How Venture Capital Can Help Young People Make an Impact

Gen Z and millennials are more impact-minded than any previous generation. Growing up as digital natives, they've been exposed to the challenges facing our world in real time and are highly aware of the need to make a difference.

Constant headlines remind them of the mounting urgency to take action on climate change, social injustice and income inequality. They see firsthand how tech can be used to create solutions to these pressing problems. And they're not content to wait for someone else to fix things. They want to be the ones making an impact. READ MORE

How this venture capitalist is challenging tradition to solve the diversity problem in the renewable energy industry

In 2019, Anthony Oni showed up to the first pitch meeting for his startup and noticed a stark difference between himself and the lenders seated across the table. The room reflected much of the venture capital industry: white men.

"When I walked into the room, I remember thinking, none of these investors look like me," Oni said. READ MORE

Carbon-Tech Draws Record Venture Funding as Investors Hunt for Impact

Carbon and climate startups have attracted record investments at a time when other industries are struggling to tap funds from venture capitalists.

Buoyed by corporate and government pledges to cut greenhouse gas emissions, a record $1.4 billion poured into climate and carbon-focused startups in the second quarter of this year. That’s in stark contrast to the broader market for venture funding, which faces its largest quarterly percentage drop in nearly a decade, according to CB Insights. READ MORE

Venture Capital Can Drive Quality R&D Procurement

The government wants to make quality investments in research and development, and the venture capital industry can help.

Unfortunately, the current law limits their ability to help because VC investment isn’t allowed to be an award criterion for Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contracts. READ MORE

Venture Slowdown Not Prompting More M&A

VC-backed startups have not yet started to turn to the M&A market as a way to exit even as fundraising has become more difficult and the IPO pipeline has dried up.

The pullback in the venture capital market and general economic uncertainty would seemingly create an environment where cash-strapped startups look for a safe landing spot in the form of a sale. However, according to Crunchbase data, M&A activity involving VC-backed startups has fallen since last year. READ MORE

Publicly traded PE firms could absorb rivals in a quest for growth

Publicly traded US PE firms could focus more of their firepower in the coming quarters on acquiring stakes of competing firms as they look for ways to grow and sustain their stock prices. READ MORE

PE dealmaking thrives in cybersecurity sector

Private equity's breach of the cybersecurity industry is quickly expanding.

PE firms are on pace to conclude cybersecurity deals worth a record amount this year as investors look to take advantage of the sector's declining valuations and stable business model characterized by low client churn and high margins. READ MORE

Why Joe Biden is taking on private equity

Almost 60 years ago the US Department of Justice argued before the Supreme Court that a couple of large grocery store chains in Los Angeles should not be allowed to merge. The government believed two things were at stake: the livelihood of ordinary Americans and the chance to set a legal precedent to pre-empt market saturation. READ MORE

VC is overvalued according to 80% of investors

Venture capital valuations are of most concern, with 80% of investors viewing the asset class as overvalued. As markets come under pressure, the highest risk asset classes such as private equity and venture capital are expected to be impacted the most. The recent summer rally in stock markets may provide some relief, but it remains to be seen if it constitutes a structural change in direction. READ MORE

Venture capital, private equity investors worried about valuations

Venture capital and private equity investors are becoming concerned over the exit environment, and the majority believe the asset class is overvalued, a new survey from Preqin shows. READ MORE

Venture Investors Put Billions Into Nuclear Fusion And Fission Projects

Nuclear power is having a big year for venture funding, and it’s not just fusion startups that are attracting capital.

A Crunchbase analysis of investment in nuclear projects shows companies pursuing both fission- and fusion-powered technologies have racked up huge rounds of late. Collectively, they’ve pulled in over $3.4 billion this past year. READ MORE

What’s The New Normal For Biotech Funding?

Biotech is in a weird place right now.

After basking in two years of record-high investments, the startup space is experiencing what amounts to economic whiplash as investors leave the space and longtime venture firms turn down the funding tap. READ MORE

Where have the unicorns gone? The IPO window has slammed shut

Unicorns, the nickname for multi-billion dollar startups looking to go public, are starting to become an endangered species on Wall Street. (Of course, unicorns are also fictitious beasts. But you catch our drift.) READ MORE

Startups, if your CEO isn’t running your fundraising, you’re doing it wrong

In my past as an investor and in my present as a pitch coach, I have come across a surprising number of companies where someone who’s not part of the founder team is out there trying to raise money for the company. Sure, salespeople are very good at sales (that is why they are salespeople), but no investor is going to take you seriously if anyone but the founders — and ideally the CEO — is running point on the fundraising process. READ MORE

U.S. startup valuations contract as early-stage investors turn cautious

U.S. startups seeking early-stage funding saw a decline in their valuations in the second quarter, as jittery venture capital investors urge founders to make more concessions.

Easy fiscal policies and stimulus measures that led to an investment frenzy last year and sky-high startup valuations are now fading away, making investors more cautious. READ MORE

Private equity firms on a tech recruitment drive

The private equity industry has experienced record fundraising and attractive returns over the past two years. The number of assets under management (AUM) for many private equity firms is growing year on year and the asset classes they invest in are diversifying, which means larger firms have developed into asset management firms. This means firms require several new teams, according to a news report by Private Equity Wire.

Hiring contractors and freelancers can be an excellent way for private equity firms and their portfolio companies to fast-track the most pressing jobs or projects while HR is recruiting for permanent hires. READ MORE

Expectations for Bonus and Salary in the Private Equity Industry

If you want to have a career in a financial sector or even if you want to become an investment banker then PE firms is the best way to go. Even if you want to have a full-fledged career in the firm, then you should know about all the industry.

So what do you need to succeed in a PE firm — qualifications, skills and certifications. How much would you be earning and what are the future prospects in the industry if you wish to choose it. Let’s have a look READ MORE

SEC targets hedge funds, private equity for enhanced reporting requirements

The Securities and Exchange Commission on Wednesday approved proposing rule amendments to expand reporting requirements for large hedge funds as well as private equity firms.

In a 3-2 vote, with the commission's two Republicans dissenting, the SEC proposed amendments to its Form PF to require hedge funds with more than $500 million in net assets to provide additional information on investment exposure, investment concentration, and borrowing and financing arrangements. READ MORE

Sealing the co-investment deal

Co-investing as a strategy has been on the rise for years.

A trend documented by the World Economic Forum, co-investing as a model sees Limited Partners (LPs) take a direct stake, or ‘co-invest,’ in a particular asset along with their General Partner (GP) — often a larger institutional investor — over and above their investment in the GP’s funds. READ MORE

Congress should allow Pentagon to work with start-ups on needed innovation

To maximize access to the latest technology to help fight and win wars, the U.S. Department of Defense should partner with venture-backed startups — not just small businesses more broadly.

But first, Congress must act. READ MORE