What Is Venture Capital?
Venture capital is a form of investment where investors provide funding to startups with high growth potential in exchange for equity in the company. These investors hope that the value of their equity will increase as the startup grows and can be sold for a profit in the future.
Venture capital is classified as an alternative investment, along with private equity, hedge funds, and real estate, and is typically only accessible to industry professionals. It is considered a high-risk, high-return investment, with a majority of startups receiving venture capital funding ultimately failing. However, venture capital investors are looking for a few standout investments to offset these losses. Venture capital is also considered an illiquid investment, meaning it is difficult to convert into cash as it is tied up in startups that may not yet have a track record or be generating revenue.
VC Structure (General Partner & Limited Partner)
The structure of a venture capital fund involves two main types of contributors: a venture capital firm, also known as the general partner, and investors, known as limited partners, which are typically institutional investors such as insurance companies and endowment funds. The majority of the fund’s money comes from limited partners, with a small portion coming from the general partners to align their interests and ensure they have a stake in the fund. Once the fund has been established, it will invest in various startups to create its investment portfolio. Investors in a venture capital fund typically expect annual returns of 25-35% by the end of their investment. These returns are often driven by a few standout investments, rather than the overall performance of all the startups in the portfolio.
VC Compensation (Management Fee & Performance Fee)
Venture capital firms typically receive compensation in two parts: a management fee and a performance fee.
The management fee is a fixed fee, usually around 2-3% of the assets under management, which covers operational expenses such as employee costs and office rent. This fee is guaranteed and paid regardless of the performance of the fund.
The performance fee is based on the gains of the company and is usually around 20-30% of the returns, with the remaining 70-80% going to the investors. These performance returns are only realized when the venture capital firm exits its investment.
VC Exit (IPO, Acquisition, Direct Sale)
There are three main ways that venture capital firms can exit their investments:
- Initial public offering (IPO): An IPO is a process where a company that was previously privately owned goes public and sells shares on the stock market. This allows the company to raise capital and gives investors an opportunity to sell their shares for a profit. The venture capital firm can sell its stake in the company as part of the IPO process.
- Acquisition: An acquisition occurs when a company is bought by another company. The acquiring company may be interested in the company’s products, technology, or market position. The venture capital firm can sell its stake in the company as part of the acquisition process.
- Direct sale: A direct sale involves the venture capital firm selling its stake in the company to another party. This could be another venture capital firm at a later stage of investment or the company itself. A direct sale may be the most attractive option if the company is not yet ready for an IPO or if there is no interest from potential acquirers.
Investment Strategies (Timing/Funding Cycle, Industries & Geography)
VC firms often specialize in investing at specific stages of a company’s development. These stages, known as “investment rounds,” represent milestones in a company’s lifecycle and are typically identified by letters of the alphabet, such as “seed,” “series A,” “series B,” and so on.
The seed stage is the very earliest stage of a company’s development, when it is just an idea. This is typically the riskiest stage for VC firms to invest in, as there is often very little to go on other than the founding team’s vision and the potential of the idea.
The series A round comes after the seed stage, when the company has begun to build a product and is starting to validate its business model. Series A funding is typically used to build out the product, establish a customer base, and lay the groundwork for future growth.
The series B round comes after the series A round, when the company is experiencing significant growth and is generating revenue. Series B funding is typically used to scale the business, expand into new markets, and invest in growth initiatives.
Later investment rounds, such as series C, D, and beyond, are typically used to further scale the business and continue driving growth. The ultimate goal for many VC-funded companies is to go public through an initial public offering (IPO), where the company sells shares on the public market.
In addition to investing at specific stages of a company’s development, VC firms may also specialize in particular industries or sectors. The tech sector is particularly popular among VC firms, as it offers many opportunities for scalable business models. Within the tech sector, there are many sub-industries, such as educational tech (edtech), financial tech (fintech), and biology tech (biotech).
Lastly, VC firms may also specialize in investing in companies in certain geographical regions. For example, a firm may focus on companies in the United States, Europe, or Asia. Some firms have a global focus and do not specialize in any particular region.
Careers In Venture Capital (Hierarchy, Working Hours, Skills Required)
The career path in venture capital generally follows a hierarchy, with roles that include analysts, associates, principals, and partners. These roles may also be split into junior and senior designations.
The analyst role is the most junior level in venture capital and is typically not for people fresh out of college, but rather for those with 2-3 years of experience, possibly in a consulting firm, bank, tech company, or startup. It is possible, though less common, to get an analyst role fresh out of college with no experience.
The associate role is for people who have more experience than analysts, either pre-MBA or post-MBA depending on their level of experience. Associates may work on a variety of tasks, such as conducting market research, analyzing financial statements, and participating in due diligence on potential investments.
The principal role is a more senior position in venture capital, responsible for leading deals and managing relationships with portfolio companies. Principals may also have a leadership role within the firm and may be involved in business development and fundraising activities.
The partner role is the most senior level in venture capital and is typically not a conventional job, as partners have a financial stake in the fund and cannot simply quit on a whim. It is common for partners to be former entrepreneurs who have a strong track record of success in the industry. Partners are responsible for leading the investment process, including sourcing and evaluating potential investments, negotiating terms, and supporting portfolio companies.
In addition to these roles, some VC firms have a role called an entrepreneur in residence (EIR). An EIR is usually a former entrepreneur who is brought in to consult for and possibly even take on an executive role at a startup. EIRs may work with startups to refine their business plans, identify potential partners or customers, or recruit key employees.
The number of hours worked in venture capital can vary depending on the size of the fund and the number of deals being pursued. A rough estimate is around 60 hours per week, similar to the hours worked in big tech. However, the boundaries between work and non-work activities can be somewhat blurred in venture capital, as networking and other social activities are often considered part of the job.
The skills needed for a junior employee in venture capital may include research, networking, business strategy, and spreadsheet analysis.
Research skills are important for staying up-to-date on industry trends and identifying promising startups.
Networking skills are important for building relationships with founders and other industry professionals.
Business strategy skills are necessary for evaluating a startup’s business model and assessing its potential for success.
Spreadsheet skills are useful for analyzing financial data and performing various types of analysis.
Bonus: Top 10 Venture Capital Firms In The World
For more information about the world of venture capital, visit the websites of some of the top VCs in the world. Also, take some time out to check their Career section.
