Answered By: Leslie Burmeister
Last Updated: Feb 13, 2024     Views: 669

Q.
VCPE Database Comparison

Comparison of Pitchbook, Preqin, CB Insights, and Capital IQ

A.
 
Pitchbook Preqin CB Insights Capital IQ
Bottom Line Great for portfolio companies, really helpful verticals and emerging spaces, detailed contact and valuation info.  Intuitive interface, basically NO downloading Great for VCPE firms and fund-specific info.  Great contact info for firms.  Skews to the PE end of the VCPE spectrum.  Geographic filtering can be a little non-standard  for US GEOs as Preqin is non-US owned (e.g. greater metro area categories often not available) Great for portfolio companies, really helpful "collections" (verticals) but often tech-specific Great all-around company database with granular screening criteria.  Can also save screens at HBS level to share with others.  VERY generous with downloading (no cap overall - only per search at 10K). Nice Idea Generation screen area to show use cases of Cap IQ. However, interface is not intuitive
Access
  • Current Harvard affiliates
  • Current Harvard affiliates
  • HBS graduating class (for career purposes thru mid-Aug)
  • Lifetime onsite access for HBS alumni
  • Mediated search for all HBS alumni for career search
  • Current HBS affiliates
  • HBS graduating class (for career purposes thru mid-Aug)
  • Current Harvard affiliates
  • HBS graduating class (for career purposes thru mid-Aug)
  • Mediated search for all HBS alumni for career search
Date coverage (VCPE related entities and transactions) 1865 (Coverage is thin until 1980) 1950's- present (Coverage is thin until 1980) 1960s (Coverage is thin until 1980) 1950s (Coverage is thin until 1980)
# VCPE backed companies 3.6 MM 170K 383K Not available (10MM private companies in total)
# VCPE firms 63K 28K 31K 44K
# VCPE funds 115K 124K not available 50K
# deals 325K VC
376K Corp/Strategic M&A
142K Buyout
75K Private Debt
72K IPO		 146K PE/Buyout
319K VC
20K Private Debt
106K Real Estate		 430K VC
505K Buyout		 515K VC
938K M&A/Buyout
487K IPOs
Industry categories Strong Strong Strong Standard
Verticals Strong Solid Strong for tech related verticals None. Recommend using keyword search in Business Description
Geographic Granularity Zip level City level City Level Zip level
Downloading Extremely limited (10 rows of data per day; 25 per month) Limit 1000 per search for Companies/Deals.  Very high limit for firms/funds (over 20K) 5,000 per year per user 10,000 results per download
Portfolio company info Very strong Strong Strong Strong
VCPE firm info Strong Very strong Strong Strong
Boolean (And/Or) Searching Yes Limited to Boolean within Industries/Verticals Limited to Boolean within Keywords Yes
Contacts - Firms Yes (Direct emails) Yes (Direct emails) C-Suite Only (LinkedIn profiles) Yes  (limited direct contact info but goes beyond C Suite)
Contacts - PCs Yes (Direct emails) C-Suite Only (LinkedIn profiles) C-Suite Only (LinkedIn profiles) Yes  (limited direct contact info but goes beyond C Suite)
HBS alumni screening variable? Yes No No Yes
Research/reports Emerging Industries reports, Morningstar reports Private Capital Compensation Report; other reports on private capital markets Yes, but not all research included in subscription.  (No Market Maps, for example) Yes (CFRA Industry Overviews)
Saved searches/screenings Yes Yes Yes Yes
Custom Alerts Yes No Yes Yes
Notes on screening variables Comprehensive financials and valuation info for portfolio companies.  Extensive screening and reporting data for firms and companies overall Extensive screening criteria specific to VCPE; Filter by minority/women owned VCPE firms, charts & league tables, Benchmarks, ESG criteria; Strong fund performance, firm AUM, etc.; financials, valuation, employee count for portfolio companies Good screening specific to VCPE; coverage includes top-level information on the venture financing space, providing a snapshot of investors, deals, and companies Extensive screening criteria specific to VCPE; very extensive and  granular criteria for portfolio companies.  Solid info on VCPE firms; financials and valuation for portfolio companies fairly limited. Does provide snapshot of deals
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