VC funds are currently receiving money like they were back in the days of the dot-com boom — they are just spending it a lot more carefully this time.
All in all, U.S. VCs raised $41.6 billion in 2016, the biggest pick-up since 2001, according to data out of PitchBook and the National Venture Capital Association. At the same time as the funds were rolling in last year, however, startup investing was slowing markedly — and the number of venture-backed businesses that were acquired or went public dropped to its lowest point in seven years.