venture capital

American  

[ven-cher kap-i-tl] / ˈvɛn tʃər ˌkæp ɪ tl /

noun

1. funds invested or available for investment in a new or unproven business enterprise (often used attributively): a venture capital firm. VC

   Startups may seek private equity or venture capital as alternative funding sources;

   a venture capital firm.

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venture capital British  

noun

1. capital that is provided for a new commercial enterprise by individuals or organizations other than those who own the new enterprise

2. another name for risk capital

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Other Word Forms

• venture capitalism
  noun
• venture capitalist
  noun

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Etymology

Origin of venture capital

First recorded in 1940–45

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

venture capital

On the brighter side, economists point to the U.K.’s skilled talent base, top-tier universities and venture capital money flowing through London’s financial district as reasons to see the country as a fertile ground for AI.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026

Firms as a result are following in the footsteps of private equity and venture capital in turning to another, comparatively thrifty strategy to turn the heads of clients and talent: brand differentiation.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 2026

The splurge in venture capital spending has been driven by the artificial intelligence boom, highlighted by OpenAI closing a record-breaking $122-billion funding round on March 31 at an $852-billion valuation.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2026

“Expect compressed margins in professional services, lower returns to venture capital and short-term pressure on home prices as screen-based jobs are disrupted,” the firm predicted.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 2, 2026

Parallel to the most advanced and promising scientific endeavors, venture capital underwrites the industries of the near future.

From The Civilization of Illiteracy by Mihai Nadin

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Related Words

• working capital

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