Venture Capital, the Regions and Public Policy: The United Kingdom since the Post-2000 Technology Crash

Abstract

Mason C. and Pierrakis Y. Venture capital, the regions and public policy: the United Kingdom since the post-2000 technology crash, Regional Studies. The geography of venture capital in the United Kingdom has been shaped since the year 2000 by a significant increase in public sector venture capital funds. Venture capital investments are now less concentrated in the South East. However, investment activity in the Midlands and North is dominated by the public sector. Deal sizes in these regions are small. Venture capital, measured by the total amount invested, remains over-concentrated in London and the South East where private sector investors continue to dominate. This paper concludes by questioning whether this increased dependence of Northern regions on public sector venture capital matters.