This chart is a perfect illustration of the pain still to come in venture.
The explosion of ‘unicorns’ in 2021 and 2022 is the venture bubble in action. It will take years to unwind, and venture returns will continue to suffer along the way.
As an investment vehicle for LPs, venture capital is broken. As a founder, you need to understand this dynamic. Choose your investors wisely.
It's taking longer to raise a round of venture funding. This is a healthy change. Let me explain why.
Zombie VCs are surging: 25% fewer active investors in 2024 vs 2023, and 50% down from 2021's peak. These funds can't make new investments, but their short-term focus can still cause major problems for founders in their portfolio.
This chart tells an important story for early-stage founders. Only 10% of startups that raised a Series A in 2022 have raised a Series B two years later. That drop of nearly 2/3 from 2018 represents a brutal cliff for founders.