Publications

2004
Chapter

Venture Capital

By: Paul Gompers and Josh Lerner

Keywords: Venture Capital

March 2021 (Revised August 2021)
Case

In November 2020, the co-founders of DigiPlex study the future growth trajectory of their Nordic data center venture. A critical question was on the agenda: was now finally the right time to sell DigiPlex? Originally a $2.75 million investment in one small data center... View Details

Keywords: Entrepreneurship; Growth and Development; Decision Making

winter 2000
Article

Assessing the Impact of Venture Capital to Innovation

By: Samuel Kortum and Josh Lerner

We examine the influence of venture capital on patented inventions in the United States across twenty industries over three decades. We address concerns about causality in several ways, including exploiting a 1979 policy shift that spurred venture capital fundraising.... View Details

Keywords: Venture Capital; Innovation and Invention

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December 2018
Teaching Note

Clayton, Dubilier & Rice at 40

By: Josh Lerner and Terrence Shu

Keywords: Finance; Private Equity; Succession Planning

Fall 2017
Article

An Empirical Analysis of Investment Return Dispersion in Emerging Markets Private Equity

By: Josh Lerner and Mark Baker

The authors use transaction-level data to compare the dispersion of private equity (PE) returns in emerging markets (EMs) to the same in developed markets (DMs). They regress within-market absolute deviation from the mean on an EM indicator and controls. They find... View Details

Keywords: Private Equity; Emerging Markets; Investment Return; Analysis

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January 2019
Article

Pay Now or Pay Later? The Economics within the Private Equity Partnership

By: Victoria Ivashina and Josh Lerner

The economics of partnerships have been of enduring interest to economists, but many issues regarding intergenerational conflicts and their impact on the continuity of these organizations remain unclear. We examine 717 private equity partnerships and show that (a) the... View Details

Keywords: Partnerships; Leveraged Buyout; Partners and Partnerships; Private Equity; Venture Capital; Leveraged Buyouts

SSRN

2015
Working Paper

Lost in the Clouds: The Impact of Changing Property Rights on Investment in Cloud Computing Ventures

By: Josh Lerner and Greg Rafert

Our analysis seeks to understand the impact of changing allocations of property rights on investment in new firms. We focus on the Cartoon Network, et al. v. Cablevision decision in the U.S., which narrowed the protection enjoyed by content creators (e.g., movie... View Details

Keywords: Technological Innovation; Venture Capital; Internet and the Web; Entrepreneurship; Investment; Copyright

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October 2012 (Revised September 2015)
Case

Altoona State Investment Board: July 2012

By: Josh Lerner and Nathaniel Burbank

Considers the decision faced by state pension fund manager Rod Calhoun as he decides whether to invest $200 million in Bain Capital's eleventh global buyout fund: Bain Capital Fund XI. For the fund, Bain was offering its limited partners a choice between three... View Details

Keywords: Management Fees; Bain Capital; Venture Capital; Private Equity; Leveraged Buyouts; Banking Industry; Boston

October 2012 (Revised February 2013)
Case

Innova Capital: The Transition

By: Josh Lerner and Ann Leamon

The partners at Innova Capital, a leading mid-market private equity investor in Poland, must negotiate a transition of power between the two ex-patriate founders and three talented young Polish partners. If they fail to find an accomodation, the entire firm will... View Details

Keywords: Firm Structure; Career Management; Emerging Market; Succession; Entrepreneurship; Private Equity; Venture Capital; Negotiation; Investment; Restructuring; Transition

August 2012
Teaching Note

Messer Griesheim (A) (Abridged) and (B) (TN)

By: Josh Lerner and Eva Lutz

Teaching Note for 813-018 and 809-057 View Details

Keywords: Private Equity; Venture Capital; Energy; Family Ownership; Energy Industry; Europe

November 2011
Teaching Note

Altoona State Investment Board: December 2008 (TN)

By: Josh Lerner and Ann Leamon

Keywords: Investment; Altoona

October 2011 (Revised March 2013)
Case

Yale University Investments Office: February 2011

By: Josh Lerner and Ann Leamon

David Swensen and the Investments Office staff must decide whether to continue to allocate the bulk of the university's endowment to illiquid investments—hedge funds, private equity, real estate—given the impact of the recent market turmoil. The case explores the risks... View Details

Keywords: Asset Management; Resource Allocation; Investment; Venture Capital; Investment Funds; Property; Private Equity

Article

Public Policy Towards Patent Pools

By: Josh Lerner and Jean Tirole

Keywords: Policy; Patents

September 2008 (Revised September 2010)
Case

Ithmar Capital

By: Josh Lerner and Ann Leamon

The founders of Ithmar Capital, a mid-market private equity fund targeting businesses in and addressing the Gulf Co-operation Council countries, are about to raise their third fund, targeting $1 billion. The firm's current strategy as demonstrated in Funds I ($70... View Details

Keywords: Private Equity; Financial Management; Investment Funds; Investment Portfolio; Financial Services Industry

July 2008
Teaching Note

Yale University Investments Office: August 2006 (TN)

By: Josh Lerner and Ann Leamon

Teaching Note for [807073]. View Details

Keywords: Investment Funds; Strategy; Cost vs Benefits; Resource Allocation; Decision Choices and Conditions; Venture Capital; Assets; Leveraged Buyouts

2012
Chapter

Technological Innovation and Organizations

By: Pierre Azoulay and Josh Lerner

Keywords: Technological Innovation; Organizational Design; Organizational Change and Adaptation

March 2010
Article

Contractibility and Contract Design in Strategic Alliances

By: Josh Lerner and Ulrike Malmendier

Earlier version distributed as National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper No. 11292. View Details

Keywords: Contracts; Alliances

February 2006 (Revised January 2007)
Case

ABRY Partners, LLC: WideOpenWest

By: Josh Lerner and Smart Darren

ABRY, a Boston-based private equity group, is considering whether to terminate its investment in WideOpenWest or to try to salvage the transaction by acquiring a division of telecommunications unit Ameritech. View Details

Keywords: Private Equity; Investment Portfolio; Problems and Challenges; Financial Services Industry; Media and Broadcasting Industry; Boston

September 2005 (Revised May 2007)
Case

OuterLink Corporation (A)

By: Josh Lerner and Brenda Chia

Zero Stage Capital is addressing a troubled investment in OuterLink Corp., which has a capital deficit of $30 million and was written off by all but one of its investors as a victim of the technology bubble. The venture organization must decide whether to shutter the... View Details

Keywords: Information Technology; Decisions; Venture Capital; Private Equity; Price Bubble; Investment; Financial Services Industry