Marketers invest in tomorrow's partners

Some of the biggest names in business are putting money into tiny firms that have the potential to become key partners or suppliers sometime in the future. The firms making the investments aren't banks--they're multinationals that want to benefit from new ideas and new processes that indie startups might develop.

Here are a few examples:

• Unilever Ventures has an 'incubation' programme to help small UK businesses that are developing innovative ways for customers to interact with brands via smartphone and social media.
• Nike is investing in tech companies that plan to use its Nike+ technology (see photo, right).
• Procter & Gamble has joined with the University of Cincinnati in Ohio to fund a 'startup accelerator' for new businesses.
• BMW has a New York-based venture capital unit to assist businesses that are developing mobile services offerings.
• Intel Capital invests in firms that are working on new technologies, devices and software suitable for its chips.

What innovations will grow out of these investments? How many will be successful? And  will the marketers that invest in these startups gain a competitive edge from their association with the next new thing?