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NewswireTODAY - /newswire/ -
Nishi-Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan, 2011/01/21 - As Wiltshire Capital studies the US venture capital market; thirty-five US venture capital funds raised nearly $3 billion in the fourth quarter of 2010.
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Venture Capital Fundraising Declines Slightly in 2010, and Fewer Firms Raising Smaller Funds Remains the Trend.
As Wiltshire Capital studies the US venture capital market; thirty-five US venture capital funds raised nearly $3 billion in the fourth quarter of 2010. This level marks a 6% decrease, by dollar commitments, compared to the third quarter of 2010, which saw 49 funds raise $3.2 billion during the period. For full year 2010, 157 venture capital funds raised $12.3 billion, the fourth consecutive year of declines and the slowest annual period for venture capital fundraising since 2003.
Given current conditions, a limited number of venture firms will be able to successfully raise new funds in 2011 and many of these will be smaller than previous funds raised. Yet, the continued downsizing of the venture industry has positive implications for investors and entrepreneurs. An agile venture capital model, similar to that of Wiltshire Capital, likely translates into more capital efficient and fewer duplicative deals in the IT arena as well as less capital intensive deals in the life science and clean technology arenas.
The most innovative and efficient companies will continue to be funded by the venture community. It is important to reiterate that when it comes to venture capital returns, history has shown that often less is more. As the year progresses and the exit market continues to improve, expecting better performance from established funds as well as from recently raised funds which have the opportunity to invest in great companies at a time when valuations are more reasonable and the economy as a whole points upward.
There were 24 follow-on funds and 11 new funds raised in the fourth quarter of 2010, a ratio of 2.2-to-1 of follow-on to new funds. A new fund is defined as the first fund at a newly established firm, although the general partner of that firm may have previous experience investing in venture capital.
For more information visit wiltshirecapital.com/.
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