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.

Featured guests

Tom Schneider – Senior Manager Venture Building, DSV (formerly Schenker Ventures)

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-schneider-muenchen/

DSV: https://www.dsv.com/en-us/

NxtLog: https://www.nxtlog.io/

Drew Beechler – VP of Marketing, Alloy Partners

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drewbeechler

Alloy Partners: https://www.alloypartners.com

Referenced in the show

Schenker Ventures – Corporate venture capital and venture builder at DB Schenker
DB Schenker & NxtLog: A Visionary Collaboration
DSV completes acquisition of Schenker

Advantaged: An Alloy Partners Podcast