Venture capital firms typically source the majority of their funding from large investment institutions
such as fund of funds, financial institutions, endowments, pension funds and banks. These institutions typically invest in a venture capital fund for a period of up to ten years.
To compensate for the long term commitment and lack of both security and liquidity, investment institutions expect to receive very high returns on their investment. Therefore venture capitalists invest in either companies with high growth potential where they are able to exit through either an IPO or a merger/acquisition. Although the venture capitalist may receive some return through dividends, their primary return on investment comes from capital gains when they eventually sell their shares in the company, typically between three to five years after the investment.
Venture capitalists are therefore in the business of promoting growth in the companies they invest in and managing the associated risk to protect and enhance their investors' capital.
