US PE/VC Benchmark Commentary: First Half 2023
In the first half of 2023, despite macro headwinds, US private equity remained resilient, while venture capital continued to “correct.”
In the first half of 2023, despite macro headwinds, US private equity remained resilient, while venture capital continued to “correct.”
Private equity and venture capital (PE/VC) in the developed markets outperformed those in emerging markets in the first half of 2023, and while the developed and emerging markets PE/VC indexes have historically outperformed their public market counterparts, the most recent year stands out as an exception.
Reflecting on the last ten years of analyses, we have seen the industry continue to evolve, from Private Equity 1.0 to 2.0, marked by increased sophistication in every aspect of finding, analyzing, and operating companies. With this evolution, private equity has also grown in importance and delivered strong absolute and relative returns. Our analyses have highlighted four key themes: private equity outperformed public markets, the tech sector was a clear winner, top-line growth was a driver of superior returns, and small-cap companies continue to demonstrate promise.