Year in Review: NEA stands tall as most active VC in 2016

Last year, the venture firm with one of the largest amounts of capital at its disposal ranked as the most active investor nationally and internationally.

New Enterprise Associates, which is investing from a $2.8 billion main fund and a $350 million opportunity vehicle it raised together in 2015, was the most active U.S.-based VC in 2016, according to VCJ‘s analysis of preliminary Thomson Reuters data.

NEA backed 90 deals, besting second-place Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, which invested in 67, and third-place Accel Partners, which put money to work in 64 companies, according to Thomson Reuters.

NEA also stood atop the worldwide list. French investor Bpifrance Investissement SASU was second internationally with 78. Sequoia Capital, which has sizable fund operations focused on Asia and India, was the third most active VC around the globe, investing in 77 companies, according to the preliminary data.

The data is continually updated and could change modestly in coming weeks.

The multistage-focused NEA participated in the large financing of OpenDoor Labs, which raised a $290 million round, and MetroMile, which secured $153 million. The firm also took part in the funding of Zero Financial‘s $2.5 million financing and the $2 million round for Indio.

In January, NEA filed a regulatory document to raise $3 billion for its 16th fund.

Intel Capital was 10th overall among U.S. investors with 50 deals to its credit, but it was the most active corporate VC ahead of GV (formerly known as Google Ventures), which tied for 14th with 44 investments.

Internationally, Sequoia Capital, which invested in Stripe, DoorDash, Druva Software and the $1 million funding of LawnGuru, put the most money to work, investing $977 million in 2016.

Venture firms that put a lot of money to work in 2016 include NEA, which invested more than $483 million in the year, and Kleiner Perkins, which invested more than $457 million, according to the preliminary data. Kleiner Perkins raised a $1 billion growth fund and $400 million for its latest early-stage main fund in 2016.

Warburg Pincus and Goldman Sachs also invested a lot of money in venture deals in 2016, according to the data.

Downloadable Data in Excel: most-active-us-based-vcs-2016

Photo of garden of dollar signs courtesy of ©iStock/Michal Krakowski