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Coordination Frictions in Venture Capital Syndicates

Author

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  • Ramana Nanda

    (Harvard Business School, Entrepreneurial Management Unit)

  • Matthew Rhodes-Kropf

    (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

Abstract

An extensive literature on venture capital has studied asymmetric information and agency problems between investors and entrepreneurs, examining how separating entrepreneurs from the investor can create frictions that might inhibit the funding of good projects. It has largely abstracted away from the fact that a startup typically does not have just one investor, but several VCs that come together in a syndicate to finance a venture. In this chapter, we therefore argue for an expansion of the standard perspective to also include frictions within VC syndicates. Put differently, what are the frictions that arise from the fact that there is not just one investor for each venture, but several investors with different incentives, objectives and cash flow rights, who nevertheless need to collaborate to help make the venture a success? We outline the ways in which these coordination frictions manifest themselves, describe the underlying drivers and document several contractual solutions used by VCs to mitigate their effects. We believe that this broader perspective provides several promising avenues for future research.

Suggested Citation

  • Ramana Nanda & Matthew Rhodes-Kropf, 2017. "Coordination Frictions in Venture Capital Syndicates," Harvard Business School Working Papers 17-089, Harvard Business School, revised Dec 2018.
  • Handle: RePEc:hbs:wpaper:17-089
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Balz, Frank P. & Brinkmann, Florian & Kanbach, Dominik K., 2023. "The impact of independent and heterogeneous corporate venture capital on firm efficiency," Journal of Business Venturing Insights, Elsevier, vol. 19(C).
    3. Michael Ewens & Joan Farre-Mensa, 2020. "The Deregulation of the Private Equity Markets and the Decline in IPOs," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 33(12), pages 5463-5509.
    4. Du, Qianqian & Hellmann, Thomas, 2024. "Getting tired of your friends: The dynamics of venture capital relationships," Journal of Financial Intermediation, Elsevier, vol. 58(C).
    5. Peter Iliev & Michelle Lowry, 2020. "Venturing beyond the IPO: Financing of Newly Public Firms by Venture Capitalists," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 75(3), pages 1527-1577, June.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    venture capital; syndication; networks; entrepreneurship;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G24 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Investment Banking; Venture Capital; Brokerage
    • K22 - Law and Economics - - Regulation and Business Law - - - Business and Securities Law
    • L14 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Transactional Relationships; Contracts and Reputation
    • M52 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Personnel Economics - - - Compensation and Compensation Methods and Their Effects
    • O32 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Management of Technological Innovation and R&D

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