By Evan Vitale
Here are the latest stories and headlines that are making the rounds in venture capital news!
According to the Wall Street Journal, venture-capital firms are raising money at the highest rate in more than 15 years, even as the values of some once-hot startups have begun to cool.
With the quarter nearly over, U.S. venture funds have collected about $13 billion, which would be the largest total since the dot-com boom in 2000, according to preliminary data from Dow Jones VentureSource.
Many prestigious venture firms have raised new billion-dollar funds in recent weeks, including Accel Partners and Founders Fund. Other big-name firms like Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and Andreessen Horowitz are also looking to raise funds in the coming months, according to people familiar with the matter.
The full story is here: http://on.wsj.com/1RpO4TZ
The New York Times is reporting that despite a turbulent market and dwindling investor appetite for stakes in private start-ups, the robo-adviser firm Betterment has received $100 million from venture capital investors, pushing its valuation to $700 million, nearly double its value this time last year.
The Swedish investment firm Kinnevik led the investment round, which also included the previous investors — Bessemer Venture Partners, Menlo Ventures, Anthemis Group and Francisco Partners.
Betterment says it will use the money to increase product development and expand its business. It is its largest investment round yet.
The full story can be found here: http://nyti.ms/1RHKQXy
What are the latest trends in angel and venture capital investments?
The Upstate Business Journal says the Angel Resource Institute and the National Venture Capital Association recently released their annual reports for 2015, and the South Carolina Secretary of State recently reported 2015 numbers for the state’s Angel Investor Tax Credit.
A quick study of the data reveals several insights and trends worth noting for those of us working to improve the environment for early stage capital formation in the Upstate and beyond. By many measures, 2015 was a record-setting year – but beneath the surface, disturbances began to create waves that entrepreneurs and investors shouldn’t ignore.
Catch the report here: http://bit.ly/236aWM6
