VCs expect a healthy 2004, especially for chip-process investments

摘要

By just about any measure, 2003 was one of the worst years for venture capital investing. The amount of money committed by investors to VC funds was the lowest since 1995. The amount invested in all financing stages was the lowest since 1998, and the number of deals the lowest since 1996 (see the charts relating to fund-raising, investment and trends, this page and page 20). The number of initial public offerings was at an historic low, and M&A activity was nothing to crow about either.