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National Venture Capital Association
The National Venture Capital Association was founded in 1973 to represent the venture capital industry before Congress and federal regulators.
National Venture Capital Association
The National Venture Capital Association was founded in 1973 to represent the venture capital industry before Congress and federal regulators. Its members include firms from Sequoia Capital to Andreessen Horowitz, collectively managing the majority of US venture assets. The trade group operates out of Washington, D.C., with a separate office in Beijing opened in 2014 to engage with China's VC ecosystem (per NVCA, 2014). The NVCA's core work involves tracking and advocating on legislation affecting carried interest taxes, capital gains rates, foreign investment reviews, and securities law. It publishes the annual NVCA Yearbook with PitchBook, detailing venture investment volume, exits, fundraising, and sector breakdowns — a standard reference for allocators and policymakers. The association also maintains a model legal documents library for VC financings and runs the VentureScape platform for deal tracking. Bobby Franklin has served as president and CEO since 2009, succeeding Mark Heesen. The 45-member board includes partners from top VC firms, with John Gabbert of Pillar VC serving as board chair as of 2025. In April 2024, the NVCA publicly opposed the FTC's proposed ban on non-compete agreements, arguing it would harm startup innovation (per Axios, April 2024). The association also operates a foundation — the NVCA Foundation — focused on venture education and diversity initiatives. What distinguishes the NVCA from other industry trade groups is its direct role in writing the financing documentation that governs US venture capital. Its model stock purchase agreements, term sheets, and incorporation documents are used by thousands of startups and funds annually — a structural lever that gives the association practical influence far beyond lobbying.
General information
Firm type
Trade Association
Year founded
1973
AUM
Undisclosed
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Washington
Corporate office
Washington, D.C., United States
Additional offices
Beijing, China
Principals
Bobby Franklin
President and CEO
John Gabbert
Board Chair
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
What is the NVCA's role in shaping venture capital regulation?
The NVCA lobbies Congress and federal agencies on policies affecting the VC industry — primarily carried interest tax treatment, capital gains rates, securities regulation, and foreign investment review (CFIUS). It files amicus briefs in major startup-related lawsuits and coordinates member testimony before House and Senate committees (public record).
Does the NVCA publish investment data?
Yes. The NVCA annually publishes the NVCA Yearbook in partnership with PitchBook, providing aggregate US venture capital data on deal volume, exit value, fundraising, and sector distribution. It also operates the VentureScape platform, which offers near-real-time venture investment metrics (per NVCA).
Who are the key decision-makers at the NVCA?
Bobby Franklin has served as president and CEO since 2009. The 45-member board includes partners from leading VC firms; as of 2025, John Gabbert of Pillar VC serves as board chair. Day-to-day operations are run by a policy and research staff based in Washington (public record).
How does the NVCA produce model legal documents?
The NVCA maintains a library of model legal documents for venture capital financings — including stock purchase agreements, term sheets, and incorporation documents. These are drafted by a committee of VC attorneys and updated periodically to reflect changes in Delaware law and market practice (per NVCA).
Does the NVCA have an international office?
Yes. The NVCA opened an office in Beijing, China, in 2014 to facilitate engagement with China's venture capital ecosystem and address cross-border investment issues (per NVCA, 2014). The organization also monitors European and Asian VC regulations through partnerships with regional trade associations.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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