Letters: Trusting me, trusting VC
[Re: UK venture capital surges ahead of Europe as investors shake off market jitters, April 22]
Pitchbook’s analysis reveals one thing very clearly: VCs in the UK are full steam ahead in 2022. VCs in Britain and Ireland have committed nearly £7bn in the last few months, nearly a third of total European investment. The world of venture capital moves fast. A flurry of investment draws eyes, and eager entrepreneurs.
As a global technological hub, UK founders can demand more from their VCs. Signing on the dotted line is no guarantee of success – Harvard Business School estimates that only 25 per cent of start-ups will survive to maturity. There is work to be done to ensure founders and VCs work together successfully in the months and years ahead.
Trust is key to successful VC-founder relationships.
Both parties bring huge value to the table: a founder brings vision and ambition, an investor offers perspective through years of experience in growing and scaling a business. Bringing the two together requires a spirit of collaboration and learning.
For series A VCs, focusing on the founder-VC relationship from the beginning is essential to deliver truly long lasting success in your portfolio.
By building this trusted relationship, a start-up can truly make the most of what a VC can offer them and chart a course to success.
Tom Henriksson