Big corporations are getting behind entrepreneurship in some interesting ways.

MediaPost reports that PepsiCo has launched an incubator dubbed PepsiCo10, where the company will help 10 aspiring marketing entrepreneurs start pilot marketing programs with the company’s brands.

“As it becomes more challenging to engage consumers, and as new [media] platforms emerge, we thought: ‘What better way to get in with them and support them?” Seth Kaufman, PepsiCo’s director of media strategy and investment, told Marketing Daily.

The incubator will accept “up to 10 of the most promising start-ups in media, communications and technology,” PepsiCo’s website says. “The selected entrepreneurs will be mentored by a team of venture capitalists, media experts and PepsiCo brand marketers during pilot programs of their submitted technologies and innovations.”

Global venture capital firm Highland Capital Partners and social media publication Mashable are partnering with PepsiCo on the project. The company is looking for innovative technologies in four marketing segments: social media; mobile; place-based and retail experiential marketing; and digital or video gaming. Submissions will be evaluated based on how well they can impact PepsiCo brands and advance the company’s “Performance with a Purpose” priorities, which include health and wellness, environmental sustainability and talent development. The focus of PepsiCo10 is also on younger consumers aged 18 to 25.

Deadline for submissions is June 24, 2010; 20 semifinalists will go to PepsiCo headquarters in White Plains, New York, to pitch their concepts to Y PepsiCo marketing executives. Visit PepsiCo’s website for more information and to apply.

Is your innovative technology more in the automotive field? Then GM may be able to help you. The automaker recently announced it’s launching a venture capital unit that will invest in new technologies in the automotive and transportation sector. General Motors Ventures LLC is funded with an initial investment of $100 million. “Our goal is to nurture these innovative technologies to help bring them to market, and to ensure our customers have access to the best technology available,” said Stephen J Girsky, GM vice chairman.

Huggies diapers has launched a program that will give venture capital funding to entrepreneurial moms, BrandWeek reports. Parent company Kimberly-Clark will award grants of up to $15,000, with a total of $250,000 being given out in the first year.

The site, HuggiesMomInspired.com, is accepting open submissions for new business ideas. According to the site, Huggies is seeking grant proposals “for thoroughly considered product ideas that nurture the relationship between mother and child.” (And no, the ideas don’t have to be diaper-related.)

Huggies’ criteria is that the ideas be original and designed to help make life easier for parents so they can better enjoy everyday moments with their children. “Our judging panel will also take into consideration Huggies® innovation standards for mom-designed creations, including originality, relevancy, potential commercial viability, and the joys of parenting.”

Kimberly-Clark launched the program because women-owned businesses are growing twice as fast as overall small businesses, according to a 2008 research report from the National Association of Women Business Owners. But women still have more difficulty getting funding for their startups. Kimberly-Clark cites Babson College research that shows just 3 percent of venture capital funds go to women.

Eligible applicants must be women 21 years and older living in the United States. Huggies will award grants twice a year. The current submission period ends June 8. Winners will be notified within six weeks after that. For more information about grants, eligibility and how to apply, visit HuggiesMomInspired.com.

By Rieva Lesonsky

Most respondents expect more venture capital to go to more companies in 2010. Sixty-three percent of all respondents believe the dollar amounts of venture investment will stay the same or increase from 2009 levels, with 44 percent predicting a level between $21 billion and $25 billion. Half of the respondents predict more companies will get venture financing; one-third say the number of portfolio companies will stay the same.

In terms of what stage companies will receive capital, most VCs (55 percent) expect that investment in companies at the growth equity stage will increase; 53 percent expect an increase in later stage investing; and 49 percent foresee an increase in expansion stage investing. The outlook isn’t as good for investment in younger companies; just 45 percent of VCs surveyed expect growth in early and seed stage investments.

VCs also predict a shakeout in the industry, with 90 percent of them saying the number of venture capital firms will decrease over the next five years. Most of those respondents say the industry will shrink between 1 and 30 percent.

“It is readily understood by the venture capital community that our industry will shrink in size going forward,” said Mark Heesen, president of the NVCA. “That will mean fewer firms, for sure, but not necessarily fewer companies funded. There is a great deal of innovation taking place and venture capitalists who have the track record to raise funds will be well positioned to build companies. Most venture capitalists will agree that a smaller industry is a better one.”