CB Insights one of the leading corporate data intelligence companies has released their 2014 Global Tech Exits Report on global tech exits. In 2014 the travel industry was a leading industry in exit growth in % change from 2011/2012-to-2013/2014.
The top 4 industries by exit growth:
Health & Wellness 181%
Data Storage & Security 167%
Customer Relationship Management 148%
Travel 106%
If you want to build a company and have a great chance of exiting, the travel industry is one of the best in the world with mobile leading the charge.
Stats from the report:
2,886 tech exits in 2014.
1 in 5 exits were in mobile.
73% of tech exits did NOT raise institutional capital (VC, Private Equity) prior to exit.
1.1% of all tech exits had values over $1B
USA dominates exit activity
44% of investor backed tech startups were early stage startups (Angel/Seed).
Top Sub-Industries of VC backed tech exits:
Advertising, sales and marketing
Business Intelligence, Analysis and Performance Management
Video
Customer Relationship Management
Education and Training
Social
The top sub-industries of VC backed tech exits give startup entrepreneurs a great look into the crystal ball to see what type of startups are getting bought. Shortly at Travel Startups Incubator we will be announcing an investment in a business intelligence/analysis and mobile video travel startup.
73% of tech companies that exited never raised institutional capital (VC, private equity, growth equity). This is interesting and means that the majority of companies that exit are capitalized through bootstrapping (founders, friends and family, seed capital (accelerators and incubators like Travel Startups Incubator) and seed-stage investment capital (non-institutional). In 2013 66% of exits raised no institutional capital so this trend is increasing.
Florida is the # 5 best U.S. state for tech exits in 2014. Florida is one of the best states in the U.S. to launch a travel startup. Florida is the #2 destination in the world behind France for number of visitors. Orlando, FL is the #1 destination in the US with 75M visitors per year.
California #1
New York #2
Massachusetts #3
Texas #4
I recently attended the Florida Venture Forum in Miami to meet VCs on behalf of our portfolio companies. Here are some pictures from the event.
Florida Venture Forum
Robert Salonen, Director Global Business Develpment Florida Institute of Technology, Susan Revello, Publisher Forward Florida, and Matt Zito
Nico Berardi, Managing Director Accelerated Growth Partners and Matt Zito
Thesis Ventures and Travel Startups Incubator managing Partners.
You can download CB Insights full 29 page Global Tech Exits Report at this link.