Investing in the Pandemic and the New Normal
SALT Talks-OurCrowd Pandemic Venture Investment Series (Part 1) Watch the full episode here. Despite the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic, venture capital is well placed to thrive as the world becomes increasingly digital and demands innovative solutions, according to one veteran Silicon Valley investor. Unlike previous economic crises, the pandemic offers a chance for venture capital to respond directly to the world’s most pressing needs, from healthcare to online banking to secure communications. The crisis “will be different because of the importance of venture capital,” said Steve Krausz, general partner at U.S. Venture Partners, a Menlo Park-based VC firm that backed companies like Checkpoint Software Technologies Ltd. and Box Inc. “The digitalization of the world economy is going to be enormous.” Even before Covid-19, many VC-backed industries, including cloud computing, financial technology, and digital health, were growing, and driving some of the most dynamic changes in the economy. The virus, along with stay-at-home orders and social distancing requirements, has boosted those shifts, Krausz said, with consumers, businesses and healthcare providers relying even more on digital and online tools. “It has been...
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