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FREE online courses on Venture Capital Funding - The Venture Capital
Industry - Commitments of capital |
The process that venture firms go through in seeking
investment commitments from investors is typically called “fund raising.” This
should not be confused with the actual investment in “portfolio” companies by the venture capital firms, which is
also sometimes called “fund raising.” The commitments of capital are raised from
the investors during the formation of the fund.
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A venture firm will set out prospecting for investors
with a target fund size.
·
It will distribute a prospectus to potential investors
and may take from several weeks to several months to raise the requisite
capital.
·
The fund will seek commitments of capital from
institutional investors, endowments, foundations and individuals who seek to
invest part of their portfolio in opportunities with a higher risk factor and
commensurate opportunity for higher returns.
·
The venture fund will have from a few to almost 100
limited partners depending on the target size of the fund. Once the firm has
raised enough commitments, it will start making investments in portfolio
companies.