DENSO's Tony Cannestra Named to Global Corporate Venturing 2023 Powerlist

Cannestra recognized again on the 100-person list, representing the most influential leaders of the corporate venture capital community

SOUTHFIELD, Mich., July 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Global Corporate Venturing (GCV), a prominent industry association, has named Tony Cannestra of DENSO to its 2023 Powerlist. Cannestra, who is the director of Corporate Ventures at the leading mobility supplier, has now earned the honor several times, reflecting his many contributions to the corporate venture capital community throughout his 20-plus year career.

GCV releases its powerlist annually to highlight 100 corporate venturing professionals who are, as the association says, "at the top of their profession," out of more than 6,000 corporate venturing units operating globally.

"While I'm grateful for the recognition, DENSO's corporate venturing success stems from the deep collaboration between our internal teams and portfolio companies," said Cannestra. "This approach is especially important as we prioritize early-stage startups. In our work together, we strive to quickly build trust, establish a shared vision and accelerate the development of technology that contributes to a green, safe and more seamless world."  

Cannestra has led DENSO's Corporate Venture Capital team for nearly 10 years from the company's Silicon Valley Innovation Center in San Jose, California. During his tenure, he's led the acquisition of a startup and invested in over 25 more.

Though DENSO actively invests in many focus areas – including electrification, connectivity and robotics – Cannestra is particularly interested in the following categories: computer vision technologies, such as advanced radar and LiDAR; next-generation semiconductor technologies; additive manufacturing; and automotive cybersecurity.

He also serves as a board director for a number of DENSO portfolio companies, including Blaize, Canatu, Dellfer, MetaWave and Quadric.

If you want to learn more about DENSO's approach to corporate ventures, or how to get in touch with its team, go here.

For those interested in working at an innovation leader committed to bettering the world through in-house R&D and unique collaborations while offering fulfilling paths to success, visit densocareers.com. 

GCV provides the global corporate venturing community and their ecosystem partners with the information, insights and access needed to drive impactful open innovation. Across its services – News & Analysis, Community & Events, and the GCV Institute – the association creates a network-rich environment for global innovation and capital to meet and thrive.  

About DENSO
Globally headquartered in Kariya, Japan, DENSO is a $47.9 billion leading mobility supplier that develops advanced technology and components for nearly every vehicle make and model on the road today. With manufacturing at its core, DENSO invests in around 200 facilities worldwide to produce cutting-edge electrification, powertrain, thermal and mobility electronics products, among others, that change how the world moves. In developing such solutions, the company's 165,000 global employees pursue rewarding careers while paving the way to a mobility future that improves lives, eliminates traffic accidents and preserves the environment. DENSO spent around 9.0 percent of its global consolidated sales on research and development in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2023. For more information about DENSO's operations worldwide, visit https://www.denso.com/global. 

In North America, DENSO is headquartered in Southfield, Michigan, and employs 27,000+ engineers, researchers, and skilled workers across nearly 50 sites in the U.S, Canada and Mexico. In the United States alone, DENSO employs 17,500+ employees across 14 states (and the District of Columbia) at 41 sites. In the fiscal year ending March 31, 2023, DENSO in North America generated $11.3 billion in consolidated sales. DENSO is committed to advancing diversity and inclusion inside the company and beyond – a principle that brings together unique perspectives, bolsters innovation and pushes DENSO forward. To learn more about DENSO operations in the region and to review current career opportunities, please visit https://www.denso.com/us-ca/en/. 

SOURCE DENSO