Venture capital had a record-breaking 2020: $150 billion in deals, all-time highs for fundraising and results

<p><img src="https://static3.businessinsider.com/image/600091a3a8de7700187d3ea8-2400/Nizar Tarhuni of PitchBook.jpg" border="0" alt="Nizar Tarhuni of PitchBook" data-mce-source="PiarasMdheach/Sportsfile for Web Summit via Getty Images)" data-mce-caption="Nizar Tarhuni leads the research and data analyst groups at PitchBook."></p><p></p><bi-shortcode id="summary-shortcode" data-type="summary-shortcode" class="mceNonEditable" contenteditable="false">Summary List Placement</bi-shortcode><p>Despite cancelled flights, closed offices, a spring full of mass layoffs, rolling lockdowns, and the heartbreaking death toll from COVID-19, VCs still managed to break records in 2020.</p><p>For the first time ever, the venture capital industry invested over $150 billion in a year, according to a report by <a href="https://pitchbook.com/">PitchBook</a> and the <a href="https://nvca.org/">National Venture Capital Association (NVCA)</a>.&nbsp;</p><p>In a year of uncertainty, investors wanted sure bets and leaned on existing companies in their portfolios. A whopping $100 billion was invested in late-stage companies, making it the third year in a row that late-stage deals have surged.</p><p>Cameron Stanfill, an analyst at PitchBook, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/vcs-not-funding-early-stage-startups-hurt-industry-long-term-2020-8">predicted this trend in a panel</a> earlier this year, saying VCs would prioritize late-stage companies to "extend their runway" and "make sure they're going to come through this crisis stronger than ever."</p><p>As investors doubled-down on established startups, they managed to break another record, in results: 321 mega-deals were closed in 2020. For context, only 242 mega-deals <strong> </strong>defined as a merger or acquisition valued at $5 billion or more <strong></strong>were closed in 2019.&nbsp;</p><p>The dark shadow of the year was felt mostly by early stage companies. While older companies thrived, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/vc-fundraising-activity-for-first-time-funds-2020">newer entrepreneurs struggled</a>. First-time financing fell sharply and almost three-fourths of total capital raised went to established funds. The report described limited partners as "seemingly unwilling to take risks on unproven investors and shying away from new relationships."&nbsp;</p><p>There's already reason to be optimistic that 2021 will be as good or better for startups and their financiers. VCs also had a record-breaking year in their own fundraising efforts.</p><p>"VC firms closed a record 44 mega-fundsvehicles totaling $500 million or morein 2020, which was nearly double the 24 closed in 2019," the report said.</p><p>And that means the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/venture-capital-tech-trends-2021">VC industry is heading into 2021</a> with $152 billion in "dry powder," a financial term for unallocated cash waiting to be invested.</p><p>Michael Chow, NCVA Director of Research, told Insider this is great news for everyone. "Venture capital's record-breaking year in 2020 is great news not only for the industry, but also the broader economy," he said.</p><p>"VC-backed companies play a critical role in U.S. job creation, and the strong position the industry finds itself in leading into 2021, with ample dry powder to deploy and robust public markets, will accelerate the recovery from the pandemic-induced downturn."</p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/vc-deals-broke-records-in-2020-surpassing-150-billion-in-deals-2021-1#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-if-jump-off-international-space-station-2018-6">What would happen if you jumped off the International Space Station</a></p>
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