Recoge: 1. Introduction and scope of the paper. - 2. Measuring the profitability of venture capital funds. - 3. Profitability of European venture capital funds. - 4.Comparison of European and Us venture capital funds. - 5. Concluding remarks.

This paper examines the profitability of venture capital investment in Europe and the United States. It highlights the unfavourable profitability differential of European venture capital investment in comparison with the United States. The investment performance measures used are the internal rate of return (IRR) and investment multiples. The analysis covers aggregated industry returns and venture capital funds' returns aggregated by vintage year. It relies on the VentureXpert private equity and venture capital performance database, maintained by Thomson Venture Economics. It also considers developments in the private equity and venture capital markets in Europe and the United States.

Until recently, only the United States had an active venture capital market. This is changing rapidly, as many other countries have experienced rapid growth in venture capital financing over the past five years. This book contains new scientific articles showcasing the latest research on venture capital in Europe. Venture capital investment remains a hot topic with portfolio managers, individual investors, academics worldwide. This book examines in detail all the major issues regarding venture capital investment: contracting, financing, regulation, valuation, etc. and identifies new trends in the venture capital arena. Features a foreword by Josh Lerner. *The only book in which academics from around the world present the latest research on venture capital in Europe *Covers all of Europe as well as including overview papers about venture capital industry, public and private venture capital, valuation, financing, contracting, structuring, regulation, etc. *Comprehensive, authoritative coverage

Venture Capital. A Euro-System Approach covers a wide spectrum of topics. These include: how venture capital really works, the relations between venture capital, corporate banking and stock exchanges, market trends in Europe and the US, legal issues related to the creation of venture capital firms and closed end funds, and finally regulatory and economic policy issues. The book is based on a strong link between a rigorous methodological approach and real world best practices of venture capitalists - thanks to a team of contributors formed by both academics and professionals of various fields.

Arnd Plagge evaluates public policy for venture capital in the USA and Germany and presents a comprehensive study of the American and the German market for venture capital. He shows that current German public policies aimed at fostering venture capital activity are severely flawed and that only a reversal of priorities, away from supply-side policies towards a demand-oriented stance, will yield real payoffs.

"This paper examines market developments in venture capital and buyout investment in Europe and the United States, through the analysis of funds raised, investments and exits. It discusses the profitability differential of European venture capital investment in comparison with the United States and suggests that it could originate in the different ways in which research is financed and the unequal supply of financing, notably from business angels, for young companies that are not sufficiently mature for venture capital financing. Investment performance measures used are the internal rate of return (IRR) and investment multiples. The analysis covers aggregated industry returns and venture capital funds' returns aggregated by vintage year. It relies on the VentureXpert private equity and venture capital performance database, maintained by Thomson Venture Economics. ."--Publication information page.