Contact Information: Contact: Emily Mendell NVCA 610-565-3904 Adria Greenberg Cambridge Associates 212-255-8386
National Venture Capital Association and Cambridge Associates Partner to Deliver Venture Capital Performance Data
| Source: National Venture Capital Association
ARLINGTON, VA--(Marketwire - August 4, 2009) - The National Venture Capital Association
(NVCA) and Cambridge Associates announced a strategic partnership today
that will provide comprehensive, independent U.S. venture capital
performance data to a broad audience.
Under the agreement, the NVCA will endorse the Cambridge Associates U.S.
venture capital return numbers and together the organizations will offer
quarterly benchmark data and trend analysis to the public. Additionally,
NVCA members will have access to enhanced, aggregate benchmark data through
the Association's website. The partnership comes after extensive due
diligence by both parties to ensure that the highest quality information
would be made available.
Cambridge Associates, a leading provider of independent research and
investment advice, has been advising institutional and private clients on
alternative assets since the 1970s. The firm derives its U.S. venture
capital benchmarks from the financial information in its proprietary
database of venture capital funds. As of Q1 2009, the database is comprised
of 1,271 U.S. venture capital funds formed from 1981 through 2008 with a
value of approximately $82.5 billion.
Said Sandra A. Urie, Cambridge Associates' President and CEO, "We believe
strongly that independent, rigorous data and analysis are at the root of
sound decision making. Accordingly, we work continuously to develop the
most accurate, comprehensive data possible on venture capital and on all
other alternative asset classes. We are delighted to be working closely
with the NVCA, as we support its ongoing efforts to improve and advance
transparency in the venture capital world."
"After assessing multiple providers of U.S. venture capital performance
statistics it became clear that Cambridge Associates has the most robust
sample size and comprehensive methodology for providing industry
information," said Mark Heesen, president of the NVCA. "NVCA is committed
to working with research partners that can deliver the most accurate and
timely data available and Cambridge is clearly one of those pedigree
organizations who have been perfecting this data set for years. We believe
this relationship will immediately bring responsible transparency and
highly-accurate benchmarks to all constituencies in the venture capital
ecosystem."
Cambridge Associates and the NVCA will begin to issue quarterly performance
data which will include collective U.S. venture capital industry returns
compared to other market indices as well as vintage year returns and
aggregate portfolio company returns by industry. NVCA members will have
access via the Association's website to more detailed benchmarks including
maximum and minimum vintage year returns. Future offerings
for NVCA members will include an online searchable statistics database and
benchmark tools.
NVCA and Cambridge Associates will each continue other strategic data
initiatives as they have in the past. NVCA adds this benchmarking
initiative to relationships with PricewaterhouseCoopers for the MoneyTree
survey and with Thomson Reuters for quarterly exit and fundraising data.
Cambridge will continue to offer non-marketable alternative assets
benchmark information and serve the institutional investor and private
client market.
The National Venture Capital Association (NVCA) represents approximately
460 venture capital firms in the United States. NVCA's mission is to foster
greater understanding of the importance of venture capital to the U.S.
economy, and support entrepreneurial activity and innovation. According to
a 2009 Global Insight study, venture-backed companies accounted for 12.1
million jobs and $2.9 trillion in revenue in the U.S. in 2008. The NVCA
represents the public policy interests of the venture capital community,
strives to maintain high professional standards, provides reliable industry
data, sponsors professional development, and facilitates interaction among
its members. For more information about the NVCA, please visit
www.nvca.org.
Founded in 1973, Cambridge Associates delivers investment consulting,
independent research, and performance monitoring services to approximately
850 institutional and private clients worldwide. Cambridge Associates has
advised its clients on alternative assets since the 1970s and today serves
its clients with more than 180 professionals dedicated to consulting,
research, operational due diligence, and performance reporting on these
asset classes. The firm compiles the performance results for more than
3,900 private partnerships and over 56,000 portfolio companies to publish
the Cambridge Associates U.S. Venture Capital Index® and Cambridge
Associates U.S. Private Equity Index®, which are widely considered to be
the industry-standard benchmark statistics for these asset classes. In
total, the firm has over 950 employees serving its client base globally and
maintains offices in Arlington, VA; Boston, MA; Dallas, TX; Menlo Park, CA;
London, England; Singapore, and Sydney, Australia. For more information
about Cambridge Associates, please visit www.cambridgeassociates.com.