Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 2, 2010

It in not uncommon to see a VC talk about “total assets under management&# as in “We have $1.5 billion under management.&# I don’t really understand why VCs do this since it’s mostly a meaningless number. What is total assets under management? - What is a VC fund?

Venture Capital 269

Venture Capital Balance Sheet Early Stage Software Review 269

Steve Blank

JULY 15, 2010

The two decades from 1979 when pension funds fueled the expansion of venture capital to 2000 when the dot-com bubble burst were the Golden Age for entrepreneurs and venture capital firms. VC’s invested their limited partners’ “risk capital” in a portfolio of startups in exchange for illiquid stock. Source: NVCA.).

Venture Capital 297

Venture Capital IPO Liquidity Event Entrepreneur 297

Mucker Lab

MARCH 8, 2016

Just as entrepreneurs should aspire to raise capital from value-added, “smart money” investors, we, too, have focused on partnering with committed, long-term, institutional limited partners (LPs). We’ve written code, launched products, acquired users, managed P&Ls, and lost sleep over making payroll.

Burn Rate 60

Burn Rate Limited Partner Bootstrapping Portfolio 60

finance.fortune.cnn.com

AUGUST 21, 2012

Now Fortune has obtained more granular data, including returns for dotcom-era funds managed by such firms as Accel Partners, Benchmark Capital, General Catalyst Partners and Lightspeed Venture Partners. Through 12/31/11, less than 66% of the fund-of-funds called capital had been returned to limited partners.

Naming 49

Naming Term Sheet Private Equity Equity 49

Austin Startup

JULY 23, 2010

The company creates the leading software in an enterprise niche called pricing optimization and margin management. But even Walmart (the epitome of brick and mortar) changes prices on some items daily, based upon sales and competitive intelligence. Most people don’t really think of pricing as an elastic thing.

Balance Sheet 67

Balance Sheet Private Equity LP IPO 67

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 16, 2012

I raised money as an entrepreneur, like you, in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003 and 2005 for two different companies. And I also now have to raise money myself, but this time from bigger institutions that our industry calls LPs (limited partners). Fund raising (as is much of life) is a sale – pure and simple. Why buy me?

Developer 366

Developer Silicon Valley PR Las Vegas 366

Altgate

MARCH 8, 2009

I say ecosystem as opposed to industry because it is not just the VC funds themselves that are imploding, instead the collapse includes entrepreneurs and startups that were funded by VCs, angel investors, service providers like lawyers, bankers and accountants as well as limited partner investors in VC funds. But some will be saved.

Later Stage 34

Later Stage Early Stage Venture Capital Portfolio 34