PwC Money Tree Survey notes this is first year that venture capital investment levels went up since 2007.
Close to $22 billion and 3,280 deals were made in the venture capital markets, an increase of 19 percent and 12 percent, respectively, compared to 2009. According to the PricewaterhouseCoopers/National Venture Capital Association Money Tree Report for 2010, the leading industry sectors for funding include: Software ($4 billion), Biotechnology ($3.7 billion), and Industrial/Energy ($3.3 Billion). Medical Devices & Equipment was the only sector to experience a decline in dollars invested ($2.5 billion to $2.3 billion) for the same period.
When looking at investments by stage of development, Start Up/Seed capital investments declined slightly (-2%) from 2009 to 2010, with Expansion stage financing surging 47% in dollars for the same period. Early Stage also experienced a double-digit increase in finance activity (+15%).
