Like it or not, venture capital dynamics are a part of the startup industry — even though they tend to account for a minuscule percentage of funding for new businesses in general. So if you’re building something new in the tech world, you’re likely considering pursuing equity based financing. But with the pandemic and reportedly less than stellar local dynamics, many folks may be seeking investors outside of their immediate area. Which raises the question: are VCs doing remote deals, these days?
Many VCs are still trying to figure out what a remote deal will look like for them — but it seems like most are looking for familiarity. It was surprising that VCs haven’t reported changing their investment strategies as much as we would have thought, such as writing smaller checks, and investing at different stages, but instead are focusing on supplementing their remote diligence with their network from pre-COVID. The data suggests that most VCs are opting to favor companies they have previously met in person, doing more reference calls, and having friendly VCs already on the cap table.
For more details on how VCs seem to be operating amidst the pandemic, visit VentureBeat.