A VC Model for the New Economy: “Back to the Future”
Can you still make money in venture capital? The answer is definitely, yes. There will be fewer venture firms, but those that succeed will do so by returning to the proven investment principles that served the industry well up to the emergence of the dotcom bubble. Specifically, successful venture firms will regain their focus on specific industry sectors and cultivate relevant industry expertise. They will invest in startups with a clear path to profitability within a five-year time frame and invest only in companies that have a proven concept and viable business model—companies at an earlier stage than this are generally better funded by angels and old-fashioned bootstrapping. The best venture firms will have a lofty goal – zero failures -- that will help insure relentless attention and focus. This is a strong contrast to the now accepted concept of a “portfolio” approach, where it is generally accepted that 2-3 exits can make up for the failures of the rest of the portfolio.
