Innovation research

During the recent recession, the cleantech and renewables sector weathered the stormy financial seas with relative robustness. However, as the fall out of the economic difficulties begins to affect public finances across Europe, the sector is experiencing some volatility.

According to research by Clearwater Corporate Finance, the number of UK private equity deals in the technology sector rose by 20 per cent in 2009, despite the overall drop in deal activity in the asset class.

Members of the European Round Table of Industrialists (ERT), a forum of 50 leaders of major industrial and technological companies of European parentage, launched their vision for a competitive Europe in 2025, listing more than 50 recommendations for policy action in the next five years

Evidence from New Business Creation
Using a comprehensive database of European firms, we study how private equity affects the rate of firm entry. We find that private equity investment benefits new business incorporation, especially in industries with naturally higher entry rates and R&D intensity.

‘The perfect storm’ has become the cliché of choice to sum up the global economic recession of 2008-2009. Certainly, today’s economic environment is dramatically different than the one venture capitalists were operating in five years ago when the first Global Venture Capital Survey was launched. Five years ago, the venture capital community was recovering from the tech bubble bursting and was just beginning to see significant move towards the globalization of the venture capital industry.