PB: Venture capital rewrites the record books

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PITCHBOOK reports:

If the second half of 2021 is anything like the first, there will be few notable records left in VC that weren’t broken by this year’s hypersonic pace of investing, fundraising, and public listings. 

The latest PitchBook-NVCA Venture Monitor in partnership with Silicon Valley Bank details how a virtuous cycle of investments and returns has turbocharged this rapidly changing asset class.

Key takeaways

– Venture-backed companies have attracted $150 billion in 2021, more than 90% of last year’s record total. Mega-deals of $100 million or more have already hit a new high-water mark.

– Firm-level fundraising is also taking off, with investors closing funds worth $74.1 billion, about 91.5% of 2020’s record-breaking amount.

– IPOs and SPACs helped to drive the exit value of venture-backed companies to $372.2 billion in the first half of 2021. That was 30% higher than 2020’s all-time record.

– Nontraditional investors, in particular PE firms and hedge funds, are making their presence felt more than ever. With them comes deal competition, capital galore, and high expectations for growth.

To download the full report (31 pages), please click here.