The Periodic Table of Tech

The 118 venture capital firms, micro-VCs, angels, accelerators, late stage investors and acquirers you should know.

We’ve done a number of analyses using our data on angels, micro VCs, corporate venture arms & the top VCs in tech, but we still get lots of questions about who are the players in the tech ecosystem that folks should know. The questions have intensified as new names and faces are coming (and going) from the ecosystem. Venture capital’s most active investors are changing quickly over time and new players like Alibaba, Tencent and Tiger Global Management now flex their financing muscle in Silicon Valley and beyond quite regularly.

So today we’re introducing The Periodic Table of Tech – a resource for the tech community to understand the 118 key players in the ever-growing and ever-changing universe of tech investors and acquirers. The firms (and individuals) on the list were drawn from a mix of data-driven posts we’ve produced (many detailed below) that analyzed investor quality, network strength and financing and M&A deal activity.

First, a look at the table (click below to expand or get the PDF and updates by signing up below)

We expect that this list of 118 will change over time as new entrants emerge and gain prominence and others falter and get removed. If you believe someone should be added, please leave a comment with your rationale.

Navigating the Periodic Table

The table focuses on eight different investor types as follows (from left to right). They were selected based on a combination of factors including historical exits, network strength, reputation/brand prominence and deal activity. Many of these criteria are considered as part of our Investor Mosaic scoring algorithms.

Venture capital firms

Venture capital firms included make venture equity investments across the stage spectrum and geographies focusing on high-growth opportunities in tech and have received significant LP commitments to date ($200M to well over $1B+).

The Most Active Venture Capital Firms in H1 2014 – Silicon Valley, New York & Massachusetts

Corporate venture capital firms

Corporate VCs included have separately identifiable corporate venture units and made over 80% of their investments into tech categories, i.e., internet, mobile, software, hardware/electronics). Corporate-affiliated funds with LP commitments such as SAP Ventures are not included here (but are part of the VC category).

Tech nerd? Like data? Writer? We’re looking for the Nate Silver of tech.

Growth/late-stage firms

Growth and late-stage investment firms focus on growth-stage companies with established revenue typically in the tens of millions and/or a record of significant traction. Some, but not all, growth investors are part of firms that also have funds investing in the public markets.

Micro VC firms

Tech micro VCs are those with funds ≤$100M and which have made 80%+ of investments at the early-stage (seed/Series A).

Angel investment groups

Angel groups often bridge the gap between angel investment and institutional VC, providing either a managed fund or direct investment from angel group members.

Related research: Ranking Angel Investment Groups

Angels

Angel investors are, often, wealthy individuals who offer early-stage capital, advice and networks to startups in exchange for equity or convertible debt.

Accelerators/venture studios/holding companies

Accelerators and startup venture studios typically offer some combination of equity investment, mentorship and resources around company development. We’ve previously taken deep dives into the investment activity of Y Combinator and Rocket Internet.

Tech acquirers

Public tech corporations acquiring private tech companies for business growth, sales expansion, new technologies and/or talent. Acquirers selected were based on overall M&A activity of private tech companies as well as M&A momentum based on deal pace.

Related research: Analyzing Tech’s Top Acquirers by Year

Again, if you believe someone should be added, please leave a comment below with your rationale.

Want to track the activity of these 118 key players of the tech ecosystem ? Check out the CB Insights Venture Capital Database. Sign up free below.

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