Venture Capital ROI Expectations (2024)

Venture capital ROI expectations can depend on the business in which one is investing. Venture capital investing is risky but expect your money to be doubled.3 min read

Venture capital ROI expectations can depend on the business in which one is investing. While venture capital investing can be a risky proposition, most investors expect to at least double the money that they have invested.

Introduction to Venture Capitalists and Return on Investment

If you're interested in starting or expanding your business, you can get the infusion of cash that you need to achieve these goals by seeking investments from venture capitalists. Before seeking these investments, however, you should be aware that there will be a cost involved. Venture capitalists don't give their money away for nothing, and will expect a strong return on investment.

To receive an investment from a venture capitalist, you will need to promise them a strong return, and in most cases, you will also need to provide them with an ownership stake in your company.

Return on Investment Ranges

The risk of venture capital investing is that it can be hard to tell at the outset whether an investment will actually pay off. While some ventures can result in returns that are multiple times the original investment, many investments will end in a negative return. The National Bureau of Economic Research has stated that a 25 percent return on a venture capital investment is the average. Most venture capitalists or venture capital returns will expect to at least receive this 25 percent return on investment. Depending on your business's potential for growth, a venture capital investor may expect a much greater return.

The purpose of making venture capital investments is the ability to receive a tremendous return from these investment, and it's common for investors to desire that their initial investment be at least doubled. Fortunately, investors do not expect this return immediately. Experienced venture capitalists usually consider a successful investment one that doubles in a period of 10 years.

You should consider several factors when calculating the return on investment you will need to promise:

  • Your company's valuation.
  • How much money the venture capitalist is providing.
  • The risk potential from investing in your business.

Negotiating Returns on Investment

Venture capital firms will frequently have a large investment portfolio. This means that your company will be one of many receiving investments from the firms. Depending on your business, this can help you more effectively negotiate your promised returns.

If your company is low-risk, for example, you may be able to promise a lower return than what a high-risk company would need to offer in order to receive an investment. Venture capital firms prefer their portfolio to contain a mixture of low-risk and high-risk investments, known as diversification.

If you are struggling to meet your payroll and don't have the money necessary to grow your business, a venture capital firm will usually consider you a high-risk investment. When a venture capital firm determines there is higher risk involved in investing in your company, you should prepare to offer a higher return.

Company Valuation and Venture Capital Math

The most common method that venture capital firms use to determine their expected return on investment is by valuating your company. Fortunately, you are not required to accept the valuation determined by the venture capital firm.

In general, after a venture capital firm provides you a valuation, you should counter by asking for a valuation that is 25 percent higher. Requesting this higher valuation is common when negotiating with venture capital firms. Negotiating a higher evaluation will make your company more appealing to the investor, although it will also allow them to ask for a higher return on investment.

In most cases, only a small portion of a venture capital firm's portfolio will result in a return on investment. For example, if a firm invests in 10 companies, it's possible that only two of those investments will result in a gain, meaning the other eight investments ended in a negative return.

Because it's so common for these investments to fail, venture capitalists are very careful about which companies they provide money. If you want to receive a venture capital investment, you will need to demonstrate that investing in your company is likely to result in a big return on investment, particularly if your company is involved in a risky field.

If you need help with venture capital ROI expectations, you can post your legal needs on UpCounsel's marketplace. UpCounsel accepts only the top 5 percent of lawyers to its site. Lawyers on UpCounsel come from law schools such as Harvard Law and Yale Law and average 14 years of legal experience, including work with or on behalf of companies like Google, Menlo Ventures, and Airbnb.

Venture Capital ROI Expectations (2024)

FAQs

Venture Capital ROI Expectations? ›

The National Bureau of Economic Research has stated that a 25 percent return on a venture capital investment is the average. Most venture capitalists or venture capital returns will expect to at least receive this 25 percent return on investment.

What is a good ROI in a venture capitalists expect? ›

The National Bureau of Economic Research has stated that a 25 percent return on a venture capital investment is the average. Most venture capitalists or venture capital returns will expect to at least receive this 25 percent return on investment.

What is an acceptable IRR for venture capital? ›

What's a Good IRR in Venture? According to research by Industry Ventures on historical venture returns, GPs should target an IRR of at least 30% when investing at the seed stage. Industry Ventures suggests targeting an IRR of 20% for later stages, given that those investments are generally less risky.

How do you answer the question why venture capital? ›

You can answer this question by showing your enthusiasm for companies in the early stages of development. Example answer: “I've been wanting to work for a venture capital firm for a long time, mainly because I'm very interested in observing young companies.

What is the expectation for venture capital growth? ›

The global venture capital investment market size reached US$ 233.9 Billion in 2022. Looking forward, the publisher expects the market to reach US$ 708.6 Billion by 2028, exhibiting a CAGR of 20.29% during 2022-2028.

What is an acceptable ROI rate? ›

While the term good is subjective, many professionals consider a good ROI to be 10.5% or greater for investments in stocks. This number is the standard because it's the average return of the S&P 500 , an index that serves as a benchmark of the overall performance of the U.S. stock market.

Is a 7% ROI good? ›

A good return on investment is generally considered to be about 7% per year, based on the average historic return of the S&P 500 index, and adjusting for inflation.

Is a 14% IRR good? ›

An excellent acceptable IRR for a multifamily deal ranges from 12% to 15%. The IRR is the rate needed to convert the sum of all future uneven cash flows (cash flow, sales proceeds, and principal paydown) to equal the equity investment.

Is 22% a good IRR? ›

IRR tells you how profitable an investment is; a higher IRR means a higher return on investment. In the world of commercial real estate, for example, an IRR of 20% would be considered good, but it's important to remember that it's always related to the cost of capital.

What does 30% IRR mean? ›

What's an IRR of 30% Mean? An IRR of 30% means that the rate of return on an investment using projected discounted cash flows will equal the initial investment amount when the net present value (NPV) is zero. In this case, when the time value of money factors are applied to the cash flows, the resulting IRR is 30%.

How to crack a venture capital interview? ›

There's also some less obvious things to prepare:
  1. Develop a strong case for how your experiences map onto the VC skillset specifically.
  2. Create honest (but not deal-breaking) explanations of your weaknesses ahead of time.
  3. Make your experience stories more memorable by making them more human.
Feb 23, 2022

What should I say in a venture capital interview? ›

Talk about what kinds of information you would want to know about the founding team, their business model and projects, and who else is on their cap table and why. Read up on the sectors you've prepared to talk about, and see what you can glean about the firm's approach as well.

How hard is it to get into venture capital? ›

Jobs in Venture Capital are notoriously hard to land. They don't come by often, and they are seldom advertised—except in large VC firms, mainly for entry-level positions. Aspiring VCs often don't understand Venture Capital well enough to apply at the right type of firm, or one that is interested in their skillset.

How much should I ask for venture capital? ›

If your company is early stage and has a valuation under $1M, don't ask for a $5M investment. The investor would be buying your company five times over, and he doesn't want it. If your valuation is around $1M, you can validly ask for $200K–$300K, and offer 20–30% of your company in exchange. Type of investor.

What is the expected return of a startup? ›

In the early stages of a startups life, investors expect to see a return of 3 to 5 times their initial investment within 5 to 7 years.

What is a typical carry for venture capital? ›

Carry is calculated as a percentage—typically between 20% and 30%*—of the return on investment after limited partners have been paid out 1X their investment.

Is a 10% ROI reasonable? ›

Most investors would view an average annual rate of return of 10% or more as a good ROI for long-term investments in the stock market. However, keep in mind that this is an average. Some years will deliver lower returns -- perhaps even negative returns.

Is 30% ROI good? ›

An ROI of 30% can be good, but it can depend on how long your ROI has been at 30% in previous years.

Is 20% ROI good? ›

There is no set percentage. Some agencies might be satisfied with a 5-percent ROI, while others might be on the lookout for a higher number like 20 percent for it to be considered good ROI.

Is 80% ROI good? ›

Return on Investment (ROI)

This calculation works for any period, but there is a risk in evaluating long-term investment returns with ROI—an ROI of 80% sounds impressive for a five-year investment but less impressive for a 35-year investment.

Can ROI be 900%? ›

Calculating Simple ROI

You take the sales growth from that business or product line, subtract the marketing costs, and then divide by the marketing cost. So, if sales grew by $1,000 and the marketing campaign cost $100, then the simple ROI is 900%.

Can ROI exceed 100%? ›

One of the major differences between profit margin and ROI is that profit margin can never exceed 100%, while ROI can. There are pluses and minuses to each way of calculating profit, but one is not inherently better than the other.

Do investors want a high IRR? ›

The higher the IRR, the better the return of an investment. As the same calculation applies to varying investments, it can be used to rank all investments to help determine which is the best. The one with the highest IRR is generally the best investment choice.

Is a 17% IRR good? ›

The internal rate of return (IRR) is a metric used to measure the return on a real estate investment considering the time value of money. It factors in cash inflows and outflows, and it is important when comparing real estate investment opportunities. A good IRR in real estate is around 18-20%.

What does 13% IRR mean? ›

In the above example the rate of return is 13%. This means that if we invested $100 and got a consistent rate of interest which was compounded at 13%, then that investment would be equivalent to the above investment. The above investment provides the same return as that of a bond with an annual coupon of 13%.

Can anyone generate a 1000% IRR? ›

“It places even more importance on MOIC [multiple on invested capital] as a way to track overall fund performance, if the IRRs become less and less meaningful,” the pension fund PE head said. “Anyone can generate a 1,000 percent IRR [just] by calling the capital a day before it's distributed back to LPs.”

What is rule of 70 IRR? ›

The rule of 70 is used to determine the number of years it takes for a variable to double by dividing the number 70 by the variable's growth rate. The rule of 70 is generally used to determine how long it would take for an investment to double given the annual rate of return.

Is 100% IRR realistic? ›

If you invest 1 dollar and get 2 dollars in return, the IRR will be 100%, which sounds incredible. In reality, your profit isn't big. So, a high IRR doesn't mean a certain investment will make you rich. However, it does make a project more attractive to look into.

What is IRR rule of 72? ›

What is the Rule of 72? The Rule of 72 is a calculation that estimates the number of years it takes to double your money at a specified rate of return. If, for example, your account earns 4 percent, divide 72 by 4 to get the number of years it will take for your money to double. In this case, 18 years.

What is a 15 IRR over 5 years? ›

The 15% IRR over 5 years would produce $1.15 for each invested dollar, but as the interest compounds over a longer timespan, that $1.15 grows to a 2.0 equity multiple for a $2 return on each invested dollar. The investment with a lower IRR had a higher equity multiple, which means it created more wealth.

What is 20% IRR over 5 years? ›

In other words, if you are provided an IRR of 20% and asked to determine the proceeds achieved in year 5, the result is simple: Your investment will grow by 20% for 5 years. This works out to 2.49.

Is venture capital a stressful job? ›

Understand that jobs in venture capital are stressful, competitive, rare, and aren't for everyone. So, before you begin your career pivot, you need to know the roles and responsibilities that await you in the world of venture capital.

Is VC better than consulting? ›

Compensation. Consulting salaries are pretty predictable – you are paid on salary and a bonus based your and the firm's performance. VC, on the other hand, involves a lower base salary, almost no bonus, but part of the share of the fund. Your salary is paid out of the fund's 1.5-2% AUM charge.

What do venture capitalists look for when hiring? ›

Venture capitalists want professionals who hold strong views on different industries and companies and who can justify their views based on market and customer analysis, not the product/technical details (maybe not as true in life sciences).

How do you negotiate with venture capital? ›

How to Negotiate With VCs: Everything You Need to Know
  1. Understand Your Leverage. ...
  2. Build Trust. ...
  3. Focus on Value Instead of Only Valuation. ...
  4. Things to Keep in Mind When Negotiating With a Venture Capitalist.

How do I break into corporate venture capital? ›

Tips for Breaking into Venture Capital:
  1. Be well-informed on all aspects of the field, including the latest developments.
  2. Understand the mindset and outlook of a venture capitalist.
  3. Develop your brand, its story, vision, and approach.
  4. Speak to founders, fellow aspirants, and VC experts and establish your network.
Nov 16, 2022

What percentage of venture capital fails? ›

The average venture capital firm receives more than 1,000 proposals per year. Approximately 30% of startups with venture backing end up failing. Around 75% of all fintech startups crash within two decades. Startups in the technology industry have the highest failure rate in the United States.

How often does venture capital fail? ›

25-30% of VC-backed startups still fail

As a general rule of thumb for startups, out of every 10, about three or four fail completely. The other three or four return their original VC investments, and only one or two will produce substantial returns.

Is venture capital the easiest to obtain? ›

Venture capital financings are not easy to obtain or close. Entrepreneurs will be better prepared to obtain venture capital financing if they understand the process, the anticipated deal terms, and the potential issues that will arise.

What is the 80 20 rule in venture capital? ›

In investing, the 80-20 rule generally holds that 20% of the holdings in a portfolio are responsible for 80% of the portfolio's growth. On the flip side, 20% of a portfolio's holdings could be responsible for 80% of its losses.

What is the rule of 20 in venture capital? ›

At its most basic, the two and twenty is basically the standard fee structure for venture capital firms to charge their investors. The 2% is the annual fee that the fund charges investors to manage the fund. And the 20% is the percentage of the upside that the fund managers take.

How much equity should a venture capitalist get? ›

20 to 30 percent split between founders. 20 to 30 percent split between angel investors (or other seed money providers) 30 to 40 percent for venture capital providers.

How do you explain expected return? ›

What Is Expected Return? The expected return is the profit or loss that an investor anticipates on an investment that has known historical rates of return (RoR). It is calculated by multiplying potential outcomes by the chances of them occurring and then totaling these results.

What are the 4 C's of venture capital? ›

To help with this conversation, I like to frame fund expenses in terms of what I call the Four C's of Investment Costs: Capacity, Craftsmanship, Complexity, and Contribution.

What does a 20% carry mean? ›

The typical carried interest rate charged to LPs is 20%—although some GPs can command higher rates. This means that after the LPs are repaid their original investment amount, the GPs will receive 20% of the profits from the fund, while the remaining 80% of profits are paid to the LPs.

What is the average ROI for investors? ›

5-year, 10-year, 20-year and 30-year S&P 500 returns
Period (start-of-year to end-of-2022)Average annual S&P 500 return
5 years (2018-2022)7.51%
10 years (2013-2022)10.41%
20 years (2003-2022)7.64%
30 years (1993-2022)7.52%
Feb 13, 2023

What is considered a good ROI projects? ›

Some agencies might be satisfied with a 5-percent ROI, while others might be on the lookout for a higher number like 20 percent for it to be considered good ROI.

Is 10% return on investment realistic? ›

Most investors would view an average annual rate of return of 10% or more as a good ROI for long-term investments in the stock market. However, keep in mind that this is an average. Some years will deliver lower returns -- perhaps even negative returns. Other years will generate significantly higher returns.

Is 50% ROI bad? ›

ROI of 50% can be considered good, but there are other factors to consider to understand if your investment was a good one.

Is a 20 ROI high? ›

A 20% return is possible, but it's a pretty significant return, so you either need to take risks on volatile investments or spend more time invested in safer investments.

Can ROI be 200%? ›

Because ROI is most often expressed as a percentage, the quotient should be converted to a percentage by multiplying it by 100. Therefore, this particular investment's ROI is 2 multiplied by 100, or 200%.

How much equity should a VP get in a startup? ›

How Much Equity Should A VP of Sales Get In A Startup? Most VPs of Sales receive between . 5% and 1.5% equity, on average. It's essential to know whether there's equity on the table for the startups you're considering, what it's actually worth, and if it falls within that industry-standard range.

What percentage of a portfolio should be in venture capital? ›

Risk & Reward

For risk-averse investors, portioning a more modest 1-3% of your assets to startup investments may be more prudent. For investors with a more aggressive risk tolerance, 5-15% may be suitable. As always, the higher the risk, the higher the potential reward.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Kimberely Baumbach CPA

Last Updated:

Views: 6767

Rating: 4 / 5 (41 voted)

Reviews: 80% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Kimberely Baumbach CPA

Birthday: 1996-01-14

Address: 8381 Boyce Course, Imeldachester, ND 74681

Phone: +3571286597580

Job: Product Banking Analyst

Hobby: Cosplaying, Inline skating, Amateur radio, Baton twirling, Mountaineering, Flying, Archery

Introduction: My name is Kimberely Baumbach CPA, I am a gorgeous, bright, charming, encouraging, zealous, lively, good person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.