Global Entrepreneurship Institute

Investment into venture-backed companies is already on pace to experience another record-breaking year in 2018, according to the PitchBook-NVCA Venture Monitor, the authoritative quarterly report on venture capital activity in the entrepreneurial ecosystem jointly produced by PitchBook and the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA).

Coming off multiple years of record fundraising, just over $8 billion raised in 1Q 2018, a slight decline from previous quarters. Despite the slow start, several billion-dollar mega-funds have since been announced, which are expected to boost fund size and count as 2018 unfolds. The sustained momentum in venture fundraising has continued to fuel ramped dealmaking.

Investors deployed the highest amount of capital in 1Q 2018 than any single quarter since 2006 ($28.2 billion), with unicorns attracting over 18% of total VC capital. The exit market for venture-backed companies remained sluggish in the first quarter; however, several landmark deals helped drive exit value, including Amazon’s $1.2 billion acquisition of Ring and DropBox’s $756 million public debut. The momentum generated from these exits has created optimism for a stronger exit market in 2018.

“The first quarter of 2018 picked up right where 2017 left off, with the largest amount of capital deployed into venture-backed companies in a single quarter since 2006, marking a very strong start to venture investment this year,” said Bobby Franklin, President and CEO of NVCA. “As we look ahead to the rest of the year, 1Q appears to be indicating a strengthening exit environment, which would bring liquidity to LPs and could lead to an uptick in fundraising, and in turn lead to even higher levels of investment activity. All of which means that venture investors are well-poised in 2018 to continue investing in and supporting the growth of young, innovative companies that strengthen the U.S. economy.”

“While median time to exit has certainly increased, we’ve noticed VCs have distributed capital back to LPs at a record pace, which is reflective in the larger exits that have come to market,” said John Gabbert, founder and CEO of PitchBook. “The venture industry is poised to continue its healthy pace of dealmaking, especially when combined with the increased participation of non-traditional investors and the boost in pre-seed capital. The IPO market is particularly intriguing with several mature, cash efficient businesses gearing up for a public debut. We expect these players will be well received in the public markets.”

READ PDF REPORT >> https://news.gcase.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/nvca-pitchbook-report-q1-2018.pdf

About National Venture Capital Association
Venture capitalists are committed to funding America’s most innovative entrepreneurs, working closely with them to transform breakthrough ideas into emerging growth companies that drive U.S. job creation and economic growth. As the voice of the U.S. venture capital community, the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA) empowers its members and the entrepreneurs they fund by advocating for policies that encourage innovation and reward long-term investment. As the venture community’s preeminent trade association, the NVCA serves as the definitive resource for venture capital data and unites its member firms through a full range of professional services.

LEARN MORE >> http://www.nvca.org/

About PitchBook
PitchBook is a financial data and software company that provides transparency into the private and public capital markets to help professionals discover and execute opportunities with confidence and efficiency. PitchBook collects and analyzes detailed data on the entire venture capital, private equity and M&A landscape—including public and private companies, investors, funds, investments, exits and people. The company’s data and analysis are available through the PitchBook Platform, industry news and in-depth reports. Founded in 2007, PitchBook has offices in Seattle, San Francisco, New York and London and serves nearly 15,000 professionals around the world. In 2016, Morningstar acquired PitchBook, which now operates as an independent subsidiary.

SOURCE: NVCA