Venture capital investments may be slower, but that seems to give the venture capital firms some time to go out and raise funds themselves.
Sequoia Capital is the latest to reportedly raise two new US-focused funds worth up to $2.25 billion. The information reported earlier this week†
The publication reported that Sequoia of Menlo Park is seeking $1.5 billion for a US growth fund targeting late-stage companies and a $750 million fund targeting early-stage startups. Those funds are expected to close in July.
This news comes just over a month after the venture capital giant told founders it expected a longer economic recovery. Colleagues reported that Sequoia told them, “As the cost of capital (both debt and equity) rises, the market is signaling a strong preference for companies that can generate cash today.”
Last October, businesskinda.com reported on Sequoia Capital that it debuted a major shift in strategy as it looked to boost its returns amid increased competition in the startup financing market. The legendary venture capital firm announced that it was breaking with tradition and abandoning the traditional fund structure and their artificial timelines for returning LP capital. The company’s future investments would now flow through a “single, permanent structure” called The Sequoia Fund.
The VC firm is not alone in raising new funds lately. For example, earlier this week, Drive Capital Said It Has Raised Another $1 Billion to invest in mid-country startups, bringing assets under management to $2.2 billion. Conversion Capital announced a new $122 million fund earlier this week to support early-stage fintech and infrastructure startups. In the meantime, Simple Food Businesses made an initial close of its $15 million fund for healthier grocery staples. In recent months we have also seen Anterra Capital announces its second $260 million global food and agricultural technology fund and Vine Ventures nearly $140 million, half of which goes to Israeli startups.
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