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

Etymology

Origin of venture capital

First recorded in 1940–45

Example Sentences

The sluggish IPO pace has contributed to a continued dry spell in venture capital and a backlog of older VC-backed companies that remain in venture portfolios.

From The Wall Street Journal

The concentration of capital could be bad for the industry, Kyle Stanford, a PitchBook analyst covering the venture capital industry, wrote in a report.

From Los Angeles Times

Cutbacks in venture capital and government funding are leaving labs empty and graduates struggling to find jobs, threatening a once reliable path to a high-paying career.

From The Wall Street Journal

A double whammy of cutbacks in venture capital and government funding have taken a toll, leading to layoffs and struggles for job seekers.

From The Wall Street Journal

That share is roughly echoed in private markets, where U.S. assets dominate private equity, credit, and venture capital allocations.

From Barron's

Related Words

• working capital