In its recently released Startup Outlook Report, Silicon Valley Bank shared the results of its survey of 1,400 founders and executives of global startups. The survey found these entrepreneurs upbeat about their business prospects.
“The 2019 report series finds that despite economic and political uncertainty across the globe, startups are generally optimistic about their business opportunities, and they plan to raise capital and expand their workforces this year,” concluded the report authors.
Among the survey respondents were over 800 US-based startup owners and executives. Here are key findings from their responses:
Business Conditions
Sixty percent of US entrepreneurs expect business conditions in 2019 to improve this year compared with last year.
Nine percent, a slight increase from last year, believe that business conditions will worsen.
Raising Capital
Raising capital has grown easier over the past two years. Seventy-one percent of US startups surveyed successfully raised capital in 2018.
VCs and private equity firms have been investing larger rounds in fewer deals, focusing on high-performing startups.
Promising Technology Sectors
US entrepreneurs say AI and big data are the technologies with the most promise today.
Hiring & Diversity
More than 80 percent of US startups say they are hiring, but report finding workers with the skills necessary is somewhat or extremely challenging.
The percentage of startups with at least one woman on the board of directors has increased to 37 percent.
The percentage with at least one woman in an executive position is 53 percent, up from 43 percent in 2018.
Access to talent is the top policy concern for US startups, in line with findings from previous years.
[ Read the full press release from Silicon Valley Bank here ]