday operations. This practice turns procurement decisions into pivotal moments for collaboration, allowing corporations to adopt cutting-edge solutions while startups gain invaluable market validation and steady revenue. It reflects a shift where procurement is not just a trans- actional necessity but a deliberate option to drive growth and transformation. The approach also signals how corporate venturing has matured, embedding itself within the processes that power an organization’s core functions. By align- ing purchasing decisions with innovation strategies, companies can test and scale startup solutions that address their unique challenges while minimizing risk. In many ways, this practice underscores a more prominent trend mentioned before: corporate venturing is evolving from a separate initiative into the way corporations think, act, and grow. Developing Tomorrow’s Customers and Partners Today Instead of using corporate venturing to develop their capabilities, corporations focus on supporting the development of partners’ capabilities to benefit their business ecosystem. While historically corpo- rate venturing was seen as a strategy to access and learn from the brightest technology star, nowa- days some firms approach corporate venturing as a strategy towards building a thriving constellation. The shift in focus from harnessing a star to seeding a constellation is captured in the growing emphasis on ecosystem development. By aligning venturing efforts with the needs of these emerging players, corporations create a dynamic environment where growth becomes interdependent and mutually reinforcing. The outcome is a symbiotic relationship that drives innovation and expands markets, positioning corporations as both creators and leaders of the ecosystems they inhabit.