The venture industry warned of a “black swan” at the start of the pandemic. Instead, they got a golden goose.

The stock market rallied, and privately owned tech companies joined a parade of initial public offerings with strong debuts. Their exits gave firms like Andreessen Horowitz and Sequoia Capital some of their best returns ever.

Now, investors are spreading around their new wealth to the next generation of startups.

Founders are raking in funding at record valuations. It’s great news for companies, but the blistering pace of dealmaking means venture capitalists have to work smarter to stake their claim in the hottest deals. They’re moving faster on deals and sweetening their offers with more favorable terms, Insider’s reporting has shown. How one venture capital firm is using an inclusive investing method to target startups in fintech and the future of work