What Is Venture Capital?
Venture capital is money provided by professionals who invest alongside management in young, rapidly growing companies that have the potential to develop into significant economic contributors. Venture capital is an important source of equity for start-up companies.
Professionally managed venture capital firms generally are private partnerships or closely-held corporations funded by private and public pension funds, endowment funds, foundations, corporations, wealthy individuals, foreign investors, and the venture capitalists themselves.
Venture capitalists generally:
- Finance new and rapidly growing companies
- Purchase equity securities
- Assist in the development of new products or services
- Add value to the company through active participation
- Take higher risks with the expectation of higher rewards
- Have a long-term orientation
When considering an investment, venture capitalists carefully screen the technical and business merits of the proposed company. Venture capitalists only invest in a small percentage of the businesses they review and have a long-term perspective.
English: Diagram of venture capital fund structure...
Sand Hill Road sign from 280 north. "KTVC was the ...
Sepia photograph of the "Atlas" statue in New York...They also actively work with the company's management, especially with contacts and strategy formulation.
Venture capitalists mitigate the risk of investing by developing a portfolio of young companies in a single venture fund. Many times they co-invest with other professional venture capital firms. In addition, many venture partnerships manage multiple funds simultaneously. For decades, venture capitalists have nurtured the growth of America's high technology and entrepreneurial communities resulting in significant job creation, economic growth and international competitiveness. Companies such as Digital Equipment Corporation, Apple, Federal Express, Compaq, Sun Microsystems, Intel, Microsoft and Genentech are famous examples of companies that received venture capital early in their development. (Source: National Venture Capital Association 1999 Yearbook).
In India, these funds are governed by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) guidelines. According to this, venture capital fund means a fund established in the form of a...