PitchBook, a venture capital and private equity database, has launched VC Exit Predictor, an AI-powered tool that predicts a startup’s chances of a successful exit. The tool generates a score based on the probability of a startup’s acquisition, going public, or not exiting due to becoming self-sustaining or experiencing an event like bankruptcy. To ensure accuracy, predictions are made for venture-backed companies that have received at least two rounds of venture financing deals.
VC Exit Predictor was developed using PitchBook data, including deal activity, active investors, and company details. However, the tool may struggle to predict outcomes for unpredictable events like pandemics, global conflicts, or natural disasters. Additionally, the bias problem persists as algorithms amplify biases in the data on which they are trained. Nonetheless, PitchBook plans to continue building on the tool to improve accuracy and add new functionality to provide investors with more insights.
AI-Driven Competitive Advantage in Startup Investments
Investors have been seeking an AI-driven competitive advantage in startup investments for years. PitchBook is the latest company to develop an algorithmic tool that predicts startup exits with reasonable accuracy. Other VC firms like SignalFire, EQT Ventures, and Nauta Capital are also using AI-powered platforms to flag potential top firms. However, no predictive tool is perfect, and investors shouldn’t rely solely on them to make financial decisions. While VC Exit Predictor can give investors an edge in making informed investment decisions, it shouldn’t be the only tool for investment decisions, particularly without a third-party audit of the algorithm.