From CNBC: 2024-11-14 06:12:47

Venture capital industry faces challenges amid lack of IPOs and M&A activity, leading to liquidity issues for investors. At Web Summit, Edith Yeung and Larry Aschebrook discuss difficulties in cashing out long-term bets on AI startups. Yeung highlights dominance of Big Tech in AI space, while Aschebrook emphasizes need for liquidity in VC market.

As IPO market remains stagnant, investors seek opportunities beyond AI in sectors like cybersecurity, enterprise software, and crypto. Yeung eyes long-term investments in enterprise and infrastructure, while Aschebrook praises growth of cybersecurity firm Wiz, which turned down $23B acquisition bid from Google and aims to reach $1B in ARR by 2025.

Read more: VCs say tech investing is ‘tough’ amid IPO lull and ‘nuts’ AI hype