In recent years, a small group of emerging venture firms have been testing ways to remake the art of venture capital and turn it into more of a science. They’re relying on radical new uses of software and data to help guide their investments ~> Venture-Capital Firms Use Big Data to Seek Out the Next Big Thing

Capital is flowing into funds of all types, yet the rate of investment is shrinking rapidly. This could mark the decline of true venture capital by many funds as they are forced to evolve into private hedge funds or momentum investors, investing far larger amounts in much later stage pre-IPO companies, and drifting further away from taking higher risk, long-term investment in innovation. Perversely, this risk is greatest for the most valuable, value-adding investors with the best track records, since they can raise the most money ~> Is this the end of venture capital as we know it?

While there are a host of new platforms and a few positive stories, the industry is still waiting to fulfill its potential of giving small-money investors the chance to support early stage companies. But the idea is gaining momentum ~> One year in, equity crowdfunding is still waiting for its moment

U.S.-based venture capital firm Blockchain Capital LLC said on Thursday it raised $10 million in six hours in a sale of its digital tokens to investors ~> U.S. venture capital firm raises $10 million in six-hour token sale

From Matt Lerner of 500 Startups: “Even a blind squirrel finds a nut every once in a while.” In other words, any VC with decent deal flow and a reasonable selection process, if they write enough checks, should eventually pick a winner. I’m not saying that’s a good way to invest, but let’s do the math ~> A Tale of Two Squirrels: The Not So Simple Math on Venture Portfolio Size

Innovations, such as augmented reality, have the capacity to entirely transform not just methods of learning, but also ability to connect with and engage patients ~> Democratizing Medical Education through Virtual and Augmented Reality

Benedict Evans: Now that mobile is maturing and its growth is slowing, everyone in tech turns to thinking about what the Next Big Thing will be. It’s easy to say that ‘machine learning is the new mobile’ (and everyone does), but there are other things going on too ~> Ten Year Futures

Last year Hilgers launched BitKraft Esports Ventures, the world’s first esports-specific venture capital fund. BitKraft just raised $18.5 million, including $11.5 million from its founders, the rest from big-name investors looking for opportunity amid the noise ~> For Investors Intrigued and Confused by Esports, a VC Fund Opens

Bootstrapping a SaaS to several million dollars of ARR is an increasingly viable path ~> The Rise of Non “VC compatible” SaaS Companies

Venture is an asset class built on discovering potential where others don’t see it. Singapore is a place to look. ~> Field notes on Singapore’s venture scene

This will also help: Singapore is creating a S$1 billion ($718 million) fund to help innovative companies develop their businesses and expand overseas, part of the city state’s drive to boost economic growth ~> Singapore Creates S$1 Billion Innovation Fund to Drive Growth

Back in 2014, the IFC decided to take a new and somewhat controversial approach to helping economic development in the Middle East: venture capital. Three years on, some results are beginning to emerge out of the IFC’s $50 million regional portfolio. ~> The World’s Most Important Financier Bet On MENA Startups. Here’s What Happened Next

Expecting a ‘deep winter’ of funding, China’s VC industry instead finds lots of cash sloshing around ~> Venture-Capital Quandary: Too Much Money Chasing Too Few Ideas

Jerry Neumann On being special in the venture business

While there are many qualitative attributes that can help inform how much a VC cares, a simple guide can be distilled into three calculations ~> How Much Do Your VCs Care About You?

Open source venture? AirTree Ventures made their Seed Stage Investment Term Sheet public

Sara Thomas Deshpande of Maven Ventures shares her Required Reading for Aspiring VCs

Folks outside of seed stage venture often think “winning” deals is the most important part of being a great investor, but Hunter Walk argues it’s “seeing” the best opportunities that’s actually the strongest indicator of future fund success ~> Seed Investing & Dark Dealflow: You Lose 100% Of The Deals You Don’t See

If a startup is taking venture capital money then their intention from the outset MUST be to own a category, but the odds are stacked against them ~> Category creation as strategy in tech

One of the world’s most respected VCs, Chris Sacca is retiring ~> Hanging up my Spurs

A look into how Frontline tracks and evaluates value-add to their portfolio companies ~> Hey VC — show me the statement, not the brochure!

Why entrepreneurs should stop obsessing about valuations ~> Pick The Best Partner, Not The Prettiest Ring

From Pitchbook ~> What the current US venture industry looks like in 24 charts

New cross-border investors are wielding influence in Silicon Valley and China ~> Teen Tennis Star’s Journey From China Tech IPO to Silicon Valley Deals

The key findings from SEI’s research paper on The Future of Private Equity

Funding of technology firms plummets after 2014-15 boom, forcing many in Silicon Valley to fight for survival ~> Once-Flush Startups Struggle to Stay Alive as Investors Get Pickier

Ethical lapses at some of the tech industry’s biggest companies suggest a chilling reality of what really matters in the world’s most rollicking economy ~> Is the Silicon Valley dynasty coming to an end?

The landscape of corporate venture capital in 2017 ~> Strategies for Developing a CVC that Yield Long-Term Results

Bryce Roberts asks: What are you for?

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