Shifting Sands: The Changing Nature of the Early-Stage Venture Capital Market in the UK

Shifting Sands highlights the growing dependence by entrepreneurs in the UK on public sources of finance.

The UK early-stage venture capital market is currently experiencing major changes. With private funds - once the bedrock of start-up investment for entrepreneurs - moving away from the early stage, it is not just entrepreneurs but the economy as a whole that will be affected.

The shift comes at a time when there is real pressure for the UK to build great global companies to match those of the US, India and China as well as a harsher environment in which to start a new business.

But as long as investors continue drifting away from the smaller deals that new firms depend upon, many businesses will struggle to get a foothold.

Published
September 2008

Author
Yannis Pierrakis (NESTA) and Colin Mason (Hunter Centre for Entrepreneurship, Strathclyde Business School, University of Strathclyde)

Report
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