"Parkwalk leads UK spinout investment with £3.35bn in 2024"

SSTI recently examined the investment histories of 31 Venture Development Organizations (VDOs) across 20 states to quantify their impact and help to characterize how the broader technology-based economic development (TBED) community supports long-term innovation-driven economic and financial returns. Here are the findings: https://lnkd.in/e6UQA5VE

Investors are still split on whether it’s better to hunt for innovative companies in the public or private markets. But the biggest consideration for investing in new technologies might have more to do with liquidity. Jackson Garton, Chief investment officer, Makena Capital Management, LLC; Prabhu Palani, CFA, Chief investment officer, City of San Jose Retirement Nick Rubinstein, Managing director, Jennison Associates. https://lnkd.in/gVz72rWS

Pleased to share that our article, co-authored with Santiago Mingo and Michael Carney, is now published online and available open access in Family Business Review. We examine how family firms engage in corporate venture capital (CVC), a key pathway for innovation in high-tech industries. We find that family firms are less likely to start CVC programs. Still, when they do invest, they do so differently: they make fewer but larger deals, which allows them to maintain influence and reduce risk in line with the family owners' non-economic priorities. The paper is open access. Feel free to read and share! https://lnkd.in/eprtBfDr University of Richmond - Robins School of Business

The UK continues to solidify its position as Europe’s leading destination for venture capital, attracting £9 billion in 2024, a 12.5% increase year-on-year. Seed funding is booming, particularly in London, Oxford, and Cambridge, where university spin-offs drive innovation in AI, deep tech, life sciences, and fin tech. For risk and compliance teams, this growth comes with increased scrutiny. Early-stage investments are inherently high-risk and illiquid, requiring robust due diligence, careful monitoring, and awareness of regulatory frameworks like VCTs, EIS, and government-backed incentives. Ensuring compliance while supporting innovative ventures is key to both protecting investors and capturing opportunities in the high-growth UK VC market. Read on for more: https://heyor.ca/3JkqpL #VentureCapital #UKFinance #RiskManagement #Compliance

Top Investors by Share of Lead Investments in Unicorns Since 2020 Of the early stage investments that Greenspring Associates leads, 27% end up being unicorns – the highest rate among all major investors. Casdin Capital, LLC follows at 21%, then Meritech Capital at 16%. Top 10 Lead Investors: Greenspring Associates - 27% (3 of 11 investments are unicorns)  Casdin Capital - 21% (4 of 19)  Meritech Capital - 16% (3 of 19)  IVP - 15% (5 of 33)  Bond Capital - 13% (4 of 31)  Thrive Capital - 12% (6 of 49)  Caffeinated Capital - 12% (3 of 26)  Benchmark - 11% (4 of 35) Sapphire Venturess - 11% (5 of 47) Venrockk - 10% (4 of 41) The firms that lead most often aren't necessarily the biggest. Andreessen Horowitz has the unicorn rate of 6%, Tiger Global 4%. Note: Data covers investments from 2020-2025, counting only pre-unicorn investments. Thank you toStanford University Graduate School of Businesss Venture Capital Initiative for supporting this research. 

Our fifth annual State of Corporate Venture Capital report explains why CVCs are fine-tuning their investment approach and seeking more independence from their corporate parents. Read the report for a look at the data alongside insights from Silicon Valley Bank and Counterpart Ventures: https://bit.ly/4n5FOuX

A study from VC Lab conducted in 2025 found that of 3,400 Limited Partnership Agreements, the median investor in venture capital is no longer an institution, but rather an individual or smaller entity writing meaningful, but smaller, checks.[1] Key findings from the study include: 75% of all investments are below $150,000 The most common investment bracket is the $100-$150k range, accounting for 29% of all commitments 24% of investments are under $50,000

Sugar Free Capital: $32 Million Fund Launched To Focus On Technical Founders: Sugar Free Capital has announced the launch of its inaugural fund, which totals $32 million. This fund is designed to invest in technical founders, particularly those often associated with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The firm's investment strategy is distinguished by its high-conviction approach, allowing it to write lead checks into a concentrated portfolio while engaging deeply with each investment. The post Sugar Free Capital: $32 Million Fund Launched To Focus On Technical Founders appeared first on Pulse 2.0.

20 investors, 20 negotiations, 20 headaches. There's a better way: 🎯 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐲𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 Instead of 20 investors each writing €25K checks separately, one lead investor coordinates the group. Startups get faster access to larger amounts, angels reduce minimum thresholds. Tools to help them do this and the investment infrastructure matter. 𝐈𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐥𝐞, 𝐰𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫: ✅ How syndicates work and why they matter ✅ The role of lead investors in guiding the group ✅ SPVs vs. nominee models - and why the nominee is gaining traction ✅ Why digital tools matter and how a modern investment infrastructure can help setup and manage syndicates easier ✅ Best practices shared by seasoned angels like Marius Istrate, Mircea Vădan Vadan & Nilanjay Ghura Read the article and explore how syndicates can scale your impact as a lead investor: https://lnkd.in/dq7UNSxM Link to the full webinar: https://lnkd.in/dzSHnF46 #AngelInvesting #Syndicates #StartupFunding

🤓 To fellow fundraising expert nerds out there: 📉 What's the European fundraising market like? Today this year's European Investment Fund (EIF) report was released! ➡️ https://lnkd.in/dqFmPKV3 💰 - securing cash is still the no 1 concern for startups (for growth companies it's geopolitics) 🏃➡️ - start up investors see scale up finance as a lot more important vs prior years 💸 - start up investors see more exit opportunities vs last year (halleluljah we like new fresh cash into the ecosystem) 🙃 - exit prices are expected to increase (slight positivm from a negative base) ❗ - sadly founders 2025 see more insolvency & less IPOs as the natural exit strategy There's also some interesting stuff around the US in there. I read it every year, think it's one of the better more comprehensive reports. Enjoy.