There’s a crisis brewing for the next generation of venture capitalists. While Silicon Valley heavyweights like Sequoia Capital and Andreessen Horowitz are still able to bring in big checks, up-and-coming VCs are finding fundraising increasingly difficult.
Hundreds of small firms — which make up the majority of the VC industry — are struggling to raise money in the current market. Traditional investors in venture funds, like family offices and wealthy individuals, have pulled back thanks to high interest rates and economic uncertainty. Meanwhile, universities and their endowments have come under increasing financial pressure from House Republicans and the Trump administration.