Corporate venture capital investment is at its highest level since the dot-com boom, according to an article in today's USA Today. Although there's been a small dip in the first quarter, the VC arms of many major corporations are actively looking for start-ups in the areas of tech, energy, and life sciences (and which VCs aren't?), say sources including the head of IBM's Venture Capital Group.

Of course what the article doesn't go into detail about is the fact that once these corporations invest in your start-up, they own you, except to say:

"Likewise, start-ups benefit from a global corporation's technology, distribution and marketing clout. But if the start-ups become successful, their partners could have a lock on buying their products or the firms."

Nonetheless, I can't decide if that makes corporate VC investment only a mediocre deal. Let's face it, how many entrepreneurs do you know who would say no getting snapped up by, say, Intel? And certainly any VC firm—or private equity group or angel—that's funding a start-up expects either a percentage of company ownership or a major return on their investment. Is inking a deal with a corporation where you're forced to sign licensing or commitment agreements that much worse? Let's hear what you think!