Industry Ventures Launches Preferred Venture Liquidity Program: To Enable More Venture Capital Exits
April 7, 2025 – SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Industry Ventures, a pioneer in flexible capital solutions across the venture lifecycle, is pleased to announce the launch of its Preferred Venture Liquidity Program, a new initiative aimed at helping Venture Capital firms, their portfolio companies and their Limited Partners achieve better liquidity and realize returns. With 40+ leading venture GPs already participating, this program offers enhanced portfolio management capabilities and access to strategic liquidity tools to help VC firms, their investors and their portfolio companies realize more full and partial exits.
Program Highlights for Participants:
- Access to Comprehensive Venture Liquidity Solutions: Venture Capital firms can offer their Limited Partners and their portfolio companies access to secondary liquidity, including GP-led and LP-Led solutions, structured capital solutions and share buyback and tender financings.
- Secondary Market Intelligence & Pricing Insights: Proprietary secondary market pricing transparency and historical sales transaction data to support informed decision-making for internal valuations and buy/sell decisions. This is also very helpful to the finance and audit professionals so they can factor in secondary market pricing into their quarterly and year end valuations.
- Secondary Direct Sales and Tender Advice and Support: Our business development and secondary team works with company management on helping structure and offer liquidity options to older shareholders and employees to better align their workforce and syndicate with their continued growth as exit timeframes have elongated in the market.
- Tech Buyout Partial or Full Exit Opportunities for Portfolio Companies: Direct connectivity to Industry Ventures’ business development and Tech Buyout team helps Venture Capital firms determine if exiting a portfolio company to Tech Buyout funds is appropriate and feasible. Furthermore, advice on partial or full roll-over equity decisions into these control transactions depending on the sponsor or platform investment.
- Exclusive Networking & Thought Leadership: Gain invitations to private networking events, webinars and insider updates on the secondary markets and with our Tech Buyout fund partners.
“Venture Capital firms and their portfolio companies have asked us for more support and help to generate liquidity for their investors. The Preferred Liquidity Program is a direct response to this growing need of the venture ecosystem,” said Hans Swildens, CEO of Industry Ventures. “With investments in over 325 Venture Capital funds, we started the program with 40 top-tier GPs to refine what was needed, we’re now rolling this out to the entire Venture Capital ecosystem and the rest of our portfolio to help funds optimize portfolio management, maintain capital efficiency, and drive long-term growth.”
Ira Simkhovitch, Managing Director on Industry Ventures Secondary team, added: “We are excited to announce this program and help collaborate with the venture community to improve liquidity. It doesn’t matter if you’re on Fund III or Fund X, generating DPI is one of the highest priorities for venture GPs this year.”
“As VCs navigate a shifting market, buyout exits are emerging as a crucial tool for liquidity—unlocking returns, de-risking portfolios, and freeing up capital to back the next wave of innovation. We are committed to partnering with our VCs to facilitate successful exits,” Lindsay Sharma, Managing Director of Industry Ventures Tech Buyout Strategy added.
Industry Ventures remains committed to supporting the Venture Capital community with innovative liquidity strategies tailored to today’s market environment.
Jeff Bussgang, Co-founder of Flybridge Capital Partners, said, “Industry Ventures has been a trusted partner for us for almost two decades. With their expansion into tech buyouts, they are now helping us explore and execute innovative transactions for our successful later stage companies while providing liquidity for our early-stage LPs.”
Scott Law, General Partner of Meridian Street Capital, said, “When it comes to secondaries, Industry Ventures is my first call. They know the market cold, and their reach across the landscape is impressive.”
Ullas Naik, Founder & General Partner of Streamlined Ventures, said, “Our portfolio now has over a hundred companies and some of these businesses could be good candidates for a tech buyout exit. We’re now spending more time helping our companies think through alternative liquidity scenarios as the IPO and M&A markets haven’t been as active compared to prior years. The IV program helps us work with one of our Limited Partners as a thought partner and they are valuable with introductions, advice and thinking through liquidity alternatives.”
Alex Rosen, Managing Partner and Co-founder of Ridge Ventures, said, “There is significant value creation occurring in the early-stage enterprise technology sector but the exit markets for these companies remain muted. Industry Ventures has been a long-standing limited partner and trusted collaborator to assist with creative liquidity options for companies and limited partners.”
Ashmeet Sidana, Founder and Chief Engineer of Engineering Capital, said, “Even terrific companies are staying private longer. DPI and Exit timelines keep getting extended and Industry Ventures has innovated with a creative new program to provide liquidity and flexibility to LPs. We are grateful for our partnership with Industry Ventures from the very inception of Engineering Capital.”
Brett Wilson, Co-founder and General Partner of Swift Ventures, said, “Industry Ventures is a trusted partner and leader in crafting solutions.”
Ryan Floyd, Founding Managing Director of Storm Ventures, said, “Industry Ventures has been a trusted partner for Storm…IV has been a leader in innovative financial solutions and grateful to have them as a trusted partner.”
Kevin Talbot, Co-founder and Managing Partner at Relay Ventures, said, “Industry Ventures is our first call when it comes to liquidity solutions – trusted, strategic, and always thoughtful.”
Ben Ling, Founder and General Partner of Bling Capital, said, “With venture-backed companies reaching significant scale while remaining private, Industry Ventures has been a collaborative partner to think through creative ways to unlock liquidity and create value for companies, limited partners and general partners.”
Eric Rosenblum, Managing Partner at Foothill Ventures, said, “We are thrilled for Industry Ventures to be our preferred liquidity provider. They have been transparent, creative, and collaborative with us, and so they are always first on our list.”
Ross Glasser, General Partner at Elefund, said, “Industry Ventures is a leader in the secondary space and a trusted partner for liquidity solutions.”
Dan Levitan, Co-founder and General Partner of Maveron, said, “Industry Ventures has been an exceptional partner to Maveron for over 15 years, consistently providing innovative liquidity solutions for our LPs and portfolio companies. Their new Preferred Venture Liquidity Program further demonstrates their deep understanding of venture firms’ evolving needs, offering critical tools to manage portfolio exits strategically and efficiently. Congratulations to the team on their continued growth, driven by trusted relationships and deep industry expertise.”
Christine Tsai, Founding Partner and CEO of 500 Global, said, “500 Global has been a longstanding partner with Industry Ventures, and we deeply value the trusted relationship we’ve built with their team.”
Blake Modersitzki, Partner at Pelion Ventures, said, “Industry Ventures is a trusted partner and pioneer in developing unique liquidity solutions.”
Bart Stephens, Founder & Managing Partner of Blockchain Capital, said, “Few people understand the nuances of venture capital and secondary markets as well as Industry Ventures. In complex deals, where trust, creativity, and speed are critical, they are a consistent, dependable partner.”
Dan Rosen, Founder and General Partner at Commerce Ventures, said, “Industry Ventures has been one of Commerce Ventures’ most trusted partners dating back to our first fund. We have worked closely with them as primary investors, co-investors in portfolio companies and providers of liquidity, where an LP or portfolio founder was seeking some. We are proud of our relationship and look forward to doing more together in the future!”
Bruce Taragin, Managing Director at Blumberg Capital, said, “Industry Ventures has been a trusted partner to the Blumberg Capital team for many decades and has also been a great source for early LP liquidity.”
If you would like more information about this topic or Industry Ventures, please contact Industry Ventures Investor Relations (InvestorRelations@industryventures.com).