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Venture capitalists at work: what are the effects on the firms they finance?

Author

Listed:
  • Raffaello Bronzini

    (Bank of Italy)

  • Gianpaolo Caramellino

    (London School of Economics)

  • Silvia Magri

    (Bank of Italy)

Abstract

Italian startups financed by venture capitalists (VCs) experience a faster growth in size and become more innovative compared with other startups. VC-backed firms also show a much larger increase in equity and a reduction in their leverage. This evidence is obtained by comparing a representative sample of firms financed by private VCs in the period 2004-2014 with a sample of firms rejected by VC at the very last stage of the screening process or in the due diligence phase. These firms narrowly lost the contest and before VC financing have very similar observable and unobservable characteristics to the VC-backed firms; self-selection is specifically taken into account. The effects on firms' size and innovation are not exclusively explained by equity financing. The results hold when we restrict the comparison to firms in the control group that also increase their equity from investors other than VCs: this suggests that VC effects can also be linked to their managerial expertise and network connection. Finally, the results are exclusively driven by independent VC investors compared with captive VCs.

Suggested Citation

  • Raffaello Bronzini & Gianpaolo Caramellino & Silvia Magri, 2017. "Venture capitalists at work: what are the effects on the firms they finance?," Temi di discussione (Economic working papers) 1131, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    • Handle: RePEc:bdi:wptemi:td_1131_17
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Marco Taboga, 2022. "Cross-country differences in the size of venture capital financing rounds: a machine learning approach," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 62(3), pages 991-1012, March.
    2. Signore, Simone & Torfs, Wouter, 2017. "The European venture capital landscape: an EIF perspective. Volume IV: The value of innovation for EIF-backed startups," EIF Working Paper Series 2017/45, European Investment Fund (EIF).
    3. Matteo Bugamelli & Francesca Lotti & Monica Amici & Emanuela Ciapanna & Fabrizio Colonna & Francesco D�Amuri & Silvia Giacomelli & Andrea Linarello & Francesco Manaresi & Giuliana Palumbo & Filippo , 2018. "Productivity growth in Italy: a tale of a slow-motion change," Questioni di Economia e Finanza (Occasional Papers) 422, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    venture capital; innovation; firm financial structure; differences-in-differences;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G21 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Banks; Other Depository Institutions; Micro Finance Institutions; Mortgages
    • G24 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Investment Banking; Venture Capital; Brokerage
    • G32 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Financing Policy; Financial Risk and Risk Management; Capital and Ownership Structure; Value of Firms; Goodwill
    • O30 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - General

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