E492 | Zack Weisfeld, Ignite Deep Tech: Reinventing Corporate Venture

In this episode, Andreas Munk Holm and Jeppe Høier sit down with Zack Weisfeld, the founding force behind Intel Ignite (now Ignite Deep Tech), to explore the evolution of one of the most respected deep tech accelerators in the world. From reinventing how corporates engage with startups to pioneering a "co-founder as a service" model, Zack shares what it takes to build real bridges between enterprise and entrepreneurship.

Here’s what’s covered:

• 03:10 Why Intel Chose to Spin It Out—And How the Ecosystem Reacted
• 06:15 The Three Pillars: Seed, Pre-Seed, and Ideation Programs
• 08:00 What Most Corporate Accelerators Get Wrong
• 11:40 Co-Founder as a Service: A New Model of Acceleration
• 13:25 Why Corporate Mentorship Works When Done Right
• 19:40 Lessons from 14 Years of Building Accelerators
• 26:20 How Mentorship Creates Internal Champions
• 30:15 Aligning Startup Success with Corporate Transformation
• 35:10 Why Mental Health Support for Founders Is a Strategic Imperative