Putting numbers on the global venture slowdown

An overview of 2022’s deal volume, deal count, exits and other key metrics

“Tell me something I don’t know,” was my first reaction when reports on venture capital in 2022 hit my inbox this month. It is pretty clear by now that there was a slowdown, so what’s the point of harping on about it as we enter a new year?

The point, as often with data, is that we can now confirm what was merely intuition until Q4 actually closed: 2022 saw fewer exits and venture deals than 2021.

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If we had to retain only one fact, it would be the decline in capital invested in startups last year. According to CB Insights, whose State of Venture report is one of our sources today, total venture funding in 2022 amounted to $415.1 billion, 35% less than in 2021.

According to the PitchBook-NVCA Venture Monitor report, deal count was more stable, with 2022’s estimated deal count approaching 2021’s figure. But looking at quarterly data reveals that Q4 had the lowest deal count of 2022, which doesn’t necessarily bode well for 2023.