Venture Capital Investors and Portfolio Firms
By Sophie Manigart, Ghent University and Vlerick Business School, Belgium, sophie.manigart@vlerick.com | Mike Wright, Centre for Management Buy-out Research, Imperial College Business School, UK and Ghent University, Belgium, mike.wright@nottingham.ac.uk
Abstract
The principal goal of this monograph is to provide an overview of relevant aspects and research findings pertaining to the period after the venture capital firm (also known as venture capitalist or VC) has made the decision to invest in a particular portfolio company (or entrepreneur). Drawing principally upon refereed journal papers in entrepreneurship, finance, and management, our review is divided into six principal areas: (1) what venture capital firms do, (2) the impact of VCs on portfolio firms and other stakeholders, (3) the role of syndication, (4) the nature and timing of exit from VC investment, (5) the role of VCs in portfolio companies that undergo an initial public offering (IPO), and (6) the returns from investing in VC. The monograph concludes with a detailed outline of an agenda for further research. We provide a summary of the main papers in this literature in a set of tables in which we identify the authors, publication date, the journal, the main research question, the theoretical perspective, data, and the principal findings.
Venture Capital Investors and Portfolio Firms
In Venture Capital Investors and Portfolio Firms venture capital firms are considered as investors in young growth-oriented companies. The authors focus on the later phases of the venture capital (VC) investment process. They therefore emphasize monitoring, value adding, and exiting activities. They also include a review of the literature on the outcome of venture capital investment activities. Research findings are drawn principally from refereed journal papers in entrepreneurship, finance, and management. The monograph is divided into six principal areas: 1. What venture capital firms do. 2. The impact of VCs on portfolio firms and other stakeholders. 3. The role of syndication. 4. The nature and timing of exit from VC investments. 5. The role of VCs in portfolio companies that undergo an initial public offering (IPO). 6. The returns from investing in VC. Venture Capital Investors and Portfolio Firms concludes with a detailed agenda for further research. To aid the reader who wishes to pursue particular papers in more detail, the authors provide a summary of the main papers in this literature in a set of tables where they identify the authors, publication date, the journal, the main research question, the theoretical perspective, data, and the principal findings.
