NVCA releases numbers for Startup Exits for Q3 2007

The National Venture Capital Association has released the latest numbers for startup exits for Q3 of 2007. 

Some quick takeaways:

• 67 VC-backed M&A completed; the dollar volume of this representing a 104% rise from the same quarter last year.  It is also the highest dollar volume since 1Q 2001.
• Technology dominated the M&A (with 45 deals with disclosed values of approximately $3.8 billion).
• The largest disclosed deal of the quarter was the $1.4 billion acquisition of Worldspan Technologies, provider of mission-critical technology services to the travel industry, by Travelport Inc
• Acquisitions are taking longer to close because corporations are being more cautious.
• A total of 9 Technology IPOs were venture-backed, while 3 related to Life Sciences.
• As of Sep 27, 2007, 58% of venture-backed companies that went public were trading at or above their offering price.
• 72 venture-backed companies have filed for IPO since 2006 and are “in registration”.  This is a big jump from previous quarter when 44 venture-backed companies were in registration.

Overall there is a sense of optimism, inspite of: the volatility of stock market, the issue of sub-prime fiasco and the performance of the economy.