ABSTRACT
This concluding chapter summarises the principal findings of the research as reported in detail in Chapters 6 to 8 and the characteristics of better performing funds in Europe and the US as discussed in Chapter 9. Readers may therefore obtain a quick understanding of the research and its main findings, together with implications for policy and practice, from this chapter. The chapter is organised as follows: first, the research questions are stated and the methodology revisited, followed by the contribution of the research to the literature. This is followed by the main findings related to the research questions and the theoretical contribution. A discussion of the practical implications to the VC sector and policymakers follows, including the need to disseminate the best practices of US VC firms to the UK and continental Europe in order for VC fund performance in Europe to potentially further improve. The best practices are also pertinent for VC firms and funds setting up in other geographies, particularly in emerging markets. A list of best practice guidelines based on the research is included. Finally, the limitations of the study and suggestions for future research are discussed.
