Key Insights from Carta’s Fund Performance Dinner: What LPs Really Want from VCs
Carta Fund Performance Dinner, me enjoying the view from the balcony
Last week’s Carta Fund Performance Dinner in NYC brought together top venture capitalists and featured valuable insights from Peter Walker. The event served as a great platform to network and understand what limited partners (LPs) truly want from their VC partners.
Three Critical Takeaways
From conversations and shared feedback, three consistent themes emerged that every general partner (GP) should prioritize:
LPs Are Craving Improved Annual General Meetings
LPs are looking for more in-depth, high-value content during Annual General Meetings.
Rather than surface-level portfolio updates, LPs appreciate when GPs deep dive into one or two portfolio companies to showcase the actual work being done. Supplement this with concise updates on the rest.
This method gives LPs a clearer view of how GPs add value and make critical decisions.
An evening of insight
Liquidity Pathways Are Crucial
In today’s market, LPs want transparent and realistic liquidity strategies—especially from emerging managers.
It’s no longer just about promising high-growth companies; LPs want to see clear, actionable plans for how and when returns will be realized.
Transparency around liquidity builds trust and signals mature portfolio management.
View from the balcony
Bridge Rounds Rarely Make Sense
Carta's data reveals that bridge rounds often don’t yield the expected outcomes. Instead of defaulting to them, GPs should prioritize follow-on investments in top-performing portfolio companies.
This insight encourages a more disciplined, data-driven approach that challenges traditional assumptions around short-term funding gaps.
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