Conor McKenna

The Information just broke the news of the incredible $8B+ #fundraising haul, with General Catalyst nearly doubling its last total. Fund breakdowns include $4.5B for "core venture funds," $1.5B for their "core creation team," and $2B for "multiple accounts." This was a 33% oversubscription to their $6B fundraising target, which surfaced in April 2024 by the Financial Times. While this is great news for the #entrepreneurial founders, the key question /challenge for General Catalyst will be where to place the newly closed funds to deliver the returns expected by their #limitedpartners that entrust them with their hard-earned capital. What do you think? #management #venturecapital #privateequity #capitalmarkets

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Great Article – Key points: (1) Interest-Rate Cut Impact: PE deal activity, is still facing challenges such as political uncertainties, weakened corporate performance, and a slow fundraising climate. (2) Already Priced In: Dealmakers indicated that the rate cut had already been factored into transactions over the past several months., (3) Value Creation Over the last two years, many PE firms have improved portfolio company performance by reducing costs and streamlining operations, which could result in higher valuations. (4) Deal Volume Growth: Projections suggest that PE deal volume will pick up in Q4 2024, with an estimated 9% year-over-year increase. This momentum is expected to continue into 2025. (5) Stagnant PE Exits: Despite an increase in US PE deal value (up 12% year-over-year in H1 2024 to $325.2 billion), PE exits remained stagnant, a critical issue as exits are essential for capital formation in the industry.

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In a new op-ed I penned for Institutional Investor, I discuss the changing strategic buyer landscape for enterprise software companies. With software continuing to grow well in excess of GDP, and digital transformation at the top of C-suites’ agendas, the trend of multi-billion dollar software companies being acquired by non-traditional buyers should continue to accelerate. As always, all comments are welcome!

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Summary: This article discusses various venture capital news, including insights and analysis of VC firms, trends in investments, and the impact of technology on the industry. Key takeaways: The article mentions that Insight Partners is potentially raising over $10 billion for its 13th fund, and OpenAI may be altering its complex corporate structure. There is a growing trend of Silicon Valley companies following China's lead and a discussion of how VC Mike Moritz believes the pace of work in tech companies should be "furious." Y Combinator is expanding the number of cohorts it runs, a new decentralized music streaming service called Tune.FM is introduced, and there is discussion about startups working on addressing climate change. Counter arguments: There may be concerns about the potential drawbacks of following China's lead, and the idea of a "furious" pace of work may raise questions about work-life balance and company culture. Some may argue that expanding the number of cohorts may lead to a decrease in the quality or effectiveness of Y Combinator's program. The article does not mention potential challenges or limitations facing the new decentralized music streaming service or startups working on climate change solutions. #venture #venturecapital #vc

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Can't wait to reconnect with the brilliant Amanda Herson and join the discussion with Maciek Gnutek and Iain Martin at Slush about our fund models and what they mean for Founders ❄ 🚀

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Q3 is out and Q4 is in!  This is a great read about Base10's strategic switch showcasing how Carta is simplifying fund administration for emerging managers, which is especially important now rolling into the year-end busy season. 

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PE News Weekly 📈 📍 HPS Investment Partners is exploring a potential $10 billion IPO, with discussions underway with investors. The private credit manager, spun out of JPMorgan in 2016, confidentially filed IPO paperwork last year and could go public soon. HPS currently manages $117 billion in assets. 📍 Park Square Capital has raised €3.4 billion for its latest direct-lending fund, European Loan Partners II, which will support mid-market businesses across Europe. The fund includes a joint venture with Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. Private credit competition is intensifying as interest rates shift, but Park Square remains optimistic. 📍 Private equity firms HIG and CapVest are bidding for AAH Pharmaceuticals, the UK’s largest pharmacy wholesaler, valued at £900 million. The auction, overseen by BNP Paribas, could conclude by year-end. AAH has seen a 60% rise in active customer accounts under Aurelius' ownership. #privateequity #penews #privateequitynews #rawselection

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Is Now the Best Time to Raise a Private Equity Fund? According to industry leaders, it just might be. "I’m much more optimistic at this point in the cycle in 2024 than I was in 2023 and 2022," says Andy Lund, global co-head of Houlihan Lokey's Private Funds Group. Despite expectations of a slowdown, the first half of 2024 has been unexpectedly successful for PE managers raising capital. U.S.-based funds closed on $155 billion by the end of June, slightly ahead of the first half of 2023 (PitchBook Q2 2024 US PE Breakdown). Alex Russ, head of North America for Evercore's Private Funds Group, sees this as an ideal moment for GPs with open funds. "We saw fewer new fundraise launches in 2024 than in 2022 and 2023, leading to a slight easing, which we expect to continue into the second half of this year," he notes. However, challenges remain. LP capital is still largely locked until M&A and exit activities resume. Evercore anticipates flat PE fundraising figures for 2024 compared to 2023. Moreover, other asset classes are vying for already limited institutional capital, with private credit showing particularly strong growth. In this context, Maria Konnikova’s "The Biggest Bluff" offers an insightful analogy. Inspired by "Theory of Games and Economic Behavior" by John von Neumann and Oskar Morgenstern, the book explores von Neumann's belief that poker epitomizes the delicate balance between skill and chance that governs life. Doing well at poker isn’t just about playing well; it’s about playing well relative to everyone else. And even with the best strategies, luck plays a critical role. As Nobel-winning economist Daniel Kahneman notes, "The successful funds in any given year are mostly lucky; they have a good roll of the dice. There is general agreement among researchers that nearly all stock pickers, whether they know it or not—and few of them do—are playing a game of chance." The last two years were like drawing a bad hand in poker for those raising funds. The book also emphasizes the importance of thinking like a Strategist—something I’ve honed throughout my career. Each move requires reassessment based on new information. You need a plan that evolves with feedback and supports long-term, good decision-making. If you’ve lost your chips, was it due to an unlucky situation—or because your strategy was flawed? A recurring mantra of Poker Hall of Famer Erik Seidel is "less certainty, more inquiry." If that becomes your guiding principle, not only will you actively listen, but you will also adapt and grow. For GPs, strengthening relationships with existing LPs is more crucial than ever. Now is the time to leverage your learnings and craft compelling narratives that showcase your commitment to value creation and strategic growth. By highlighting your firm's ability to navigate complex market dynamics, you can strengthen LP alignment and foster the partnerships needed for long-term success.

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These VC firms have fresh capital and are eager to deploy. 🔴 Olivia Wilde launched her new VC firm, Proximity Ventures, with Neil Sirni, Jason Mack, and Santi White. The firm expects to hold a close next month and will invest in consumer and enterprise sectors. 🔴 Greenwich based Tamarack Global closed its $72M Opportunities II fund to focus on energy transition, defense-tech, the space economy, robotics & automation, AI, and more. 🔴 New York based BBG Ventures raised a $60M fund to support diverse founders. 🔴 Los Angeles based MaC Venture Capital raised its third $150M fund to back diverse founders and industries such as aerospace, enterprise software, fintech, health tech, and defense, among others. 🔴 Lisbon based Faber closed its €31 million Faber Tech III fund to support early stage innovation in Southern Europe. 🔴 Chicago based Listen Ventures is planning to raise $75M for its fourth fund to back consumer-obsessed founders building brands at the tipping point of behavior shifts. 🔴 Mumbai based Inflexor Ventures closed its first ₹350 crore Opportunities Fund to support its existing portfolio companies. 🔴 France based Axeleo Capital closed its new €125M greentech fund. 🔴 Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University (NTU) partnered with venture capital firm Walden International to establish a new VC fund, Nanyang Frontier Fund. The fund is looking to raise $37.9M to back deep tech spin-offs from the university.

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It’s BOD & AGM season. After 9 BOD meetings and 7 AGMs there is a common theme. “Generally” Emerging Fund 1&2 managers w/o firm building experience; and Founders/ELTs who raised pre-seed generalist and family office party rounds at Seed or crossover/hedge fund capital at Series A. Same general dynamic… experience matters. #venturecapital #emergingmanagers #startups #familyoffices #lps

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The last several years have witnessed a significant increase in the use of continuation funds as the capital markets dried up. Now, per PitchBook, there has been a meaningful uptick in exits from those funds. Per the article: "Continuation funds have roughly doubled their quarterly exit activity, enduring as a viable liquidity solution for PE firms." Any uptick in liquidity activity is a hopeful sign that a recovery is underway. While the Pitchbook article specifically addressed activity in private equity, hopefully we will begin to see signs in the Venture space as well. Endeavor Colorado #privateequity #venturecapital #innovation #investing #founders #startups #entrepreneurship https://lnkd.in/gRW6WPNm

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The latest #SVBHealthcare report found that VCs deployed $7.2 billion to healthcare-focused #AI companies last year. Read FierceHealthcare’s article about the report for an overview of what recent AI investment trends mean for the healthcare innovation space

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Congratulations to our friends at $150 billion+ AUM private markets multi-strategy fund manager StepStone Group on closing on $3.3 billion for its sixth venture capital secondaries fund, far surpassing its target of $2.6 billion. It is the largest VC #secondaries fund raised to date, eclipsing the $1.45 billion that Industry Ventures raised for 10th venture secondaries fund last September. The 2021 acquisition of Baltimore-based venture capital #specialist Greenspring Associates has been a brilliant, complementary and highly successful partnership for both firms. And yes, I really like the fact that Greenspring Associates originated and still has a strong base in the #baltimore area. While GP-led secondaries have been far more common in private equity, it is noteworthy that the firm sees a more balanced set of investments across LP-led, GP-led and direct secondaries deals than its predecessor venture secondaries funds. The limited partner list is also remarkable: #Taiwan-based FUBON LIFE INSURANCE CO., LTD. committed $70 million, UK-based Border To Coast Pensions Partnership committed £45.7 million and the NSIA: Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority and Montgomery County Public Schools Pension Fund both invested undisclosed amounts. Yes, #Nigeria has a sovereign wealth fund investing in alternative assets, private markets and venture capital secondaries - amazing! Prior fund limited partners included the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis, #Finland’s LUT University, the Memorial Hermann Health System, Mercy Health Foundation, @New Zealand Superannuation Fund (NZ Super Fund), #Oklahoma Police Pension and Retirement System, Samford University, School Employees Retirement System of #Ohio and State of Wyoming Treasury. I am sure many of them re-upped and even increased commitment sizing. A world-class list of global limited partners across allocator categories. Well done StepStone Group and see you again somewhere in the world sometime soon! #fundraising #alternativeassets #privatemarkets #venturecapital #capitalmarkets #sovereignwealthfunds #insurancecompanies #pensionfunds #hospitalsystems #superannuation #endowments #foundations https://lnkd.in/gUdJXRw3

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"The success of a venture firm ultimately comes down to the success of it's people." Posted TODAY on The Full Ratchet - A great interview with Alex Edelson of Slipstream Investors on decoding the myths and mastery of fund structure, size, reserves, access, and selection. Alex answers important questions including: - Why should LPS invest in fund to funds instead of directly in funds? - How will the new generation of VC winners look different from the last? - How do you advise the VCs you work with in the current market? Listen to Episode 430 of TFR to get insights from the best.

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The inevitable in Mergers & Acquisitions - Specific Industries become a market focus for Institutional Investors. Two such Industries that Janas Associates has identified in 2024 are Food Processing and Home Services. Home Services include Plumbing, HVAC, and Electrical companies. A Janas Food Services client in the southeast has attracted 12+ offers with EBITDA multiples as high as 8.0 times EBITDA, exclusive of land and buildings. Revenues approach $140 million with EBITDA of $10+ million. A Janas Home Services client achieved $20+ million in sales with eight locations over six years through an inspired marketing program. Janas received 7 Letters of Intent with EBITDA multiples in the range of 7.3 times to 12 times. Due Diligence is in process. Janas was founded in 1995 to serve Middle Market Companies at the same level as their larger brothers and sisters. Multiple locations in the US and abroad provide our professionals with an in-depth understanding of domestic and international business practices. We tell a compelling story for each client in the Confidential Information Memorandum. Our professionals experienced a plethora of professional and business backgrounds prior to becoming Investment Bankers and Management Consultants. As a result, we understand businesses, what make them profitable and unique,

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If you're building a fintech startup, you likely know of this investor, but just in case... This week's findfunding.vc spotlight is on Neil Kapur from TTV Capital. He: 🛫 Is based in SF & Atlanta 💲 Has spent time at Google in consumer-facing payments & at two fintech startups  🏔️ Loves alpine mountaineering and has climbed Kilimanjaro, Denali, Rainier, and more!! Amongst founders, Neil and the team at TTV Capital , including Gardiner Garrard, Mark Johnson, Sean Banks, Lizzie Guynn, and Laney Lewis are known for saying “lift, not lean.” They believe that their job as investors is not to create work for founders, but instead ask the right questions and help navigate to the best outcomes. Knowing Neil well personally, he's not only my go-to person for anything related to fintech but I can also highly recommend having him on your cap table - he's the kind of human you want to have in your corner during both good times and bad. Make sure to: ✉️ Pitch him at [email protected] ➡️ Follow TTV Capital on LinkedIn For more, check out our funder spotlight card below along with TTV Capital's profile on findfunding.vc (link in comments).

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What's our "WHY" at Champion Venture Partners? 1. Access! Providing athletes and athletes adjacent professionals access to the private alternatives sports asset class as a lot of their financial advisors don't play in them or even look at them. 2. Access! Providing the general public the opportunity to invest in the private alternatives sports asset class. How awesome is it that you can invest on the same terms as some of the biggest names in sports and entertainment! 3. Education! If you want to learn before you invest, we have programs and services available. 4. Partnerships! CVP are long term "forever partners" for our portfolio companies. Sure, we may have a few turn and burn VC & PE deals as that's the nature of the business, but our bread and butter is long term strategic growth value add no matter if it's a 5 year deal or a 30 year deal or a "forever deal".

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