cont’d from last post VC funding…
Does it matter whether venture capital is a failed asset class or not? Yes, some capital restrictions will apply but I would argue that there are sufficient alternative sources of capital to not significantly restrict new venture creation. Smart entrepreneurs can bootstrap, rely on angle networks or newly emerging crowd funding platforms in order to bring a venture through the proof of concept phase.
Additional follow-up capital rounds can then be financed through trade investors who are currently committing significant amounts of capital. There is a significant interest from trade, publishing and pharma companies to invest in digital start-ups. These companies have hundredth of millions available for new venture creation or “corporate innovation” outsourcing. Almost daily new funds, initiatives or deals are announced by corporates who are looking to mitigate the impact of digitalization on their core investment business. These sources of funds should be able to replace venture funding (at least in Europe). In addition, German/European entrepreneurs are also cashing out and are ready to invest in new ventures. In Hamburg there is a wide range of angle / VC money available from successful industries partners e.g. HackFwd – Lars Hinrichs.
Therefore, I would argue that especially in Europe the decline of the venture capital industry does not create significant problems and is compensated through alternative sources of capital.
