Smarter Ventures: A Survivor's Guide to Venture Capital Through the New Cycle ("Financial Times") ("Financial Times") ("Financial Times") (Financial Times Series) [Paperback]

Katherine Campbell (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0273654039 | ISBN-13: 978-0273654032 | Publication Date: December 10, 2003

Having the big idea is merely the beginning. Raising and using venture capital is pivotal to the success of many an ambitious new venture, but venture capital is more than money. It's far too expensive to be treated merely as cash, and if used well, far more critical to the successful venture.This can be a daunting process. Smarter Ventures leads you inside the world of European venture capital, and takes you step-by-step through the venture cycle. By holding a mirror up to both sides of the money-raising process, Katharine Campbell shows how entrepreneurs can better understand venture capitalists - and vice versa -- leading to more productive relationships and smarter ventures. Katharine Campbell explains how venture capitalists think, what they are looking for and why. Learn how to spot the good -and the bad -- investors, and equip yourself with the tools and the knowledge to seal a successful partnership. Smarter Ventures is the bible of the European venture capital market and your complete companion to the venture cycle. "Smarter Ventures is essential reading for anyone interested and involved in new ventures and venture capital -- whether funding it, using it, providing it or teaching potential entrepreneurs!. The book is so complete it is almost a funding cookbook!. Anyone involved in enterprise, as a practitioner, venture capitalist or academic, should regard Smarter Ventures as required reading." - Book Review, Financial Times

Editorial Reviews

Review

 

"Smarter Ventures is essential reading for anyone interested and involved in new ventures and venture capital – whether funding it, using it, providing it or teaching potential entrepreneurs…. The book is so complete it is almost a funding cookbook…. Anyone involved in enterprise, as a practitioner, venture capitalist or academic, should regard Smarter Ventures as required reading." 

Book Review, Financial Times.  Christopher Saunders, founder of the Cambridge Enterprise Conference

'It took me 20 years to lean what's in this book. Every budding entrepreneur should read it if they want a win-win relationship with their VC.'

Stuart Evans, CEO, Plastic Logic

'Smarter Ventures is a must-read for any entrpreneur seeking venture capital investment. Katharine Campbell's straightforward language de-mystifies what for anyone who has been through the process is a daunting and stressful experience. On the basis that knowledge is power, I have no hesitation in recommending Smarter Ventures to entrepreneurs and expect it will also appear at the top of venture capitalist's reading lists.'

Charles Cotton, former CEO, Virata Cororation

'Katharine Campbell provides a unique insight into the European venture capital industry, while also explaining the critical differences between the VC scene in Silicon Valley and that in Europe. This books is absolutely essential reading for European entrepreneurs, VCs and advisers. In fact, no European entrepreneur should seek to raise capital without first reading this book.'

Chris Grew, senior partner, Hale and Dorr

'Katharine Campbell knows her stuff. While Smarter Ventures is very readable, it goes way beyond delivering the fine insights one would expect from a crack former journailistt. Ms Campbell has distilled her extensive experience into useful wisdom. As the books becomes standard fare, it will acceleratue entrepreneurship in Europe by making the new venture capital process more streamlined and professional.'

Kenneth P. Morse, managine director, MIT entrepreneurship Center.

 

 

 

--na

About the Author

Katharine Campbell

is the former private equity correspondent of the Financial Times. She spent five years delving into the secretive world of private equity, and became one of the leading commentators on the sector. A weekly column on the Enterprise Page of the FT provided an outlet for her particular interest in entrepreneurship and venture capital.  

 

Previous roles at the FT, where she spent a dozen years in total, included Frankfurt correspondent at the beginning of the 1990s, covering the early years of German unification.

 

She studied German and ancient Greek at Oxford University, and international relations at the School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University, in Washington DC. 

 

She now works in the private equity industry.

Product Details

• Paperback: 319 pages
• Publisher: Financal Times Management (December 10, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0273654039
• ISBN-13: 978-0273654032
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,759,603 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential for entrepreneurs seeking VC money, May 11, 2006

By 

frederik - See all my reviews

This review is from: Smarter Ventures: A Survivor's Guide to Venture Capital Through the New Cycle ("Financial Times") ("Financial Times") ("Financial Times") (Financial Times Series) (Paperback)

I am an investment professional in the European VC industry. This book is an extremely accurate picture of all aspects of the venture "game". Entrepreneurs seeking venture capital need to read this book which pinpoints the myriads of dos and don'ts when seeking an investor and closing a deal. I have read a few other books (mostly from american authors) and this one is by far the best.

It is also quite a valuable read for investors. I have been in the industry for 5 years and found lots of interesting aspects that gives perspective for my work as a VC. I would recommend that this book is given to new people in a VC organisation, both investment managers and partners with industry backgrounds.

What makes it so useful is that the author has talked to a lot of VCs across Europe and the US, and thereby has gotten quite a lot of inside information. She has really gotten underneath the surface. The books is also full of quotes from these people which makes it a good read.