Metrics & Performance
Last updated
Quick Answer
The percentage of a fund's portfolio companies that successfully raise the next round of financing, indicating deal quality and portfolio momentum.
Portfolio Graduation Rate
Graduation Rate = Companies Raising Next Round / Total Portfolio Companies
Where
Graduation rate measures the percentage of portfolio companies that advance to the next stage of financing — seed companies that raise Series A, Series A companies that raise Series B, and so on. A higher graduation rate suggests better deal selection, more effective portfolio support, and stronger alignment with the next stage's investor expectations. Typical seed-to-A graduation rates range from 20-40%.
In Practice
The seed fund's 38% graduation rate to Series A — compared to the industry average of 25% — was a key talking point in their Fund II pitch, demonstrating that their selection process and portfolio support consistently produced fundable companies.
What good looks like
Why It Matters
Graduation rates are a leading indicator of fund performance because companies that raise follow-on funding are more likely to achieve eventual exits. For seed and early-stage funds, graduation rate is one of the few quantifiable metrics available before exits materialize.
VC Beast Take
Graduation rates can be misleading. A fund could have a high graduation rate by investing only in safe, consensus deals that easily raise follow-on but never generate venture-scale returns. The best metric is graduation rate combined with the quality of follow-on investors and the valuations achieved.
Related concepts
Graduation rate measures the percentage of portfolio companies that advance to the next stage of financing — seed companies that raise Series A, Series A companies that raise Series B, and so on.
Understanding Graduation Rate is critical for founders navigating the fundraising process. It directly impacts deal terms, valuation, and the relationship between founders and investors.
Graduation Rate falls under the metrics category in venture capital. This area covers concepts related to the quantitative measures used to evaluate fund and company performance.
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