Financing entrepreneurship by risk capital - evidence revisited

Abstract

This paper summarises the large body of literature dedicated to risk capital within entrepreneurship. This work attempts to advance this field of research and identifies crucial research prospects by examining and evaluating the current body of literature by means of a literature review using a qualitative and quantitative approach. Multi-level comparisons of previous discussions and studies on the perspectives of different market participants reveal gaps that warrant further critical debate. Having synthesised the existing body of literature, the paper concludes by proposing three essential directions for the future while calling for stronger (theoretical) ties between the finance and entrepreneurship literature.