On the Return to Venture Capital

This paper provides a theory that explains the sizeable excess return to venture equity, and ties it to the high VC discount rates, i.e., to VC impatience. The theory is based on the shortage of venture capitalists (VCs). Since the VCs opportunity cost of dealing with a company is supporting a new profitable project, he is less patient with maturing firms than an ordinary entrepreneur would be. This may explain why VC-backed firms reach IPOs earlier than other start-ups and why they are worth more at IPO. The scarcity of VCs enables them to internalize their social value, so that the competitive equilibrium is socially optimal.