Venture Capital Financing

Description
venture capital financing and what is the role of venture capitalists. It gives the VC scenario in India and also explains exit routes for VCs

Venture Financing

Venture capital
• Blend of risk financing and handholding of entrepreneurs • Refers to risk finance as well as managerial support • Ideas and innovations which have potential for high growth but has inherent uncertainties are financed by venture capitalists • Venture capitalists provide networking, management and marketing support as well.

Venture capitalists
• Particularly suitable for knowledge and technology based enterprises • Though start-ups rarely attract VC yet a rare combination of product opportunity, market opportunity, and proven management may attract VC even for start-ups. • Fundamental principle • No return without risk and higher the risk greater is the return • Ultimate objective
– Long term profitability and viability of the investment

Venture capitalists
• Play dual role
– Strategic advisor – Financial partner

• Continuously monitor and evaluate the project till their exit. • Generally have wide horizon and innovative solutions to maximise the chances of project success.

Advantages
• Inject long term equity finance
– May provide additional funds if required

• VC is business partner sharing the risk and rewards • Mentoring: Able to provide strategic, operational and financial advice based on past experiences • Has network of contacts in many areas which add value
– Recruiting key personnel, – contacts in international markets

– Co investments with other VCs for additional round of financing

• Facilitate IPO and trade sales

History
• Started in USA as an informal arrangement of finance • American research and Development Corporation, a publicly traded investment company formed in 1946 to provide finance for start ups • By late 1950s such specialised investment firms increased in number, now called venture capital firms
– Federal Small Business Investment Company program (SBIC) in 1958 aided the growth of such firms

• Till seventies these firms concentrated on start ups and expanding companies • Exploiting breakthroughs in electronic, medical or data processing technology
– Became almost synonymous with technology finance

History
• Saw a slow down in 1074 • Again upsurge in 1978 • In 1980 Legislation allowed pension funds to invest in alternative assets classes such as VC • 1983 was a boom year • Over 100 IPOs for the first time in US history
– Many of the present VCs were founded

• Nineties were the boom time primarily due to IT and favourable economic climate • Interest rates were low and P/E ratio was high compared to historical averages • Triggered Mergers and Acquisitions creating more opportunities for small venture backed companies to exit (cash out) at high prices • Over 1000 VCs sprang up in US

Globalisation
• Global venture capital (GVC) an important phenomenon • Significant impact on global entrepreneurship • Approximately 12% of GVC finance under management in Asia • Asia is difficult proposition due to different sets of political, legal and cultural systems • As per an estimate over 1500 VCs operating in Asia (mostly foreign)

VC in India
• Research and Development Cess Act 1986 a precursor of the concept of VC in India
– The Act imposed 5% cess on all technical know how import payments to create a pool of funds

• Technology Development Fund was set up in 1987-88
– Meant to provide finacial assistance to innovative and high risk technological programmes through the IDBI

• Another form of VC existed • Funding of green field projects by the small investor by subscribing to initial public offereings
– Jindal Vijaynagar Steel raised money even before they started constructing the plant

• In March 1987 IDBI was first to introduce Venture Capital Fund followed by ICICI, UTI, IFCI • Main focus on development of viable indigenous often untried technologies and adaptation of foreign technology for wider domestic applications

VC in India
• Credit Capital Venture Finance Limited started in private sector • Mobilised funding from global agencies with joint joint sponsorship of Commonwealth Development Corporation, Asian Development band and Bank of India • In 1988 GOI announced first venture capital guidelines • In 1989 four institutions were selected by World Bank (under its Industrial Technology Development Project) to start venture capital activities in India later added two more

VC in India
• These institutions formed separate companies
– ICICI at Mumbai: TDICI, renamed as ICICI Venture – AP Industrial Development Corporation in Hyderabad: APIDC Venture Capital – Gujarat Industrial Investment Corporation: Gujarat Venture Capital finance Ltd. – Canara Bank, Bangalore: Canfina- VCF – IFCI, Delhi : RCTC, renamed as IFCI Venture Capital Funds – Infrastructure Leasing & Financial Services Ltd. Mumbai: Pathfinder

• Since then VC industry has grown multi fold in India • In 1992 domestic VCFs formed Indian Venture Capital Association, which has become the nodal centre for all VC ctivities in the country

VC in India
• • • • Regional funds Corporate funds Offshore funds Others
– Merchant bankers – Angels

• Most players operate till pre IPO • Most funds are private equity type • Few funds provide finances to start-ups/see money

To summarise
• VCs in India still to mature • No reliable estimates of VC funding • Many indistinguishable from routine foreign investment • VCs in India invest in profitable companies rather than start-ups • Major attractions for VC
– Software development, BPO, biotechnology, agro processing industries, pharmaceuticals, service enterprises, media, entertainment, healthcare

Exit route for VC
• Initial Public offer: most preferred. Goes to public through stock exchange • Trade sale: sells its stake to a strategic buyer which has similar/complementary plans to enter target industry • Promoters Buy back: promoter buys back VC’s stake at a pre determined price • Company buy back: Company buys back VC’s stake at a pre determined price • Management buy out: operating management acquires the business by buying equity held by promoters



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