w Venture capital Venture Capital Venture Capital is the process by which investors fund early stage, more risk oriented business endeavors. A venture capital funding arrangement will typically entail relinquishing some level of ownership and control of the business. Offsetting the high risk the investor takes is the promise of high return on the investment. The investment is usually in the form of stock or an instrument which can be converted into stock at some future date. As the business matures, an initial public offering may take place, or the business merged or sold, or other sources of capital found. Any of these would occur with the intention of buying out the venture capitalists. Venture capitalists typically expect a 20-50% annual return on their investment at the time they are brought out. Venture capitalists typically invest in high panies with the potential to generate revenues of $20MM in any pany, but typical investments range from between $500,000 and $5MM. Management experience isa major consideration in evaluating financing prospects. History of private equity and venture capital With few exceptions, private equity in the first half of the 20th century was the domain of wealthy individuals and families. The Vanderbilt ’ s, Whitneys, Rockefellers and Warburgs were notable investors in panies in the first half of the century. In 1938, Laurance S. Rockefeller helped finance the creation of both Eastern Air Lines and Douglas Aircraft and the Rockefeller family had vast holdings ina variety panies. Early venture capital One of the first steps toward a professionally-managed venture capital industry was the passage of the Small Business Investment Act of1958 . The 1958 Act officially allowed w the . Small Business Administration (SBA) to license private "Small Business panies" (SBICs) to help the financing and management of the small entrepreneurial businesses in the United States. During the 1960s and 1970s, venture capital firms focused their invest