Venture Capital Valuation | VC Method Template + Example (2024)

Step-by-Step Understanding Venture Capital Valuation (VC Method)

Last Updated June 11, 2024

What is Venture Capital Valuation?

In Venture Capital Valuation, the most common approach is called the Venture Capital Method by Bill Sahlman, which we’ll provide an example calculation in our tutorial.

Venture Capital Valuation | VC Method Template + Example (1)

Table of Contents

  • Venture Capital Valuation Tutorial (VC)
  • Venture Capital Valuation Method: Six-Step Process
  • Venture Capital Valuation (VC) – Excel Template
  • Startup Valuation Example
  • Pre-Money vs. Post-Money Valuation

Venture Capital Valuation Tutorial (VC)

In the following example tutorial, we’ll demonstrate how to apply the VC method step-by-step.

Valuation is perhaps the most important element negotiated in a VC term sheet.

While key valuation methodologies like discounted cash flow (DCF) and comparable company analysis are often used, they also have limitations for start-ups, namely because of the lack of positive cash flows or good comparable companies. Instead, the most common VC Valuation approach is called the Venture Capital Method, developed in 1987 by Bill Sahlman.

Venture Capital Valuation Method: Six-Step Process

The venture capital (VC) method is comprised of six steps:

  1. Estimate the Investment Needed
  2. Forecast Startup Financials
  3. Determine the Timing of Exit (IPO, M&A, etc.)
  4. Calculate Multiple at Exit (based on comps)
  5. Discount to PV at the Desired Rate of Return
  6. Determine Valuation and Desired Ownership Stake

Venture Capital Valuation (VC) – Excel Template

Use the form below to download our sample VC Model:

Startup Valuation Example

To start, a start-up company is seeking to raise $8M for its Series A investment round.

Venture Capital Valuation | VC Method Template + Example (5)

For the financial forecast, the start-up is expected to grow to $100M in sales and $10M in profit by Year 5

Venture Capital Valuation | VC Method Template + Example (6)

In terms of the expected exit date, the VC firm wants to exit by Year 5 to return the funds to its investors (LPs).

Venture Capital Valuation | VC Method Template + Example (7)

The company’s “comps” – companies comparable to it – are trading for 10x earnings, implying an expected exit value of $100M ($10M x 10x).

Venture Capital Valuation | VC Method Template + Example (8)

The discount rate will be the VC firm’s desired rate of return of 30%. The discount rate is usually just the cost of equity since there will be zero (or very minimal) debt in the capital structure of the start-up company. Furthermore, it will be very high relative to the discount rates you’re used to seeing in mature public companies while performing DCF analysis (i.e. to compensate the investors for the risk).

Venture Capital Valuation | VC Method Template + Example (9)

This 30% discount rate would then be applied to the DCF formula:

  • $100M / (1.3)^5 = $27M

This $27M valuation is known as the post-money value. Subtract the initial investment amount, the $8M, to get to the pre-money value of $19M.

After dividing the initial investment of $8M by the post-money valuation of $27M, we arrive at a VC ownership percentage of approximately 30%.

Venture Capital Valuation | VC Method Template + Example (10)

Pre-Money vs. Post-Money Valuation

The pre-money valuation simply refers to the value of the company before the financing round.

On the other hand, the post-money valuation will account for the new investment(s) after the financing round. The post-money valuation will be calculated as the pre-money valuation plus the newly raised financing amount.

Following an investment, the VC ownership stake is expressed as a percentage of the post-money valuation. But the investment can also be expressed as a percentage of the pre-money valuation.

For example, this would be referred to as an “8 on 19” for the exercise we just went through.

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Venture Capital Valuation | VC Method Template + Example (2024)

FAQs

What is the VC valuation template in Excel? ›

A VC valuation template is a business valuation calculator in Excel used by venture capitalists to evaluate the potential value of a startup investment. The template typically includes inputs such as revenue projections, growth rates, market size, and exit scenarios and outputs a valuation estimate for the company.

What is the VC valuation method model? ›

The Venture Capital (VC) Method determines a startup's value before and after new capital is injected (a.k.a. “Pre-Money” and “Post-Money” valuations). This method helps determine the ownership percentages for new and existing investors.

What is the dilution of valuation in VC method? ›

The dilution is the percentage that is left to you (or in general all existing founders/officers/investors) after the new investment. If you own 100% of the company pre-money, the pre-money valuation is $x, and the post-money is $x+y, dilution would be x / (x+y).

What is the formula for valuation? ›

The formula for valuation using the market capitalization method is as below: Valuation = Share Price * Total Number of Shares. Typically, the market price of listed security factors the financial health, future earnings potential, and external factors' effect on the share price.

What is the VC formula? ›

Variable Cost Formula. To calculate variable costs, multiply what it costs to make one unit of your product by the total number of products you've created. This formula looks like this: Total Variable Costs = Cost Per Unit x Total Number of Units.

How do you calculate the VC? ›

Because variable costs scale alongside, every unit of output will theoretically have the same amount of variable costs. Therefore, total variable costs can be calculated by multiplying the total quantity of output by the unit variable cost.

How do you evaluate a startup like a VC? ›

Venture Capital Method

Venture capitalists commonly use this valuation approach to assess startups' worth. This method focuses on potential return on investment (ROI), future cash flows, exit strategies, and risk assessment to determine a startup's valuation.

What is the Berkus method of valuation? ›

The Berkus Method values startups based on potential, not financials. Developed by Dave Berkus for early-stage startups. Uses five metrics: idea quality, prototype, management team, partnerships, and product rollout. It is ideal for pre-revenue, pre-product companies seeking angel investors or seed funding.

What is the basic valuation model formula? ›

The basic valuation model is the discounted cash flow model: quite simply, the value of ANY investment is the sum of its future cash-flows. Therefore, the value of an investment is the sum of all future cash-flows, discounted at an appropriate rate.

What are the methods of new venture valuation? ›

The various methods through which the value of a startup is determined include the Berkus approach, cost-to-duplicate approach, future valuation method, the market multiple approach, the risk factor summation approach, and discounted cash flow (DCF) method.

What is DCF vs VC method? ›

Using the VC method, the value of the target entity is estimated as the value after a few years (the so called 'exit-value'). That value is then discounted to the present value using a discount rate. The DCF method is used for companies where cash flows can be reasonably estimated.

What is the conventional venture capitalist valuation method? ›

The VC method calculates the exit valuation at the specified future date by applying the observed multiples (EV/Sales, EV/EBITDA, EV/EBIT and P/E) of comparable listed companies and comparable transactions to the target company's future earnings.

How do VCs determine pre-money valuation? ›

Pre-money valuations generally form the basis of what a VC's share in the company is determined to be worth, based on how much they invest. If I invest $250k in a company that has a pre-money valuation of $1M, it means I own 20% of the company after the investment: $250k / 1.25M = 20%.

How do you calculate VC dilution factor? ›

Simply, we can calculate dilution in a cap table by subtracting the percentage of ownership before investment (No. of outstanding shares) from the percentage of ownership after investment (No. of issued shares), and the final result is the percentage of equity dilution in the cap table.

What is the formula of VC? ›

V c = R e η ρ r , where =Reynolds number, =coefficient of viscosity, =density of the fluid, =radius of the tube.

What is the formula for the VC ratio? ›

The variable cost ratio is a cost accounting tool used to express a company's variable production costs as a percentage of its net sales. The ratio is calculated by dividing the variable costs by the net revenues of the company.

What is the formula for capital value in valuation? ›

Capital Value is simple to calculate it's the net annual rent divided by the Net Initial Yield. This can also be expressed as Rent multiplied by Years Purchase, where Years Purchase is the inverse of the yield. Then you have to deduct Purchasers Costs.

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