Wellington Private Investing: Quarterly Update

In this edition of Wellington’s Private Investing Quarterly Update, we highlight our mid-year private equity outlook, share updates across the private markets, explore ESG and impact highlights, and profile key news and events.

2024-01-31
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The views expressed are those of the author at the time of writing. Other teams may hold different views and make different investment decisions. The value of your investment may become worth more or less than at the time of original investment. While any third-party data used is considered reliable, its accuracy is not guaranteed. For professional, institutional, or accredited investors only. All investing involves risk. Please refer to risks at the end.

The state of venture capital markets

Venture capital has not been immune to broader market volatility, as a variety of factors (both macro and sector specific) have impacted financial markets over the past few years. While some, such as stubborn inflation rates and recent regional bank failures, are clearly challenges to the industry, others point to 2023 as a potentially strong vintage year for venture capital firms that can navigate volatility. 

After years of elevated deal activity (and prices) primarily driven by the low cost of capital, valuations, deal volume, term sheet structure, and the competitive landscape are adjusting to a new normal. 

Why it matters

While these impacts are wide-ranging across the venture landscape, they are reflected with varying nuance and magnitude by stage and sector. In our view, one conclusion seems clear: The initiative has shifted from companies raising capital to the investors with money left to deploy. 

Figure 1

the-state-of-venture-capital-markets-fig1 (1)

Key areas we’re watching in the private markets

The late-stage growth market continues to adjust to the new reality of the public market: namely, growth at all costs no longer works and multiples are not what they used to be.

We believe that, amid widespread market volatility over the past eighteen months, scientific advancements across private biotech continue unabated. We see particularly compelling innovation in immunomodulatory therapies, antibody drug conjugates, radiopharmaceuticals, genetic medicines, and a range of other novel treatment modalities.

Increased public focus on the transition to a lower-carbon economy and greater frequency of extreme weather events are fueling a growing private-market opportunity set for the innovative application of novel or existing technologies to accelerate climate solutions. Despite these strong tailwinds, venture and growth climate funding was not immune to macro factors, and in 2023 has continued to fall in line with broader venture and growth trends.

Many of the same deal flow and valuation trends that drove early-stage venture capital in Q42022 and Q12023 continue to persist. In our view, strong relationships and dry powder will fuel substantial opportunities in this environment.

The investment-grade private placement market — long dominated by large insurance companies — has seen new asset managers enter the market, helping to expand the issuer base and improve investor access to private placements. We believe identifying managers with disciplined underwriting standards and deep experience navigating financial markets will be critical to success in this environment.

We continue to see low deal activity in the fintech space. Simply said, the bid ask spread remains too wide for deals to come to fruition. We believe that deal activity will likely increase as reality sets in, valuations correct, and management teams adjust to the new environment. In our view, that ultimately may create attractive entry points for new private investments.

ESG and impact highlights

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The critical role of ESG for private companies

Explore our full ESG insights for private companies series with our latest research on governance, DEI, climate, and much more.

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2024-10-31
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A guide to ESG materiality assessments
We continue our "ESG insights for private companies" series by exploring ESG materiality assessments, including why they are important and how to conduct one for your private company.
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2025-07-31
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News, insights, team, and/or events

News:

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Article Alternatives Private equity

The Wall Street Journal News Exclusive: Wellington Banks at Least $2.6 Billion for Growth Investment Strategy

Co-Head, Private Investments Michael Carmen and Sector Lead, Consumer & Technology, Matt Witheiler spoke with the Wall Street Journal to disucss the recent oversubscribed $2.6 billion final close of late-stage growth fund, Hadley Harbor IV and how Wellington is supplying capital to transformative businesses enabling them to scale from the private to the public market.

Source: WSJ Pro Private Equity

news-modern-professional-team-1369521281-316x316
Press release

Wellington Management closes fourth late-stage private fund, exceeding $2.5 billion target

Hadley Harbor IV brings total capital raised to invest in late-stage private companies to over $6.6 billion since 2014.

Insights:

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The state of venture capital markets

Co-head of private investments Michael Carmen shares his outlook for venture capital markets, including the state of deal flow, valuations, and the IPO market.

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2024-06-30
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Private credit in a new regime 

We explore how a shifting macro backdrop, ongoing banking crisis, and evolving competitive dynamics may create opportunities across private credit markets. 

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2024-06-30
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Biotech for the next decade: Private market innovations

We explore our latest research in private biotech innovation across immunomodulatory therapies, precision oncology, antibody drug conjugates, radiopharmaceuticals, genetic medicines, and a range of other novel treatment modalities.

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2024-07-31
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Team:

Meet the Manager: I-hung Shih, PhD, Co-head, Biotech Private Investments

Events:

  • CEO, Jean Hynes and Director of ESG for Private Investing, Hillary Flynn participated in keynote panels at the recent SuperReturn International 2023 conference in Berlin. Jean spoke about “Unlocking opportunity in investment management,” and Hillary shared insights on the evolution of ESG in private markets noting how ESG has evolved beyond risk management into a value creation tool.
  • Greg Wasserman, Head of Private Climate Investing, and Drew Morales, Associate Director of ESG for Private Investing co-hosted a joint strategic climate event with FCLT (Focusing Capital on the Long Term) sharing insights from the recently published report on the opportunity for private equity to decarbonize assets and discussing our work in the climate space.
  • Members of the Wellington team participated in the Milken Institute 2023 conference, including our CEO, Jean Hynes who shared her insights on the panel The Only Way Forward is Through – Navigating Global Turbulence.
  • The Wellington Access Ventures (WAV) team attended Catalyst: California’s Diverse Investment Manager Forum in San Francisco which brought together institutional investors and other global allocators to meet and engage with diverse investor entrepreneurs and general partners.

Did you miss last quarter’s newsletter?

Investment risks

Major risks 

Market risks 

  • Directional; not market neutral
  • Primarily invest in equity
  • Will experience equity-like volatility at times
  • At times, markets experience great volatility and unpredictability

Broad investment flexibility 

  • No benchmark orientation; few investment restrictions
  • Geographic, sector, market-cap, and asset class emphases may shift over time

Liquidity risk 

  • Portfolio of illiquid/private companies
  • The return of invested capital to limited partners may be dependent on the success of the companies held in the portfolio, and the timing of such liquidity is uncertain

Sector risk

  • May concentrate by sector; potential for lack of diversification

Country/currency risk

  • May concentrate by country

Transparency risk 

  • Holdings, pricing, and other data may be limited and, thus, less transparent than certain other investments

Regulatory risk

  • Not subject to the same regulatory requirements as mutual funds or many other pooled investments

Important disclosures

For professional, institutional or qualified investors only. Past results are not necessarily indicative of future results. There can be no assurance the funds will achieve their investment objectives or avoid significant losses. Any securities mentioned are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to be an investment recommendation. There can be no guarantee an investment in any portfolio company will be profitable or avoid losses. For a complete list of the private equity funds’ investments please see https://www.wellington.com/en-us/institutional/capabilities/private-equity.

The funds differ in stage with some making earlier-stage or venture-stage investments whereas others are later-stage funds. The risks associated with early-stage investing differ from late-stage. Additionally, each fund considers ESG and sustainability in different ways according to its investment strategy and objectives. Please refer to each fund’s private offering memorandum for a complete discussion of risks and details regarding investment strategy. This material is prepared for, and authorized for internal use by, designated institutional and professional investors and their consultants or for such other use as may be authorized by Wellington Management Company LLP or its affiliates. This material and/or its contents are current at the time of writing and may not be reproduced or distributed in whole or in part, for any purpose, without the express written consent of Wellington Management. Any views expressed herein are those of the author(s), are based on available information, and are subject to change without notice. Individual portfolio management teams may hold different views and may make different investment decisions for different clients. This material is for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute investment advice or an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to purchase any interest in any Wellington Alternative Investments LLP or Wellington Funds US LLC fund (together, the ‘‘Wellington Funds’’). Investors should always obtain and read an up-to-date Private Offering Memorandum, which qualifies the information set forth herein and contains a description of the risks of investing, before deciding whether to invest in a Wellington Fund. Any such offer of the Wellington Funds is exempt from registration with the SEC and will be made only by means of the Private Offering Memorandum. The Wellington Funds may not be appropriate for certain investors depending on their investment objective and risk tolerance. Wellington Funds are speculative, involve a high degree of risk, can be highly volatile and an investor can lose all or a substantial amount of their investment. Further, the Fund’s substantial fees and expenses may offset its trading profits. There is no secondary market for an investor’s interest in a Wellington Fund and none is expected to develop. Securities may be offered through Wellington Funds Distributors Inc., an SEC-Registered Broker/Dealer, Member FINRA and SIPC. Office of Supervisory Jurisdiction: 280 Congress Street, Boston, MA 02210. Tel. 617-951-5000. Fax. 617-951-5250. Wellington Funds Distributors Inc. is an affiliate of Wellington Management Company LLP. For more information, contact Wellington Funds Distributors Inc.

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PAST RESULTS DO NOT PREDICT FUTURE RETURNS.

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