Benjamin Black
Managing Director
and Co-Founder,
Akkadian Ventures
Samir Kaji
Senior Managing Director
First Republic Bank
What Does the Data Say?
Rules of RAISE
Our goal is for all participants to feel comfortable and open in order to encourage
an authentic exchange of information. To this end, we ask the following:
1. KEEP THE TRUST. We ask that all attendee’s input be kept confidential.
So please: no social media, blogging, or press release without prior consent.
2. BE PRESENT. Nobody likes talking to a roomful of people who are looking at
their phones.
3. KEEP IT REAL. Building a business from scratch is hard.
Let’s talk about the hard stuff and leave the self-promotion at home.
Massive Uptick in Micro-VC
In 2017, total number of US-based Micro-VC funds that successfully closed decreased 16% from 2016,
but total capital raised increased 5%
Fundraising Timelines
Fundraising timelines for successfully closed funds decreased in 2017!?
LP Survey Respondents
33%
31%
12%
16%
8%
Other: Corporates, Trusts, etc.
Typical Capital Commitment by LP Type
76%
12%
12%
38%
31%
31%
Single Family Office/HNI Fund of Funds
17%
17%
33%
33%
Foundation/Endowment
11%
33%
23%
33%
RIA
Approximately how many venture capital firms will you
add to your portfolio in 18-19?
48
3 2
76
5 5
16
3 3
27
3 3
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Aggregate Average Median
Single FO/HNI
Fund of Funds
Foundation/Endowment
RIA
How many emerging managers (first or second fund) do
you expect to allocate to in 2018-2019?
36
2 1
48
3 3
11
2 2
20
2 2
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Aggregate Average Median
Single FO/HNI
Fund of Fund
Foundation/Endowment
RIA
Thematic vs. Generalist Fund Preference
45%
23%
32%
53%
18%
29%
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Thematic Generalist No Difference
Institutional
Non-Institutional
Investment Focus Preference
25%
39%
36%
12%
47%
41%
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
Geographically focused Agnostic on company
location
No Difference
Institutional
Non-Institutional
Fund Size Preference
53%
25% 22%
59%
23%
18%
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Relatively smaller funds with a
focus on providing co-
investments and SPVs
Relatively larger funds with all
investments going into the fund
No Difference
Institutional
Non-Institutional
Should GPs actively pursue secondary transactions to
manage the portfolio, reduce downside risks, and shorten
the time to investor distributions?
Yes
84%
No
16%
Yes
No
Aside from poor investment decisions, what about
investing in venture capital funds do you find most
disappointing/annoying?
17%
8%
19%
17%
29%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%
Transparency
Team Turnover
Illiquidity
Strategy Drift/Investment Valuation
Premium Fees

LP Survey Micro-VC

  • 1.
    Benjamin Black Managing Director andCo-Founder, Akkadian Ventures Samir Kaji Senior Managing Director First Republic Bank What Does the Data Say?
  • 2.
    Rules of RAISE Ourgoal is for all participants to feel comfortable and open in order to encourage an authentic exchange of information. To this end, we ask the following: 1. KEEP THE TRUST. We ask that all attendee’s input be kept confidential. So please: no social media, blogging, or press release without prior consent. 2. BE PRESENT. Nobody likes talking to a roomful of people who are looking at their phones. 3. KEEP IT REAL. Building a business from scratch is hard. Let’s talk about the hard stuff and leave the self-promotion at home.
  • 3.
    Massive Uptick inMicro-VC In 2017, total number of US-based Micro-VC funds that successfully closed decreased 16% from 2016, but total capital raised increased 5%
  • 4.
    Fundraising Timelines Fundraising timelinesfor successfully closed funds decreased in 2017!?
  • 5.
  • 6.
    Typical Capital Commitmentby LP Type 76% 12% 12% 38% 31% 31% Single Family Office/HNI Fund of Funds 17% 17% 33% 33% Foundation/Endowment 11% 33% 23% 33% RIA
  • 7.
    Approximately how manyventure capital firms will you add to your portfolio in 18-19? 48 3 2 76 5 5 16 3 3 27 3 3 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 Aggregate Average Median Single FO/HNI Fund of Funds Foundation/Endowment RIA
  • 8.
    How many emergingmanagers (first or second fund) do you expect to allocate to in 2018-2019? 36 2 1 48 3 3 11 2 2 20 2 2 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 Aggregate Average Median Single FO/HNI Fund of Fund Foundation/Endowment RIA
  • 9.
    Thematic vs. GeneralistFund Preference 45% 23% 32% 53% 18% 29% 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 Thematic Generalist No Difference Institutional Non-Institutional
  • 10.
    Investment Focus Preference 25% 39% 36% 12% 47% 41% 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 Geographicallyfocused Agnostic on company location No Difference Institutional Non-Institutional
  • 11.
    Fund Size Preference 53% 25%22% 59% 23% 18% 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 Relatively smaller funds with a focus on providing co- investments and SPVs Relatively larger funds with all investments going into the fund No Difference Institutional Non-Institutional
  • 12.
    Should GPs activelypursue secondary transactions to manage the portfolio, reduce downside risks, and shorten the time to investor distributions? Yes 84% No 16% Yes No
  • 13.
    Aside from poorinvestment decisions, what about investing in venture capital funds do you find most disappointing/annoying? 17% 8% 19% 17% 29% 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% Transparency Team Turnover Illiquidity Strategy Drift/Investment Valuation Premium Fees

Editor's Notes

  • #4 4X increase in dollars raised, with over 800 fund closed since beginning of 2013
  • #5 Much of this can be attributed to repeat Micro-VC funds (Fund II-Fund IV) having closed in 2017 versus Fund I offerings. Many Fund I offerings that started in 2017 have not had a close as the fundraising cycle has become frosty for new managers.
  • #6 Good cross section of LP’s. As expected, we didn’t get pensions as they rarely allocate to first time funds, particularly of the size of most first time VC funds.
  • #7 Capital Commitment Analysis 52% of Fund I offerings we’ve tracked over last year have targets of <$20MM. Single Family Office/HNI over 75% had an average allocation size of <$1MM. 70% of Fund of Funds had an average commitment per fund of $5MM (with 40% of the respondents indicated an average allocation per fund of $10MM+) Foundations/Endowments and RIAs invest relative to their own asset sizes, however $10MM+ was common for this group.
  • #8 Capital Allocation Summary Fund of Funds followed by Single Family Office/HNIs have been the most active venture capital fund investors. Fund of Funds have an average of 40 funds across their portfolio (~3-4x than the other LP types)
  • #9 Capital Allocation Summary LP’s are primarily investing in existing managers, but still expect to add a few new names over the next two years. Fund of Funds will be most active in new venture names. Approximately 2/3rd’s of these new venture allocations will go toward true emerging managers (Fund I or Fund II offering)
  • #10 Institutional (thematic vs. generalist) VS non-institutional (Single FO/HNI)
  • #11 Where is the investment focus
  • #13 Fine