Call Us: 315-443-4083
Text Us: 315-464-0744
Email us: libref@syr.edu
Report an Electronic Resource Issue
This guide will introduce you to three databases available via Syracuse University Libraries that can be used to identify and create lists of venture capital (VC) firms and investors.
If you are a Syracuse University student, staff, or faculty entrepreneur who intends to approach VC firms or investors for funding, before you contact anyone, please reach out to the Blackstone LaunchPad for guidance at launchpad@syr.edu.
If you have questions about using the databases, please contact Librarian for Business, Management, and Entrepreneurship Steph McReynolds.
The following pages provide guidance on how to use the databases to identify venture capital firms and investors.
Because each database is so unique and you will likely be running multiple searches, creating a search log is recommended. In your search log, you can keep track of your search strategies, the type of results the searches returned, and document name(s) of results you downloaded. Your search log can be in document or spreadsheet format, whichever makes the most sense to you. Below is sample search log showing what you might include.
Date | Database | Search Strategy | Search Results | Notes | Related links/ docs |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
8/02/2022 | New York Venture Capital |
Firm type: Venture Capital, Private Equity, |
276 firms | Seem to be relevant. Downloaded PDF to review more closely. Might want to expand list by adding additional firm types and other industry focus. | new-york-venture-capital-information-technology-industry-2022-08-02.pdf |
8/04/2022 | Directory of Venture Capital Firms | Expert Search: ( Investment Criteria ALL early OR Investment Criteria PHRASE early-stage ) AND ( Geographic Preferences ALL northeast OR Geographic Preferences PHRASE east coast ) AND ( Industry Group Preferences ALL tech OR Industry Group Preferences ALL technology ) | 57 firms | Seem relevant, but short list. Will probably need to add more search terms to next search. Downloaded Excel list of firm names and MS Word full profiles. Saved search in database to refine later. |
directory-of-venture-capital-firms-technology-short-list-2022-08-04.xlsx; directory-of-venture-capital-firms-technology-short-list-2022-08-04.docx |
8/05/2022 | PrivCo |
Advanced Search; Investors; Filters: Investor Types: Angel/Individual, Angel Investor Group; Investor Stages: Early Stage, Seed; Industries: Technology; Sub-Industries: Software & Internet Services |
275 firms | Seems relevant. Explored first 10 firms and will run this search again to further explore this list. Downloaded one investor tearsheet that seemed really relevant. Might want to add more search terms to expand this list. | privco-angel-investor-forum-2022-08-05.pdf |
You may also want to create your own unique master list of venture capital firms/investors. The list might include the name of the firm/investor and whether the firm/investor is relevant to you, the permalink to information in a database or filepath to the resource or document(s) that include more information about the firm/investor, and which resources you have searched (and still need to search) to find additional information about the firm/investor. Just as with any research, be sure to also note from which source(s) you have found specific pieces of data and information about the firm/investor.