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.
In 2022, the Cambridge Associates LLC Developed Markets ex US Private Equity and Venture Capital Index returned -11.1% in USD terms, marking a sharp reversal from two strong years in 2020 and 2021. Performing slightly better than its developed markets counterpart, the Cambridge Associates LLC Emerging Markets Private Equity and Venture Capital Index returned -8.1% for the year in USD terms, but it also suffered a substantial reversal from strong performance in recent years.
A year after posting their second highest annual returns ever, performance for the US private equity and venture capital indexes fell back to earth in 2022.
In first half 2022, US private equity and venture capital broke their trend of sustained positive performance as the downturn in the public markets spilled over to privates.
According to Cambridge Associates indexes, private equity and venture capital in the developed markets underperformed those in emerging markets in first half 2022.
In 2021, the Cambridge Associates LLC Developed Markets (ex US) Private Equity and Venture Capital (PE/ VC) Index returned 33.4% in USD terms, equaling its strong performance in 2020.
In 2021, the US private equity and venture capital indexes posted their highest calendar year returns since 1999, potentially signaling a market peak and the end of over a decade of steady growth. For the year, the Cambridge Associates LLC US Private Equity Index® returned 41.3% and the Cambridge Associates LLC US Venture Capital Index® gained 54.6%.
In the first six months of 2021, according to Cambridge Associates indexes, private equity and venture capital in the developed markets outperformed those in emerging markets.
In the first half of 2021, US private equity and venture capital returns continued the torrid pace that started in second quarter 2020.