The Web VC Chart

By Alex Iskold / September 13, 2006 6:19 AM / 32 Comments

Written by Alex Iskold and edited by Richard MacManus.

Whether you like the bubble mentality of the current era or not, it's hard to deny that VCs play a big role in the Web ecosphere. Many prominent venture firms have funded startups in social networking, online video and vertical search - helping to jumpstart the current excitement about new social technologies.

With that in mind we prepared a comparison of VC portfolios. We included VCs that we think are most active in the space, but please note that this is not an exhaustive list. Also we have not attempted to include all of their investments, just the main social web ones. Bearing all that in mind, we encourage you to use the comments section to suggest VCs and companies you think should be added.

We've put the portfolio companies into 4 major categories. Some compromises where made in order to keep the list of categories short - for example Digg would be more precisely categorized under Social News and Flock as Social Browsing, but to keep the chart simple we filed both under Social Networking and Bookmarking.

In addition to the linked logo of each company, the table below also contains its current Alexa traffic rank - a basic (if controversial) measure of popularity. The VC listings include the links to their company, as well as partners working in Web space. Also, we've included links to their blogs and Technorati ratings of the popular VC blogs.

	Audio, Photo and Video	Blogging, RSS, Webtops, Wiki	Search and Classifieds	Social Networking and Bookmarking
Accel Partners Technorati links: 128	Inv: 15M (*) Alexa: 138	Inv: 15M (*) Alexa: 980	Inv: 11.5M Alexa: 1,600 Inv: 18M () Alexa: 51,000 Inv: 5.7M () Alexa: 6,200	Inv: 13M Alexa: 69 Inv: 15.5M Alexa: 42,800
August Capital Technorati links: 171 David Hornik, blog, Technorati rank: 3,539	Inv: undisclosed Alexa: 33,300	Inv: 12M (*) Alexa: 2,500	Alexa: 237	Alexa: 672 Acquired by Monster.com
Benchmark Capital Technorati links: 160	Inv: 15M (*) Alexa: 138	Inv: 1M Alexa: 8,600		Inv: 15M Alexa: 281 Inv: 10M () Alexa: 41 Inv: 8.3M () Alexa: 1,700 Inv: 15.5M Alexa: 42,800
Bessemer Venture Partners Technorati links: 88 David Cowan, Blog, Technorati rank: 14,371	Inv: 10.25M (*) Alexa: 3,600	Inv: 10M Alexa: 190 Inv: 4M (*) Alexa: 3,100		Inv: 1M Alexa: 8000 Inv: 3M Alexa: 2,600
Draper Fisher Jurvetson Technorati links: 232 Tim Draper Steve Jurvetson, blog Technorati rank: 31,000	Inv: 10.25M (*) Alexa: 3,600	Inv: 4M () Alexa: 47,000 Inv: 7M () Alexa: 500	Inv: 2.1M () Alexa: 3,300 Inv: 7.6M () Alexa: 237	Inv: 7.5M Alexa: 2,000
First Round Capital (Angel) Technorati links: 89 Josh Copelman , Blog, Technorati rank: 5,634	Pre-launch Alexa: 6,500 Alexa: 2,950 Alexa: 125,000 Alexa: 33,300	Alexa: 3,100	Pre-launch Alexa: 57,500 Alexa: 25,500 Alexa: 14,100	Alexa: 627
Garage Technology Ventures Technorati links: 65 Guy Kawasaki blog, Technorati rank: 54	Inv: 7M (*) Alexa: 29, 300 Alexa: 1,400		Inv: 1.5M Alexa: 78,500 Inv: 3M (*) Alexa: 5,800	Inv: 3.55M (*) Alexa: 9,000
Greylock Technorati links: 122 David Sze			Inv: 7M () Alexa: 12,100 Inv: seed Alexa: 5,000 Inv: 6.2M () Alexa: 21,700	Inv: 3M () Alexa: 95 Inv: 25M () Alexa: 69 Inv: 10M (*) Alexa: 222
Kleiner Perkins Technorati links: 591	Inv: 8.85M (*) Alexa: 13,800			Inv: 3M (*) Alexa: 41
Leap Frog Ventures Technorati links: 59 Peter Rip, Blog, Technorati rank: 7,730			Inv: 19M (*) Alexa: 14,100 Inv: 1.5M Alexa: 45,800
Mayfield Fund Technorati links: 359			Inv: 10M(*) Alexa: 11,600	Inv: 7M(*) Alexa: 2,900
Mobius Venture Capital Technorati links: 131 Brad Feld, Blog, Technorati rank: 1,924		Inv: 7M () Alexa: 500 Inv: 10M () Alexa: 2,150	Inv: 7.6M (*) Alexa: 237	Inv: 8M (*) Alexa: 7,800
Omidyar Network (Angel) Technorati links: 186 Pierre Omidyar, Blog, Technorati rank: none		Alexa: 47,000 Alexa: 3,100	Alexa: 7,200 Inv: 2.1M (*) Alexa: 3,300	Alexa: 95
Redpoint Ventures Technorati links: 40				Inv: 8.3M (*) Alexa: 1,700 Inv: 15M Alexa: 6 Acquired by News Corporation
Sequoia Capital Technorati links: 410 Mark Kvamme , Roelof Botha	Inv: 8.85M (*) Alexa: 13,800 Inv: 1.5M Alexa: 2,950 Inv: 11.5M Alexa: 13			Inv: 4.7M Alexa: 222
Sherpalo Ventures Technorati links: 174	Inv: 8.85M (*) Alexa: 13,800			Alexa: 627
SoftTech VC (Angel) Technorati links: 32 Jeff Clavier, Blog, Technorati rank: 3,346	Alexa: 1,900	Alexa: 980	Alexa: 25,000 Alexa: 7,200 Alexa: 61,500 Alexa: stealth	Alexa: 9,000 Alexa: 1,500 Acquired by AOL
The Founders Fund Technorati links: 10 Peter Thiel	Alexa: 2,170		Inv: 0.76M Alexa: 17,200	Inv: 5M (*) Alexa: 34,400
Union Square Ventures Technorati links: 294 Fred Wilson, Blog, Technorati rank: 686	Inv: 4M (*) Alexa: 7,500	Inv: 1-2M Alexa: 500	Inv: 5M (*) Alexa: 2,300	Inv: 1-2M Alexa: 154 Acquired by Yahoo!

The (*) means that more than one VC participated and so the exact amount by this firm is not known. Other things: Angels are indicated in parenthesis. The transaction amounts/links for Angels are not listed since they are typically small and not publicized. Also, note the distinct links to the partner's bio, his blog and the Technorati rating of his blog.

What do you think - is there enough data here to draw conclusions? For example we can see that the most popular category is Search and Classifieds. This makes sense since there are many verticals to apply search to and classifieds is likewise popular. Social Networking and Bookmarking is also very crowded and competitive. What other trends do you see?

UPDATE 18/9/06: Version 2 of the chart has now been published, incorporating the feedback received.

	Audio, Photo \nand Video	Blogging, RSS, \nWebtops, Wiki	Search and \nClassifieds	Social \nNetworking and \n Bookmarking
Accel Partners \n Technorati links:\n128	\n Inv:\n15M (*) \n Alexa:\n138	\n Inv:\n15M (*) \n Alexa:\n980	\n Inv: 11.5M \n Alexa:\n1,600 \n \nInv: 18M () \n Alexa:\n51,000 \n \nInv: 5.7M () \n Alexa:\n6,200	\n Inv: 13M \n Alexa:\n69 \n Inv: 15.5M \n Alexa:\n42,800
August Capital \n \nTechnorati links: 171 \n David Hornik, blog, \n Technorati rank:\n3,539	\n \nInv: undisclosed \n Alexa:\n33,300\n	\n Inv: 12M\n(*) \n Alexa:\n2,500	\n Alexa:\n237	\n \n Alexa:\n672 \nAcquired by Monster.com\n
Benchmark\nCapital \n Technorati links:\n160 \n	\n Inv: 15M\n(*) \n Alexa:\n138	\n \nInv: 1M \n Alexa:\n8,600		\n Inv:\n15M \n Alexa: 281\n \n \nInv: 10M () \n Alexa:\n41 \n \nInv: 8.3M () \n Alexa:\n1,700 \n Inv: 15.5M \n Alexa:\n42,800
Bessemer Venture Partners \n \nTechnorati links: 88 \n David Cowan, Blog, \nTechnorati\nrank: 14,371	\n Inv: 10.25M (*) \n Alexa:\n3,600	\n Inv: 10M \n Alexa:\n190 \n Inv: 4M (*) \n Alexa:\n3,100		\n Inv: 1M \n Alexa:\n8000 \n Inv: 3M \n Alexa:\n2,600
Draper Fisher Jurvetson \n Technorati\nlinks: 232 \n Tim Draper \n Steve Jurvetson, blog \n Technorati rank:\n31,000	\n Inv: 10.25M (*) \n Alexa:\n3,600	\n Inv:\n4M () \n Alexa:\n47,000 \n \n Inv: 7M () \n Alexa:\n500	\n Inv: 2.1M () \n Alexa:\n3,300 \n Inv: 7.6M\n() \n Alexa:\n237	\n \nInv: 7.5M \n Alexa:\n2,000
First Round Capital\n(Angel) \n Technorati\nlinks: 89 \n Josh Copelman , Blog, \nTechnorati rank:\n5,634	\n Pre-launch\n \n Alexa:\n6,500 \n Alexa:\n2,950 \n Alexa:\n125,000 \n Alexa:\n33,300\n	\n Alexa:\n3,100	\nPre-launch\n \n Alexa:\n57,500 \n Alexa:\n25,500 \n Alexa:\n14,100 \n	\n Alexa:\n627
Garage Technology Ventures \n Technorati\nlinks: 65 \n Guy Kawasaki \n blog, Technorati rank: 54	\n \nInv: 7M (*) \nAlexa:\n29, 300\n\n \n Alexa:\n1,400\n\n		\n\n \n Inv: 1.5M \n Alexa:\n78,500\n\n \n Inv: 3M (*) \n Alexa:\n5,800\n\n	\n Inv: 3.55M (*) \n Alexa:\n9,000
Greylock \n Technorati links: 122 \n David Sze			\n Inv: 7M\n() \n Alexa:\n12,100 \n Inv:\nseed \n Alexa:\n5,000 \n Inv: 6.2M () \n Alexa:\n21,700	\n Inv: 3M () \n Alexa: 95\n \n Inv: 25M\n() \n Alexa:\n69 \n Inv: 10M (*) \n Alexa:\n222
Kleiner Perkins \n Technorati links:\n591 \n	\n \nInv: 8.85M (*) \n Alexa:\n13,800			\n Inv: 3M\n(*) \n Alexa:\n41
Leap Frog\nVentures \n Technorati links:\n59 \n Peter Rip, Blog, \nTechnorati rank:\n7,730			\n Inv: 19M\n(*) \n Alexa:\n14,100 \n Inv: 1.5M \n Alexa:\n45,800
Mayfield Fund \n Technorati links:\n359\n			\n \n Inv: 10M(*) \n Alexa: 11,600\n	\n \n Inv: 7M(*) \n Alexa:\n2,900\n
Mobius Venture Capital \n Technorati\nlinks: 131 \n Brad Feld, Blog, \nTechnorati rank: 1,924		\n \n Inv: 7M\n() \n Alexa:\n500\n \n \nInv: 10M () \n Alexa:\n2,150 \n	\n Inv: 7.6M\n(*) \n Alexa:\n237	\n Inv: 8M\n(*) \n Alexa:\n7,800
Omidyar Network (Angel) \n Technorati links:\n186 \n Pierre Omidyar, Blog, \nTechnorati rank:\nnone		\n Alexa:\n47,000 \n Alexa:\n3,100	\n Alexa:\n7,200 \n Inv: 2.1M (*) \n Alexa:\n3,300	\n Alexa:\n95
Redpoint Ventures \n Technorati links:\n40				\n \nInv: 8.3M (*) \n Alexa:\n1,700 \n Inv:\n15M \n Alexa:\n6 \n Acquired by \nNews Corporation
Sequoia Capital \n Technorati links:\n410 \n Mark Kvamme \n, Roelof Botha	\n \nInv: 8.85M (*) \n Alexa:\n13,800 \n \nInv: 1.5M \n Alexa:\n2,950 \n Inv: 11.5M \n Alexa:\n13			\n Inv: 4.7M \n Alexa:\n222
Sherpalo Ventures \n Technorati links:\n174\n	\n \nInv: 8.85M (*) \n Alexa:\n13,800\n			\n \n Alexa:\n627\n
SoftTech VC\n(Angel) \n Technorati links:\n32 \n Jeff Clavier, Blog, \nTechnorati rank:\n3,346	\n Alexa:\n1,900\n	\n Alexa:\n980	\n Alexa:\n25,000 \n Alexa:\n7,200 \n Alexa:\n61,500 \n Alexa:\nstealth	\n Alexa:\n9,000 \n Alexa:\n1,500 \n Acquired by AOL
The Founders\nFund \n Technorati links:\n10 \n Peter Thiel	\n Alexa:\n2,170		\n \nInv: 0.76M \n Alexa:\n17,200	\n Inv: 5M\n(*) \n Alexa:\n34,400
Union\nSquare Ventures \n Technorati\nlinks: 294 \n Fred Wilson, Blog, \nTechnorati rank: 686	\n Inv: 4M (*) \n Alexa:\n7,500	\n \n \nInv: 1-2M \n Alexa:\n500	\n Inv: 5M\n(*) \n Alexa:\n2,300	\n Inv: 1-2M \n Alexa:\n154 \n Acquired by Yahoo!

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