Small Fish, Big Fish: The Impact of Venture Capital Portfolio Composition on Affiliation Benefits

Abstract

This study examines whether the value a venture derives from an affiliation depends on its relative standing in the portfolio of all affiliations held by its partner. Relative standing refers to how the venture ranks among other ventures in the partner’s portfolio with respect to expected returns. The relative standing of a venture in its partner’s portfolio influences the venture’s access to the partner’s resources and the venture’s performance. We also argue that a venture’s relative standing becomes more important to performance when the partner has a larger portfolio or higher status. In addition to a field study, we test the effect of a venture’s relative standing in a venture capital portfolio on its exit likelihood, controlling for endogeneity. We find support for our hypotheses.