NVCA celebrates 50 years! A Voice for All Venture Capitalists

01/05/23 • 23 min

In 1973, the venture capital industry was emerging and growing, and it needed a national voice to represent it in Washington. That need resulted in the founding of the National Venture Capital Association. In this episode, we celebrate NVCA’s 50th anniversary and look back on the history of the association and its role in guiding the VC industry through legislative challenges and successes.

Featured in this episode is Skip Heizer son of Ned Heizer, the founder of NVCA. Ned believed everyone should have the opportunity to build a successful business. Skip shares through his father’s eyes, the status of the industry in 1973, the issues that motivated Ned to found NVCA, and the future of venture capital.

Chris Brody was the Board Chair of NVCA in 1985 and spent over a decade serving on the Board. Chris shares the moment when VCs realized that for the industry to survive and grow, they needed to present data and explain their value to policymakers. He also tells us about the most influential meetings in the early days of advocating for the industry in Washington.

To register for our events, or to learn more about the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA), visit our website.

To register for our events, or to learn more about the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA), visit our website.

Previous Episode

Post-Midterm Elections, What Does it Mean for America’s Startup Ecosystem?

The 2022 midterm elections didn’t go in the direction many people predicted, and VCs are wondering what the results mean for the startup ecosystem. We talk with an industry leader about her perspective on the election results and NVCA gives its perspective on what new opportunities may arise in the upcoming Congress for VCs.

NVCA’s Justin Field shares priority issues the new Congress will likely focus on, how the 2024 presidential election will influence legislation, and how agencies will implement recently passed bills such as the CHIPS and Science Act that will enhance the venture industry.

NVCA Board Chair Emily Melton who has years of VC experience talks about the exciting policies that arose in the last year. Emily is also the Managing Partner at Threshold Ventures. She shares how VCs can benefit from recently passed legislation that invests in American innovation. and how they should think about long-term opportunities in a volatile economic period.

To register for our events, or to learn more about the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA), visit our website.

Next Episode

What Do VCs Need to Know about Navigating 2023?

After years of frenzied investments and soaring company valuations, venture capital investment levels are readjusting as businesses assess the current economic landscape. Now, VCs are left navigating persistent inflation, slowing growth, and rising geopolitical tensions. In this episode, we explore how to navigate these issues and the critical messages policymakers need to know now more than ever.

NVCA research director Shiloh Tillemann-Dick talks about the top things founders need to know about the market in 2023 and dives into the data from the recently released Q4 2022 PitchBook-NVCA Venture Monitor Report.

NVCA policy experts Justin Field and Charlotte Savercool look ahead at what the 118th Congress will likely focus on, the scary topic of SEC proposals, and how these will impact the venture industry.

To register for our events, or to learn more about the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA), visit our website.