Venture Capital Funding

Explanations to the inner workings of one of the least understood, but arguably most important, areas of business finance is offered to readers in this engaging volume: venture capital. Venture capitalists provide necessary investment to seed (or startup) companies, but the startup is only the beginning, there is much more to be explored. These savvy investors help guide young entrepreneurs, who likely have little experience, to turn their businesses into the Googles, Facebooks, and Groupons of the world. This book explains the often-complex methods venture capitalists use to value companies and to get the most return on their investments, or ROI. This book is a must-have for any reader interested in the business world.

Despite all of the writing on venture capital, there is a missing part of the literature. There has been no book written about raising a venture capital fund. It remains a secret to a few privileged venture capitalists who have gone through this fundraising process. Until now . . . This book serves as a guide. It dives into the process of raising a venture capital fund, the how-tos, the unique language of the limited partner (LP) world, secrets of how LPs think about fund diligence and alignment, the best practices in fundraising, what works, and how you can best prepare for success. I've written this book after spending a decade investing into venture capital funds at a $30B wealth management firm and a $160B technology company. I've been on both sides of the table, the VC and the LP side. I've been behind the scenes managing every aspect of the fundraising process, investing into 80 funds, and reviewing thousands of fund investments. I also co-founded a company that specifically focuses on co-building venture capital businesses, which includes helping VCs understand the intricate dynamics of raising a venture capital fund. After reading my book, you will gain the knowledge and insights gained from these experiences.

Secure venture capital? Easy. Getting a business up and running or pushing a brilliant product to the marketplace requires capital. For many entrepreneurs, a lack of start-up capital can be the single biggest roadblock to their dreams of success and fortune. Venture Capital For Dummies takes entrepreneurs step by step through the process of finding and securing venture capital for their own projects. Find and secure venture capital for your business Get your business up and running Push a product to the marketplace If you're an entrepreneur looking for hands-on guidance on how to secure capital for your business, the information in Venture Capital For Dummies gives you the edge you need to succeed.

Most informed business people will know something about venture capital. However, much of the detail of what actually goes on when an investment is being made is unknown to most outsiders. This absence of knowledge means that much time and effort is often fruitlessly expended trying to secure venture capital from the wrong sources or by businesses that would be better off seeking different forms of funding. Venture Capital Funding clears some of the fog that surrounds how venture capital works. It illuminates the background processes that exist in venture capital businesses and dispels the myths. If you are thinking of using venture capital to develop your business it will enable you to understand the driving forces behind each stage of the investment process, and will equip you to deal with venture capitalists and other professionals involved. Highly practical and accessible, this book examines the following areas: what sort of businesses will be attractive to the different types of venture capitalist; the processes of investment; the particular targets of venture funds; the pressures on the venture capitalists themselves as individual investors. By understanding what venture capitalists want, what they are willing to invest in, and on what terms, you and your business will be one step closer to securing capital.

A little book full of enormous value for novices and seasonedventure capitalists alike After having been thrown for a loop by the bursting of the techbubble more than a decade ago, the venture capital industrysuddenly has come roaring back to life over the past two years. In2011 alone, more than $7.5 billion in venture capital wasinvested—representing more than a 19% increase overthe previous year—in more than 966 companies. A majorityof these companies reside in the life sciences, Internet, andalternative energy sectors. In today's weak job market, VC is more important than ever,since financing new tech, alternative energy, media, and othersmall to mid-sized companies is vital to creating new jobs. Writtenby Lou Gerken, a noted international authority on venture capitaland alternative investments, this book tells you everything youneed to know about the venture capital industry's important role inenhancing economic growth and employment. It is also the perfect goto primer on making venture capital investments to enhanceportfolio returns. Highly accessible explanations of the ins and outs of venturecapital for would-be investors and experienced VCs Highlights the historical VC track record, and offers expertadvice and guidance on venture capital exposure, investmentoptions, sourcing opportunities and due diligence Provides proven strategies for successful investment selection,timing, monitoring, and exiting for optimum returns Features endorsements from luminaries of the VC world,including Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers co-founder FrankCaulfield, and Dr. Art Laffer, among others

Developments in the global economy have drastically transformed traditional businesses and trading systems. New communications and computing technology have not only opened global trade but have also provided customers with more choices and transparent supply alternatives. As such, modern firms are forced to adapt effective strategies that allow them to stay competitive in a global economy. Entrepreneurial Orientation and Opportunities for Global Economic Growth provides innovative insights into the present-day trends and applications of entrepreneurship and innovation in relation to different countries’ economic and social development. The content within this publication encompasses topics including female entrepreneurship, internationalization, and social development. It is a vital reference source for policymakers, economists, academicians, researchers, entrepreneurs, business students, managers, and stakeholders seeking coverage on topics centered on adopting and implementing entrepreneurship in a modern setting.

The funding of innovative projects that are fundamentally ambiguous often leads to situations where decision-making is difficult. However, decision-making can be improved by practices such as syndication and step-by-step funding. The dynamic of this industry requires us to consider the economic and institutional variables that make this system coherent in English-speaking countries, but conversely reduce it to a privileged niche by the leading authorities in Europe and France. This book proposes two guiding ideas. The first idea presents innovation as a very uncertain process. This modifies the decision-making in the entrepreneurial ecosystem, with intervention upstream in regards to stronger foundations, evaluations and selection of projects. The second idea is that the actors hold onto partial knowledge in a context where their attention span is limited. These cognitive limitations need the formation of networks, and lead to mutual and complementary dependency relations.