VC University: Democratizing Education on Entrepreneurship & Venture Capital

by & filed under Ecosystems, Events, NVCA Blog.

Maryam Haque

Are you a new or aspiring entrepreneur looking to demystify the world of venture finance?

Are you thinking of starting a venture fund or did you recently take the (scary) plunge to raise a fund?

Are you generally curious about how venture finance works and what it takes to succeed?

Are you interested in learning more about the startup ecosystems and investment opportunities across the U.S. and engaging with investors or entrepreneurs in those markets?

If you answered yes to any of these, then VC University has you covered! (more…)

Immigration Policy Isn’t Working for the Economy. Let’s Fix That.

by & filed under Immigration, NVCA Blog.

Jeff Farrah

Policymakers are constantly looking for ways to boost economic growth. They tweak the tax code, write and rewrite regulations, and deploy a variety of other tools at their disposal. But one underutilized tool is immigration policy; specifically immigration policy that facilitates the creation of new companies, which research shows is the true growth engine of the economy. The best part is it won’t cost the federal government one red cent. (more…)

8 Takeaways in 8 Graphics from a Historic 2018 for Venture Capital

by & filed under NVCA Blog, Research.

Maryam Haque

Now that you’ve had the weekend to digest the 4Q 2018 PitchBook-NVCA Venture Monitor released last week, it’s time to dive into more trends! NVCA President & CEO, Bobby Franklin, reviewed some of the big takeaways from 2018 in his VentureBeat article over the weekend. This blog post builds on those trends and themes with data and charts from the Venture Monitor, highlighting what we think are the eight most notable ones.

(more…)

Spotlight on Rising Stars in VC: Jill Raderstorf

by & filed under NVCA Blog, VentureForward.

Jill Raderstorf

Note from NVCA: As part of NVCA’s VentureForward initiative, this ‘Spotlight on Rising Stars in VC’ blog series showcases individuals in the venture industry from different backgrounds and across the workforce to share experiences, spotlight their journeys and successes, and educate the next generation of people considering a career in venture capital.

Stay up to date on the latest VentureForward news, resources, and releases here. Contact ventureforward@nvca.org to learn more and get involved. (more…)

Should VCs Care What the Government Considers “Emerging Technology”?

by & filed under NVCA Blog, Public Policy.

Jeff Farrah

TL; DR: YES.

Okay, for those of you still with me: I’ve previously written about foreign investment scrutiny and its impact on the venture and startup ecosystem, including how the legislative process played out, how the new pilot program rules impact VCs, and what to expect next.  In a nutshell, earlier this year Congress greatly expanded the authority of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. (CFIUS) to examine foreign investment deals for national security implications.  Through the Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act (FIRRMA), Congress gave CFIUS the authority to review minority, non-controlling investments by a foreign person into U.S. critical technology companies. (more…)

Spotlight on Rising Stars in VC: Augie Wilkinson

by & filed under NVCA Blog, VentureForward.

Augie Wilkinson

Note from NVCA: As part of NVCA’s VentureForward initiative, this ‘Spotlight on Rising Stars in VC’ blog series showcases individuals in the venture industry from different backgrounds and across the workforce to share experiences, spotlight their journeys and successes, and educate the next generation of people considering a career in venture capital.

Stay up to date on the latest VentureForward news, resources, and releases here. Contact ventureforward@nvca.org to learn more and get involved. (more…)

We Need to Update the Definition of a VC, Here’s Why

by & filed under Capital Formation & Regulation, NVCA Blog.

Justin Field

Last week, NVCA sent a letter to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) offering recommendations for how the agency could modernize the definition of “venture capital fund” to more accurately reflect the industry as it looks today. Why is this important? Because this definition governs which private funds can be Exempt Reporting Advisors (ERAs) and which must register with the SEC as Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs). (more…)

Here’s What You Missed at LP Office Hours in Boston

by & filed under NVCA Blog, VentureForward.

Maryam Haque

We created the VentureForward initiative last year with the goal of expanding opportunities for people of all backgrounds to thrive in the venture ecosystem. We believe that education and powerful relationships can increase representation of women, minorities, immigrants, and other underrepresented groups. That’s why we’ve partnered with Greenspring Associates to provide an opportunity for diverse emerging fund managers to have candid conversations throughout our LP Office Hours events.

After a successful launch in San Francisco last July, we hosted a second NVCA-Greenspring LP Office Hours, this time at Openview’s office in Boston. We provide an afternoon of 1:1 meetings, roundtable peer discussions, and a Q&A so that new VCs can get advice from LPs and experienced GPs about the fundraising process and relationship management. (more…)