Like clockwork, with each new Congress comes a renewed push to embark on a wholesale rewrite of our nation’s tax code. Sure enough, the start of the 114th Congress is proving no different. Not only did President Obama touch on his priorities for tax reform in his State of the Union address last night, but the Senate Finance Committee recently announced the formation of five bipartisan working groups to develop concepts for a tax reform proposal. All of this comes after Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), the newly minted Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, announced his own intentions to proceed with a separate tax reform proposal in the House after he took over the gavel of the chamber’s tax-writing committee. Read more »
With more than 2 million net square feet of exhibit space, over 160,000 attendees and an entire show floor, awards ceremony, and conference program dedicated to the innovation ecosystem, the International CES® continues to prove why it’s one of the most relevant innovation and technology shows in the world. Read more »
Based in Independence, Ohio, MainStreet Inclusion Advisors (MSIA) is a national consultancy and entrepreneurial development firm specializing in connecting historically disconnected and underserved populations. Whether entrepreneurs or investors seek deal flow, capital or talent, MSIA focuses on building bridges between minority communities and mainstream communities. Read more »
As part of our series featuring leaders in innovation during Global Entrepreneurship Week, we spoke with Eric Hauck, the Director of Impact Hub in Barcelona, Spain. Impact Hub is a global network of social innovation incubators with 7,000 members in more than 60 cities worldwide. In Barcelona, the Impact Hub is based in the Plaza Real amid the city’s historic gothic quarter, which is the cultural heart of one of the world’s most visited destinations. Read more »
Last night President Obama announced his executive action to fix the nation’s broken immigration system. Key provisions of the Executive Order benefit the innovation ecosystem and represent a victory for NVCA. Here is a short recap of the provisions that relate to high-skilled immigrant entrepreneurs, the venture capital industry and why this is such an important achievement for NVCA. Read more »
As part of Global Entrepreneurship Week, our team at NVCA connected with leaders in innovation ecosystems around the world. In the first of our series of interviews, we spoke with Nkululeko Mthembu, the founder of the Durban Innovation Hub in Durban, South Africa. Durban, a city of over three million people and home to the country’s largest port, has a diverse economy driven by trade, industry and the presence of multinational corporations. Read more »
As part of Global Entrepreneurship Week, our team at NVCA connected with leaders in innovation ecosystems around the world. In the first of our series of interviews, we spoke with Nkululeko Mthembu, the founder of the Durban Innovation Hub in Durban, South Africa. Durban, a city of over three million people and home to the country’s largest port, has a diverse economy driven by trade, industry and the presence of multinational corporations. Read more »
This week, NVCA joins in celebrating Global Entrepreneurship Week and the people around the world who foster innovation and build ideas into companies. The entrepreneurial spirit is a force for economic development, creativity, increasing efficiencies, job creation and innovation. Across geographies, there are a few traits that can be found in entrepreneurs worldwide – a passion to tackle a challenge they perceive in the world, a desire to build something new and a willingness to take risks to see their vision through.
The cycle of innovation in the U.S. ecosystem is driven, in part, by the dynamic flow of capital among limited partners, traditional, corporate and growth equity venture capital investors, entrepreneurs, and, in the event of a public offering or acquisition, retail investors and companies. Limited partners (LPs), whose ranks include foundations, endowments and pension funds, invest in venture capital funds to put capital to work growing innovative young companies.
As part of their capital commitment, LPs require audited financial statements that report the fair value of venture capital firms’ portfolio company investments. Assessing fair value presents a considerable challenge to both auditors and the Chief Financial Officers and Administrative Partners at venture capital firms, who are responsible for the preparation of quarterly and annual financial statements of the funds. More often than not, portfolio companies do not yet have proven business models or technology, making it difficult to precisely state their current fair value using traditional financial metrics. Read more »
With the ascent of corporate venture over the past decade comes an increased need to share best practices among established and new practitioners. Our research at the National Venture Capital Association shows that last year, corporate venture capitalists invested $3.1 billion in 693 deals, which represented 10.6 percent of all venture capital investment, growing from $1.5 billion in 539 deals in 2005. As an organization, we are committed to convening all facets of the innovation ecosystem – from traditional VCs to corporate investors – to expand networks, provide platforms for discussion, resources and top tier industry research. Read more »