The Business of Venture Capital: Insights from Leading Practitioners on the Art of Raising a Fund, Deal Structuring, Value Creation, and Exit Strategies, 2nd Edition

CHAPTER 1 The Basics

“The key to making great investments is to assume that the past is wrong, and to do something that's not part of the past, to do something entirely differently.”

—Donald Valentine, Founder, Sequoia Capital¹

A day in venture capitalist's (VC's) life is like that of an entrepreneur—venture capitalists have to pitch a thousand pitches to institutional investors to raise their fund and execute a predetermined plan. If the plan goes well, rewards are distributed; egos are stroked and champagne flows. The partners then go back and raise another fund. If the plan goes really well, which is rare, the partners retire, join local nonprofit boards, or spend time aboard a fancy yacht. A VC's profession is driven by three primary functions: raise the venture fund, find investment opportunities, and generate financial returns.

RAISE THE VENTURE FUND

VCs raise money from financial institutions (called limited partners, or LPs in industry jargon) such as pension funds, foundations, family offices, and high net-worth individuals. (See Figure 1.1.) Investment professionals or general partners (GPs) develop an investment strategy. Based upon this thesis, its timeliness and robustness, investors commit capital to the venture fund. Investors or limited partners seek a blend of strong investment expertise, a compelling investment strategy, and supportive market conditions. Target returns for investors are typically in the range of 20 percent or more on an annualized basis. ...