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Genetically Engineered: Why Some Venture Capital Firms are more Successful than Others

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  • Jennifer M. Walske
  • Andrew Zacharakis

Abstract

While venture capital has received a tremendous amount of attention, prior research has predominantly looked at venture capital firms (VCFs) post raising their first fund. In this paper, we move the point of analysis back further and ask what type of founding team experience best predicts VCF success, controlling for firm strategy, firm size, and the environment upon which the firm was born. Empirical results show that venture capital, senior management, and consulting experience aids VCF success, while entrepreneurial experience impedes it. None of the control variables affect a VCF's ability to raise subsequent funds.

Suggested Citation

  • Jennifer M. Walske & Andrew Zacharakis, 2009. "Genetically Engineered: Why Some Venture Capital Firms are more Successful than Others," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 33(1), pages 297-318, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:entthe:v:33:y:2009:i:1:p:297-318
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1540-6520.2008.00290.x
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    Cited by:

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    2. Hongmin Chen & Fu-Sheng Tsai & Han-Chang Ling, 2018. "Business Area Changes and Entrepreneurial Persistence in Ecology- and Food-Related Industries: Knowledge Heterogeneity and Emotion Perspectives," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-10, March.
    3. Michael A. Abebe & Pingshu Li & Keshab Acharya & Joshua J. Daspit, 2020. "The founder chief executive officer: A review of current insights and directions for future research," Corporate Governance: An International Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(6), pages 406-436, November.
    4. Christophe Bonnet & Laurence Cohen & Peter Wirtz, 2015. "Angel Cognition and Active Involvement in BAN Governance and Management," Working paper serie RMT - Grenoble Ecole de Management hal-01182804, HAL.
    5. Petrit Ademi & Monika C. Schuhmacher & Andrew L. Zacharakis, 2023. "Evaluating Affordance-Based Opportunities: A Conjoint Experiment of Corporate Venture Capital Managers’ Decision-Making," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 47(6), pages 2293-2322, November.
    6. Bonnet, Christophe & Capizzi, Vincenzo & Cohen, Laurence & Petit, Aurelien & Wirtz, Peter, 2022. "What drives the active involvement in business angel groups? The role of angels' decision-making style, investment-specific human capital and motivations," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    7. Šárka Zapletalová, 2017. "International Management of Czech Family Enterprises: Decisions on International Entrepreneurial Activities," Central European Business Review, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 2017(3), pages 51-61.
    8. Dawn DeTienne & Melissa Cardon, 2012. "Impact of founder experience on exit intentions," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 38(4), pages 351-374, May.
    9. Will Drover & Matthew S. Wood & G. Tyge Payne, 2014. "The Effects of Perceived Control on Venture Capitalist Investment Decisions: A Configurational Perspective," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 38(4), pages 833-861, July.
    10. Alexandra Moritz & Walter Diegel & Joern Block & Christian Fisch, 2022. "VC investors’ venture screening: the role of the decision maker’s education and experience," Journal of Business Economics, Springer, vol. 92(1), pages 27-63, January.
    11. Douglas Cumming & Na Dai, 2013. "Why Do Entrepreneurs Switch Lead Venture Capitalists?," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 37(5), pages 999-1017, September.
    12. Veroniek Collewaert, 2012. "Angel Investors’ and Entrepreneurs’ Intentions to Exit Their Ventures: A Conflict Perspective," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 36(4), pages 753-779, July.
    13. Giuseppe Criaco & Tommaso Minola & Pablo Migliorini & Christian Serarols-Tarrés, 2014. "“To have and have not”: founders’ human capital and university start-up survival," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 39(4), pages 567-593, August.
    14. Mariarosa Scarlata & Jennifer Walske & Andrew Zacharakis, 2017. "Ingredients Matter: How the Human Capital of Philanthropic and Traditional Venture Capital Differs," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 145(3), pages 623-635, October.
    15. José F. Molina-Azorín & María D. López-Gamero & Jorge Pereira-Moliner & Eva M. Pertusa-Ortega, 2011. "Mixed methods studies in entrepreneurship research: Applications and contributions," Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(5-6), pages 425-456, June.

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