De Beers Group announced the creation of a new arm, De Beers Ventures, to actively consider the acquisition of minority equity stakes in start-ups and growth companies.
The new initiative will consider small investments in areas that may include downstream distribution, consumer brands, marketing platforms, security, cutting and polishing, and imaging technologies. The objectives of the investments will be to generate returns that are both strategic and financial.
De Beers Senior Vice President of Strategic Initiatives Tom Montgomery said, “Not all good ideas can be generated or executed by a large corporation. We believe that harnessing the energy of entrepreneurs to pursue strategic opportunities that benefit De Beers and the diamond industry can be a cost-effective, risk-reduced way to pursue innovation.”
https://www.gemkonnect.com/news/de-beers-invest-industry-start-ups