How a $4B corporation Structures and Scales innovation, with Peter Roeber (Global Strategic Growth & Innovation Leader at W. L. Gore & Associates)

How do you build new ventures inside a 60-year-old materials science company without breaking the core business?

In this episode of Beyond the Core, Ben Yoskovitz and Marcus Daniels sit down with Peter Roeber, a 28-year Gore veteran and one of the leaders behind its most ambitious new ventures in circularity and sustainability.

Peter explains how WL Gore structures innovation across its operating companies, how venture ideas are sourced and funded, and how his team is launching new service-based business models in an organization built on premium materials and product R&D.

From developing a glaucoma device business outside of Gore’s traditional medical focus, to launching a digital venture that’s changing how outdoor apparel is used, not owned, Peter shares real-world lessons on working with ecosystems, managing cannibalization risk, and when to spin out vs spin in.

We cover:

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⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 – Intro: 28 years inside Gore

01:00 – How innovation is structured at Gore

02:45 – What the Futures team does in Fabrics

04:30 – How Gore prioritizes new venture ideas

06:00 – Strategic alignment vs moonshot bets

07:00 – Adjacency vs core vs explore

08:45 – The stage-gate process for new ventures

10:00 – Why Gore separates R&D from venture building

11:30 – Building circular service models inside a product company

13:00 – Smoke testing in a legacy org

15:00 – The power of Gore’s “lattice” culture

16:30 – How venture builders earn trust internally

18:00 – The importance of relationships, not politics

20:00 – Incentives and contribution-based compensation

21:30 – Can big companies spin out startups?

24:00 – Spin-in vs spin-out: key decision points

26:00 – What to do when internal systems work against you

28:00 – The case for shared risk and external venture studios

30:00 – Why speed and separation often win

32:00 – From zero to revenue in 14 months

34:00 – The biggest unknowns in circularity

35:30 – Managing the risk of cannibalization

37:00 – Circular economy ventures need ecosystems

39:00 – Building for a regenerative, collaborative future

42:00 – How Gore’s scale can drive industry change

46:00 – Unlocking value inside legacy orgs: 3 keys

50:00 – Why $1B ideas are worth the fight

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