What Drives Venture Capital Fundraising?

Paul Gompers and Josh Lerner

No 6906, NBER Working Papers from National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc

Abstract: We examine the determinants of venture capital fundraising in the U.S. over the past twenty-five years. We study industry aggregate, state-level, and firm-specific fundraising to determine if macroeconomic, regulatory, or performance factors affect venture capital activity. We find that shifts in demand for venture capital appear to have a positive and important impact on commitments to new venture capital funds. Commitments by taxable and tax-exempt investors seem equally sensitive to changes in capital gains tax rates that decreases in capital gains tax rates increase the demand for venture capital as more workers are incented to become entrepreneurs. Aggregate and state level venture fundraising are positively affected by easing of pension investment restrictions as well as industrial and academic R&D expenditures. Fund performance and reputation also lead to greater fundraising by venture organizations.

JEL-codes: G24 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 1999-01
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-cfn
Note: CF PR
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (96)

Published as Paul A. Gompers & Josh Lerner & Margaret M. Blair & Thomas Hellmann, 1998. "What Drives Venture Capital Fundraising?," Brookings Papers on Economic Activity. Microeconomics, vol 1998.

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Journal Article: What Drives Venture Capital Fundraising? (1998)
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