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The Effect of Venture Capital on Innovation Strategies

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  • Marco Da Rin
  • María Fabiana Penas

Abstract

We examine a unique dataset of Dutch companies, some of which have received venture financing. The data include detailed information on innovation activities and other company characteristics. We analyse the role of venture finance in influencing innovation strategies. We find that venture capitalists push portfolio companies towards building absorptive capacity and towards more permanent in-house R&D efforts. By contrast, we find that public funding relaxes financial constraints, but does not lead to a build-up of absorptive capacity. Our results thus highlight the special role of venture capital in shaping companies' innovation strategies.

Suggested Citation

  • Marco Da Rin & María Fabiana Penas, 2007. "The Effect of Venture Capital on Innovation Strategies," NBER Working Papers 13636, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:13636
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    Cited by:

    1. Matthew Beacham & Bipasa Datta, 2013. "Who Becomes the Winner? Effects of Venture Capital on Firms’ Innovative Incentives - A Theoretical Investigation," Discussion Papers 13/33, Department of Economics, University of York.
    2. Joanna Błach & Monika Wieczorek-Kosmala & Joanna Trzęsiok, 2020. "Innovation in SMEs and Financing Mix," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-19, September.
    3. Jonathan Labbé, 2017. "Private Equity: Universality of financing and universality of effects on business innovation? A conceptual approach [Capital-investissement : Universalité du financement et universalité des effets ," Post-Print hal-03000109, HAL.
    4. Pavlova, Elitsa & Signore, Simone, 2021. "The European venture capital landscape: An EIF perspective. Volume VI: The impact of VC on the exit and innovation outcomes of EIF-backed start-ups," EIF Working Paper Series 2021/70, European Investment Fund (EIF).
    5. Fabio Bertoni & Annalisa Croce & Diego D'Adda, 2009. "Venture capital investments and patenting activity of high-tech start-ups: a micro-econometric firm-level analysis," Venture Capital, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 12(4), pages 307-326, November.
    6. Feng, Xunan & Chan, Kam C. & Lo, Yung Ling, 2020. "Are venture capitalist-backed IPOs more innovative? Evidence from an emerging market," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 51(C).
    7. Spyros Arvanitis & Tobias Stucki, 2013. "The Impact of Venture Capital on the Persistence of Innovation Activities of Swiss Start-ups," KOF Working papers 13-332, KOF Swiss Economic Institute, ETH Zurich.
    8. Prado, Tiago S. & Bauer, Johannes M., 2022. "Big Tech platform acquisitions of start-ups and venture capital funding for innovation," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).
    9. Michael Peneder, 2009. "The impact of venture capital on innovation behaviour and firm growth," Venture Capital, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 12(2), pages 83-107, November.
    10. Christian Keuschnigg, 2008. "Tax Policy for Venture Capital Backed Entrepreneurship," University of St. Gallen Department of Economics working paper series 2008 2008-07, Department of Economics, University of St. Gallen.
    11. Andrea Bellucci & Serena Fatica & Aliki Georgakaki & Gianluca Gucciardi & Simon Letout & Francesco Pasimeni, 2023. "Venture Capital Financing and Green Patenting," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 30(7), pages 947-983, August.
    12. Alberto Mendez-Morales & Carlos Yanes-Guerra, 2018. "Financial Systems and Private Innovation Activity. A Research for OECD Countries," Proceedings of the 11th International RAIS Conference, November 19-20, 2018 02AM, Research Association for Interdisciplinary Studies.
    13. Stéphane Koffel & Jonathan Labbé, 2017. "Private Equity and Business Angels: An Effect on Innovation [Capital-Investissement et Business Angels : Un effet sur l’innovation]," Post-Print hal-03000127, HAL.
    14. Spyros Arvanitis & Tobias Stucki, 2014. "The impact of venture capital on the persistence of innovation activities of start-ups," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 42(4), pages 849-870, April.
    15. Tianjiao Xia & Stephen Roper, 2009. "Worlds Apart? A Comparison of the New Product Development Strategies of Biopharmaceutical Firms in Europe and the USA," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 16(6), pages 593-612.
    16. Timothy F. Slaper & Nicholas R. Hart & Tanya J. Hall & Michael F. Thompson, 2011. "The Index of Innovation: A New Tool for Regional Analysis," Economic Development Quarterly, , vol. 25(1), pages 36-53, February.
    17. Prado, Tiago S., 2021. "Kill Zones? Effects of Big Tech Start-up Acquisitions on Innovation," 23rd ITS Biennial Conference, Online Conference / Gothenburg 2021. Digital societies and industrial transformations: Policies, markets, and technologies in a post-Covid world 238049, International Telecommunications Society (ITS).
    18. Ryan Kelly & Hankook Kim, 2018. "Venture capital as a catalyst for commercialization and high growth," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 43(6), pages 1466-1492, December.
    19. Gill, Andrej & Heller, David & Michel, Nina A., 2024. "Enabling or accelerating? The timing of innovation and the different roles of venture capitalists," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 53(8).
    20. Stéphane Koffel & Jonathan Labbé, 2017. "Le financement des Capital-Investisseurs et Business Angels et l'effet sur l'innovation des entreprises," Post-Print hal-03556272, HAL.
    21. Jun Wen & Xiu-Yun Yang & Gen-Fu Feng & Bo Sui & Chun-Ping Chang, 2017. "The comovement between venture capital and innovation in China: what are the implications?," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 51(6), pages 2489-2506, November.
    22. Bauer, Johannes M. & Prado, Tiago S., 2020. "Lessons from Innovation Economics for Digital Platform Policy," ITS Conference, Online Event 2020 224846, International Telecommunications Society (ITS).
    23. Laure-Anne Parpaleix & Kevin Levillain & Blanche Segrestin, 2018. "Financing innovation: two models of private equity investment," Post-Print hal-01768986, HAL.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • G24 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Investment Banking; Venture Capital; Brokerage
    • O32 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Management of Technological Innovation and R&D
    • O38 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Government Policy

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