Fund Structure
Illiquidity Premium
The additional return investors expect for holding assets that cannot be easily sold, like venture capital fund interests.
The illiquidity premium compensates LPs for locking up capital in venture funds for 10+ years. Because VC fund interests can't be easily traded, investors demand higher returns than liquid alternatives. Estimated at 3-5% annual return premium over public markets.
In Practice
The pension fund allocated to VC expecting a 15% net IRR versus 10% from public equities — the 5% spread represented their required illiquidity premium for locking up capital for 10 years.
Why It Matters
The illiquidity premium is the fundamental reason VC returns should exceed public market returns. If VC only matches the S&P 500, LPs are better off in index funds.
VC Beast Take
The illiquidity premium is the toll you pay for locking up your money in a vault for a decade. It better be worth it, because you can't change your mind.
Related Concepts
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