This paper investigates how patent applications and grants held by new ventures improve their ability to attract venture capital (VC) financing. We argue that investors are faced with considerable uncer-tainty and therefore rely on patents as signals when trying to assess the prospects of...

This paper investigates how patent applications and grants held by new ventures improve their ability to attract venture capital (VC) financing. We argue that investors are faced with considerable uncertainty and therefore rely on patents as signals when trying to assess the prospects of...

In the presence of asymmetric information, economic agents need to communicate their quality to investors and other parties. While much of the literature focuses exclusively on signaling, we develop a conceptual framework that extends this view with elements of the literature on certification....

Our model reconciles seemingly contradictory empirical evidence on venture capital activity. Despite the venture capital-backed companies' superior long-run performance, stock markets react more negatively to their acquisitions than to other private acquisitions. Moreover, venture capital...

The creation of value through innovation is among the defining traits of new technology-driven ventures. In this paper we contribute to the literature by investigating the value of innovations for start-ups supported by EIF in the years 1996 to 2014, as measured through patent applications. The...

This paper analyses the Business Angel (BA) portfolio of the European Angels Fund (EAF), an initiative of the European Investment Fund, which engages in co-investment relationships with experienced business angels across Europe. It uses EIF’s proprietary database to shed light on a specific...