What is a typical VC fund return? (2024)

What is a typical VC fund return?

As discussed in the question above, the Internal Rate of Return (IRR), also known as the Annual Rate of Return, for a venture fund should be in the 15% to 27% range.

What is a good return for a VC fund?

Top VCs are typically looking to return 3-5X+ on their entire fund to their LP investors over ~10 years. For this, they need multiple 'fund mover' outcomes in each fund, since many early-stage investments will eventually fail or return only a small % of the fund.

What is the average rate of return on a VC fund?

They expect a return of between 25% and 35% per year over the lifetime of the investment. Because these investments represent such a tiny part of the institutional investors' portfolios, venture capitalists have a lot of latitude.

What is a good IRR for VC?

In venture capital, IRR expectations often exceed traditional investment benchmarks due to the higher risk associated with early-stage startups. As a general guideline, an IRR of 20% or higher is often considered a strong performance in the venture capital industry.

How much does venture capital return compared to the S&P 500?

US Venture Capital has beaten the S&P 500's IRR by 19% over the last 25 years. Yet returns among VC investors vary wildly, because of the wrong approach. Here's how to build a startup portfolio that gives you consistent and stable returns: 1.

What percent of VC funds fail?

25-30% of VC-backed startups still fail

Experts from The National Venture Capital Association estimate that 25% to 30% of startups backed by VC funding go on to fail.

What is the failure rate of VC investments?

And yet, despite all that cash flowing into VC-backed companies, twenty-five to thirty percent of them will fail. One in five fail by the end of their first year; only thirty percent will survive more than ten years.

Does VC outperform the market?

Several articles and research papers have been published on the PME and the comparison of VC versus public stock performance. These studies often show that top-tier Venture Capital funds outperform public markets, while the median or average VC fund may underperform.

Does venture capital outperform the S&P 500?

From 1995-2020, the returns differential is even more pronounced, with the CA US VC Index generating an AAR of 32.4%, compared to the S&P's AAR of 9.1% and the Nasdaq Composite's AAR of 11.3%. The data is clear: Venture Capital is by far the best performing asset class of the past generation.

What is the typical life of a VC fund investment?

Most venture funds have a 10 year time horizon to invest all of their capital and then return the profits to the fund's investors. There are exceptions to this 10 year life cycle, but that is fairly standard.

Is 30% IRR too high?

There isn't a one-size-fits-all answer, but generally, an IRR of around 5% to 10% might be considered good for very low-risk investments, an IRR in the range of 10% to 15% is common for moderate-risk investments, and in investments with higher risk, such as early-stage startups, investors might look for an IRR higher ...

Is 20% IRR good?

Generally, an IRR of 18% or 20% is considered very good in real estate. Generally speaking, a high percentage return (greater than 10%) indicates a successful investment, while a low IRR (less than 5%) might mean investors should reconsider their investment options.

Is 25% IRR good?

Whether an IRR is good or bad will depend on the cost of capital and the opportunity cost of the investor. For instance, a real estate investor might pursue a project with a 25% IRR if comparable alternative real estate investments offer a return of, say, 20% or lower.

What is the 2 20 rule in venture capital?

VCs often use the shorthand phrase “two and twenty” to refer to the 2% of annual management fees a venture fund might take and the 20% carried interest (or “performance fee”) it would charge.

What percent of investors beat the S&P 500?

Less than 10% of active large-cap fund managers have outperformed the S&P 500 over the last 15 years. The biggest drag on investment returns is unavoidable, but you can minimize it if you're smart.

Is venture capital more profitable than private equity?

Compensation: You'll earn significantly more in private equity at all levels because fund sizes are bigger, meaning the management fees are higher. The Founders of huge PE firms like Blackstone and KKR might earn in the hundreds of millions USD each year, but that would be unheard of at any venture capital firm.

Do most VC funds lose money?

Great funds lose money more often than good funds: 5x+ funds had over 40%-45% of money-losing investments (both in number and dollars) vs. 35%-40% for funds returning 2x to 5x.

How prestigious is venture capital?

Lastly, venture capital is considered prestigious because VCs are viewed as authority figures and gatekeepers of the future.

Why do most VC investments fail?

There are a number of reasons why some startups fail with venture capital. One reason is that the startup may have a great product or service, but it doesn't have a viable business model. This means that the company isn't generating enough revenue to sustain itself or that it isn't profitable.

How risky is VC?

Venture capital is a high-risk, high-reward type of investment, and there is no guarantee of success. While VC firms aim to identify the best opportunities and minimize risk, investing in startups and early-stage companies is inherently risky, and there is always the potential for loss of capital.

Why is VC risky?

Liquidity Risk

The lack of a public market for trading venture capital-backed securities restricts investors from easily selling their holdings. As a result, investors may face challenges in accessing their capital before an exit event occurs, potentially leading to illiquidity of the investment.

Do most VC firms make money?

Venture capitalists make money from the carried interest of their investments, as well as management fees. Most VC firms collect about 20% of the profits from the private equity fund, while the rest goes to their limited partners.

What is the most successful VC firm?

What is the average VC fund size in the US?

A typical VC firm manages about $207 million in venture capital per year for its investors. On average, a single fund contains $135 million. This capital is usually spread between 30-80 startups, though some funds are entirely invested into a single company, and others are spread between hundreds of startups.

Why choose VC over PE?

Ultimately, it depends on your goals and needs. If you're an established company looking to expand or restructure, PE may be a better fit. If you're an early-stage company looking to grow and develop, VC investment would make more sense.