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On the Return to Venture Capital

Author

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  • Boyan Jovanovic
  • Balàzs Szentes

Abstract

We provide a model that links the high return to venture equity to the impatience of the VCs. VCs are scarce, and hence, they have market power and a high return on their investments. As a result, VCs are eager to terminate non-performing ventures so they can move on to new ones. The scarcity of VCs enables them to internalize their social value, and the competitive equilibrium is socially optimal. We estimate the model and back out the return of solo entrepreneurs which is always below that of the return of VCs.

Suggested Citation

  • Boyan Jovanovic & Balàzs Szentes, 2007. "On the Return to Venture Capital," NBER Working Papers 12874, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:12874
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    Cited by:

    1. Hakki Yazici, 2008. "Business start-ups and productive efficiency," Working Papers 665, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis.
    2. Johannes Hörner & Larry Samuelson, 2013. "Incentives for experimenting agents," RAND Journal of Economics, RAND Corporation, vol. 44(4), pages 632-663, December.
    3. repec:cwl:cwldpp:1726rrr is not listed on IDEAS
    4. Dirk Bergemann & Ulrich Hege & Liang Peng, 2008. "Venture Capital and Sequential Investments," Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers 1682R2, Cowles Foundation for Research in Economics, Yale University, revised Oct 2009.
    5. Alperovych, Yan & Hübner, Georges, 2011. "Explaining returns on venture capital backed companies: Evidence from Belgium," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 25(3), pages 277-295, September.
    6. Mirjam Knockaert & Mike Wright & Bart Clarysse & Andy Lockett, 2010. "Agency and similarity effects and the VC’s attitude towards academic spin-out investing," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 35(6), pages 567-584, December.
    7. repec:cwl:cwldpp:1726rr is not listed on IDEAS
    8. Katrin Tinn & Evangelia Vourvachaki, 2009. "Can Optimism about Technology Stocks Be Good for Welfare? Positive Spillovers vs. Equity Market Losses," CERGE-EI Working Papers wp383, The Center for Economic Research and Graduate Education - Economics Institute, Prague.
    9. Vladyslav Zymovets' & Inna Shovkun, 2015. "The innovation activity financing's conceptual frame work and foreign experience: lessons for Ukraine," Ukrainian Journal Ekonomist, Yuriy Kovalenko, issue 1, pages 10-14, January.
    10. Michael Peneder, 2009. "The impact of venture capital on innovation behaviour and firm growth," Venture Capital, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 12(2), pages 83-107, November.
    11. SAU, Lino, 2007. "New Pecking Order Financing for Innovative Firms: an Overview," MPRA Paper 3659, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    12. Tinn, K & Vourvachaki, E, 2012. "Can overpricing of technology stocks be good for welfare? Positive spillovers vs. equity market losses," Working Papers 12192, Imperial College, London, Imperial College Business School.
    13. Giot, Pierre & Hege, Ulrich & Schwienbacher, Armin, 2014. "Are novice private equity funds risk-takers? Evidence from a comparison with established funds," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 27(C), pages 55-71.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • G24 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Investment Banking; Venture Capital; Brokerage
    • L26 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Entrepreneurship

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