Twelve Meditations on Venture Capital

Abstract

This paper reflects on the policy formation process in the burgeoning area of venture capital finance. An important question is raised as to why so little extant academic research, of both rigor and relevance, is employed in policy formation. The authors argue that the long term, international and comparative perspective of the academic researcher is of increasing importance in government. The gap between policy practice and academic empiricism is illustrated by reference to contemporary policy interest in the creation of public/private (‘hybrid’) venture capital funds. The rubric of 12 Meditations is employed as a device to communicate across the academic/policy maker divide.