2020 has been the year of SPACs led by Venture Capitalists (VC) firms and individuals. Some people have compared SPACs to ICOs, in terms of hype and also potential outcome (ICOs flared up with a lot of drama and gov’t scrutiny). I believe SPACs can play an important avenue for specific companies, typically those that are more capital intensive and take a while to get to maturity. From a retail perspective, it provides an opportunity for investor to get access to technology companies that still have a lot of upside.

Here are the active SPACs in market today, including the amount of it:

VC firm led SPACs

Ribbit Capital $350M – https://www.renaissancecapital.com/Profile/LEAP.U/Ribbit-LEAP/IPO

FirstMark Capital $360M – https://www.renaissancecapital.com/Profile/FMAC.U/FirstMark-Horizon/IPO

Lux Capital $300M – https://www.renaissancecapital.com/Profile/LUXAU/Lux-Health-Tech-Acq/IPO

General Catalyst $500M – https://www.renaissancecapital.com/IPO-Center/News/72692/Health-technology-SPAC-Health-Assurance-Acquisition-files-for-a-$500-millio

Social Capital – 5 SPACs for a total of $3.2B+ – https://www.renaissancecapital.com/Profile/IPOF.U/Social-Capital-VI/IPO

Altimeter $450M – https://www.renaissancecapital.com/Profile/AGCUU/Altimeter-Growth-Corp/IPO

Dragoneer $600M – https://www.renaissancecapital.com/Profile/DGNR.U/Dragoneer-Growth-Opp/IPO

Social Leverage $300M https://www.renaissancecapital.com/Profile/SLAC.U

Science $270M https://www.renaissancecapital.com/Profile/SSAAU/Science-Strategic-Acq/IPO

Fifth Wall $300M https://www.renaissancecapital.com/Profile/FWAA/Fifth-Wall-Acquisition-I/IPO

Lerer Hippeau $200M https://www.renaissancecapital.com/Profile/LHAAU/Lerer-Hippeau-Acquisition/IPO

Tribe Capital $200M https://www.renaissancecapital.com/Profile/ATVCU/Tribe-Capital-Growth-I/IPO

ARCH Venture Partners and General Catalyst $500M https://www.renaissancecapital.com/Profile/REVHU/Revolution-Healthcare-Acq/IPO

Advancit Capital $350M https://www.renaissancecapital.com/Profile/AACOU/Advancit-Acquisition-I/IPO

Individual VCs (but not their firms) SPACs

Reid Hoffman (of Greylock) $600M https://www.renaissancecapital.com/Profile/RTP.U/Reinvent-Tech-Partners/IPO

Bradley Tusk (of Tusk Ventures) $300M https://www.renaissancecapital.com/Profile/IGACU/IG-Acquisition/IPO

Brad Feld (of Foundry Group) $225M https://www.renaissancecapital.com/Profile/CRU.U/Crucible-Acquisition/IPO

Jeff Ransdell (of Fuel Venture Capital) $200M https://www.renaissancecapital.com/Profile/MAQCU/Maquia-Capital-Acq/IPO

I know of several other VC led SPACs coming online. More to come for sure.

Relative to all the SPACs that have been raised this year and previous years (see below), the number and total value of VC related SPACs is tiny percentage. Image is via https://www.spacresearch.com/