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Mutual Funds as Venture Capitalists? Evidence from Unicorns
[The role of boards of directors in corporate governance: a conceptual framework and survey]

Author

Listed:
  • Sergey Chernenko
  • Josh Lerner
  • Yao Zeng

Abstract

“Founder-friendly” venture financings and nontraditional venture investors have both flourished over the past decade. Using detailed contract data, we study open-end mutual funds investing in private venture-backed firms. We posit that conflicts between early-stage venture investors and liquidity-constrained later-stage ones influence the classic agency problems affecting entrepreneurs and investors. We find that mutual funds with more stable funding are more likely to invest in private firms and that financing rounds with mutual fund participation have stronger redemption, stronger IPO-related rights, and less board representation. These findings are consistent with our conceptual framework.

Suggested Citation

  • Sergey Chernenko & Josh Lerner & Yao Zeng, 2021. "Mutual Funds as Venture Capitalists? Evidence from Unicorns [The role of boards of directors in corporate governance: a conceptual framework and survey]," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 34(5), pages 2362-2410.
  • Handle: RePEc:oup:rfinst:v:34:y:2021:i:5:p:2362-2410.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/rfs/hhaa100
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    JEL classification:

    • G23 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Non-bank Financial Institutions; Financial Instruments; Institutional Investors
    • G24 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Investment Banking; Venture Capital; Brokerage
    • G32 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Financing Policy; Financial Risk and Risk Management; Capital and Ownership Structure; Value of Firms; Goodwill
    • G34 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Mergers; Acquisitions; Restructuring; Corporate Governance
    • K12 - Law and Economics - - Basic Areas of Law - - - Contract Law

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