How TechCrunch+ Tracked VC Dollars in 2022 • TechCrunch

Looking at how TechCrunch+ covered the company in 2022, we didn’t see a lot of positive news. We’ve seen layoffs, demands for growth at all costs, VCs sitting on mountains of cash, and low funding for minority groups – again. While some of these things may seem contradictory, this is what VCs thrive on.

Let’s dive into our top TechCrunch+ business stories of 2022:

The pendulum of power rests with the employers, doesn’t it?

Layoffs have swept the tech industry throughout the year.

Natasha Mascarenhas spoke with Nolan Church, who helped lead Carta’s 2020 layoffs as chief human resources officer. However, we are going to see more layoffs in the new year. Church “estimates another 30,000 to 40,000 tech workers globally will be laid off in the first quarter of 2023 — a number that follows more than 100,000 layoffs so far in 2022, according to data from layoffs.fyi” , reported Natasha.

Yeah, no, most VCs still don’t really care about your path to profitability

In 2021, startups were urged to grow at all costs. They overhired and had inefficient customer acquisition, but venture capitalists funded them. This year we saw something a little different. Rebecca Szkutak reports that VCs decided that using cash in the name of growth might not be the best plan. But have we seen VCs follow through on their requests?

Move over, operators – consultants are the new non-traditional VC

Startup advisory firms raise venture capital funds themselves to take an equity stake in companies with which they are already in partnership. It’s a bit more complicated than that, but Rebecca begs the question, “Why are so many consultant-led venture capital funds launching now?” Turns out the startups were asking them.

Amid Record Dry Powder, VCs Are Determined To Fund All But You

While we may have seen startup consulting firms doling out money, we haven’t seen the same from traditional VCs, even if they have the money to do it. As of 2020, there’s been a lot of talk about funding more historically unrepresented bands — but we haven’t seen VCs putting their money where it belongs. However, they fund some people. As Rebecca says, “Because they don’t support anyone – they support everyone but you.”

Black startup founders raised just $187 million in Q3

Dominic-Madori Davis looked at the amount of capital black entrepreneurs raised in the third quarter of 2022. To put things into perspective, Dom wrote, “Adam Neumann has raised more in one round than any black founder could. do in a quarter. Adele is worth $220 million. However, these numbers are not necessarily surprising. TechCrunch reported that investors often retreat to their networks during economic downturns, taking less risk on minorities. Dom will keep an eye on this data in 2023.