 | | (sesame/Getty Images) | | | If you're wondering just how much valuations of private companies could drop amid the downturn and rising interest rates, look no further than Klarna.
Last summer, the Swedish buy now, pay later lender was valued at $45.6 billion. But the winds have shifted dramatically since then. The most valuable private company in Europe is reportedly raising a new round of financing at a valuation of $6.5 billion—a drop of more than 85%.
While other startups may not be as affected by current market conditions as the buy now, pay later companies, investors can't simply dismiss Klarna's potential down round as an anomaly.
There is little doubt that a great many other startups, especially late-stage ones, would have a hard time raising capital at the valuations they once fetched. And since investors often say that an asset is only worth what somebody is willing to pay for it, many startups seem blatantly overvalued, even if they won't seek fresh capital for a while.
"Never has previous round valuations felt more stale and inconsistent with the current market," tweeted Eric Paley, a co-founding partner at Founder Collective, a seed-stage VC firm.
The question that many VCs are now struggling with is what, if anything, they should do about it. One answer is to mark down portfolio companies to reflect what they may be worth now.
But that's far from straightforward.
I am Marina Temkin, and this is the Weekend Pitch. You can reach me at marina.temkin@pitchbook.com or on Twitter @mtemkin.
Although all US venture firms are required to review valuations every quarter—a process called marking-to-market—they don't all share the same philosophy on how and when an asset should be written up or down. | | | | | | | |
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| Soaring energy prices create new opportunities | | European gas demand is forecast to drop by 33 billion cubic meters in 2022. According to McKinsey & Co, "High prices have transformed the business case for energy efficiency." This creates a goldrush opportunity for companies specializing in energy intelligence and decarbonization strategies.
Corinex provides industry-leading energy software that generates real-time information for producers and consumers of energy. Its energy efficiency projects are being implemented by the world's largest utilities, which are investing into Europe’s net-zero energy transformation.
In the current high-price energy environment, these efficiency projects are repaid in months or even weeks.
View Corinex's investment teaser | | | | | | | |
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Surveying sustainable investing practices | | PitchBook is taking the pulse of investors and other private market participants on their incorporation of impact strategies and/or ESG risk factors. Please share your firm's approach to sustainable investing and what drives it. The survey will take about 10 minutes.
All who complete the survey will have the opportunity to enter a prize drawing, and for each completed response, PitchBook will make a donation to World Central Kitchen. | | | | | | | |  | | Ramesh "Sunny" Balwani (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) | | | "I am responsible for everything at Theranos. All have been my decisions too."
—A text message sent in July 2015 from former Theranos COO Ramesh "Sunny" Balwani to Elizabeth Holmes, presented in court by Assistant US Attorney Jeff Schenk during his closing argument.
Balwani was found guilty on Thursday of defrauding investors and patients on all 12 criminal fraud charges, which included 10 counts of federal wire fraud and two counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. | | | | | |  | | (Dominic Dähncke/Getty Images) | | | Private equity investment in hotels and resorts is on pace to match last year's total, having completed seven deals at the year's halfway point, according to PitchBook data.
Here's a closer look at how PE firms are rediscovering their taste for leisure, restaurant and hotel companies, following the sector's crash during the economic crisis triggered by the pandemic. | | | | | | | ... That funding for 3D printing startups is at an all-time high? Venture funding for these companies totaled $1.5 billion in H1 2022, the most of any previous six-month period and the second-highest annual total on record. | | | | | |  | | (Drew Sanders/PitchBook News) | | | In the first half of this year, private equity firms and their portfolio companies backed 48 asset management deals worldwide worth a total of $6.7 billion, including both direct investments and add-ons, according to PitchBook data.
PitchBook's Madeline Shi took a closer look at the wave of consolidation sweeping the wealth management industry, fueled by PE interest, generational turnover and acquisitions. | | | | | | How one restaurateur's bet on liquid natural gas transformed America's energy industry. [The New York Times]
With the era of rising valuations and cheap debt at an end, private equity may be heading for a fall. [The Economist]
How Sixth Street is tapping almonds and avocados to hedge against inflation. [Institutional Investor]
Why big cities can't get workers back to the office. [The Wall Street Journal]
Three years ago, Mexico's president helped eradicate illegal taps of gasoline pipelines. Now the fuel thefts are getting worse again. [Bloomberg]
Does anyone want to buy Robinhood? [Forbes] | | | | | |
This edition of The Weekend Pitch was written by Marina Temkin and Priyamvada Mathur. It was edited by Chris Noble and Kate Rainey.
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