News: Editor's choice: Our top summer reads

Sunday, September 5, 2021

Editor's choice: Our top summer reads

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The Weekend Pitch

September 5, 2021

Presented by Elements Global Services

For Labor Day weekend, in lieu of the usual Weekend Pitch lineup, we're sharing our editors' handpicked selection of our team's best work from this summer. The list is a mix of deeply reported exclusives, along with an episode from PitchBook's very own "In Visible Capital" podcast. Happy reading (and listening)!

—Alexander Davis

Visualizing a standout year for female founders

(Drew Sanders/PitchBook News)

In the first half of 2021, female-founded startups in the US raised $25 billion in venture funding, more than in any full year on record. But a deeper look at the data highlights stubborn realities for female founders. Data journalist Jordan Rubio teamed up with James Thorne and Priyamvada Mathur to create this visual analysis, which illuminates some surprising trends.

How emerging ESG standards put pressure on PE to adapt

(Joey Schaffer/PitchBook News)

ESG standards have been defined by an alphabet soup of industry groups. As limited partners increasingly prioritize sustainable investing, fund managers are finding that simply having an ESG policy isn't enough. Andrew Woodman examines the push to set global standards—and the challenge of quantifying ethical investing.

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Pandemic puppy boom fetches deals in Silicon Valley

(Julia Midkiff/PitchBook News)

The pandemic drove a banner year for pet adoptions, and the funding has followed, with pet-related startups snatching up more than $1.1 billion in venture capital so far in 2021. But don't call it a blip, writes James Thorne. Investors see a bright future for startups focused on our furry friends.

How solo VCs are changing the venture investing game

(studiostockart/Getty Images)

A new breed of venture capitalist has emerged in the past several years: the solo VC. These investors do far more than angel and seed deals, writes Marina Temkin. They raise nine-figure funds, invest across stages, and even lead rounds—and they do it with a speed that traditional firms may find hard to match.

Wall Street wins signal the start of a synthetic biology revolution

(Courtesy of Ginkgo Bioworks)

After a decade of innovation, synthetic biology companies are notching big breakthroughs. James Thorne and Marina Temkin spoke with VCs about the promising future they foresee—and why one investor believes these developments represent "the most important technological revolution of our time."

Hackers, remote workers spur record PE deals in cybersecurity

(Olemedia/Getty Images)

Private equity buyouts are booming in cybersecurity as the already fast-growing industry responds to a surge in remote work, coupled with increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks. Ryan Prete breaks down the data behind the record-setting spike.

Investors are raising climate tech funds at a torrid pace

(Malte Mueller/Getty Images)

Midway through 2021, investors had closed as many climate-focused funds as they'd raised in the previous five years combined, a frenzy that underscores tech's crucial role in tackling climate change. Priyamvada Mathur explores this new wave of dealmaking amid trends including the push for net-zero emissions and the staggering rise in extreme weather disasters.

Typically opaque PE pursues retail investors despite pushback

(Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

It's been more than a year since federal officials announced policies meant to crack open private equity funds to retail investors for the first time. Along the way, dueling views on the potential risks and returns have sparked fierce debate over whether the asset class has delivered on its promises. Adam Lewis covers the clashing views and shares a breakdown of PE fund returns by strategy.

On the podcast: Venturing outside Silicon Valley

We had a hard time choosing which episode of "In Visible Capital" to feature this weekend, so we asked executive producer Kai Yau. His favorite conversation from Season 4 features SaaS Ventures co-founder Collin Gutman, discussing what it takes to grow venture ecosystems in areas outside traditional tech hubs. PitchBook research analyst Andy White also joins the show to share key findings from our latest US VC Quantitative Perspectives report.