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

Derived Forms

• venture capitalism
  noun
• venture capitalist
  noun

Etymology

Origin of venture capital

First recorded in 1940–45

Example Sentences

Instead, the study tracked joint ventures and limited liability company investments that typically consist of stakes in private equity, venture capital, real estate and hedge funds.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026

It’s raised $183 million from investors like Andreessen Horowitz and Breakthrough Energy Ventures, the venture capital arm of Bill Gates’ Breakthrough Energy.

From Barron's • Jun. 4, 2026

Well-known venture capital firms such as Sequoia Capital, Khosla Ventures and Bedrock Capital have backed the defense tech startup.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 3, 2026

But Ruth Foxe-Blader, managing partner at US venture capital firm Citrine Venture Partners, previously said that the sheer number of projects SpaceX was taking on was appealing.

From BBC • Jun. 3, 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 Nadin, Mihai

Related Words

• working capital