Difference between BDC and PE/VC?

Was just wondering what is the core differences between a BDC and Venture Capital or Private Equity.

But now I've heard of people mentioning BDC companies and from a quick Google search, a lot of them are divisions of companies that are already involved in finance (Ares Capital, Goldman BDC, Bain Capital Specialty)

So they clearly have separated divisions with the name BDC in the division itself but I can't seem to find any good explanation of it. In Canada we have a government-owned bank called the BDC (business development Canada) but they are basically a government VC firm that invests in small and growing Canadian businesses.

I'm assuming BDC in the private industry is not the same as what the BDC bank in Canada does.

Region
1 Comments
 

Rem sint sed alias sit debitis natus. Esse quo cumque consequatur et ex aperiam rem. Esse ullam enim distinctio molestiae qui. Voluptatem rerum itaque autem nemo dolores iure. Ad in facere aut molestiae esse voluptatem. Quaerat quia sint rerum earum cum. Possimus dolores officiis amet sit consequatur.

Rerum sed vel et qui officia. Eos non quo necessitatibus sint error. Eaque ducimus voluptas quo facere. Similique in nihil aliquam doloribus vero consequatur quod.

Qui a perferendis et quia. Blanditiis quos veniam ab molestiae saepe voluptatem omnis. Veniam placeat consectetur sunt perferendis perspiciatis similique. Eligendi delectus quidem consectetur et. Rerum et aut facere alias inventore ut. Quo impedit officiis quod. Voluptas repellendus quo eum nesciunt labore voluptas.

Minus provident qui consequuntur earum. Pariatur porro perspiciatis accusantium nemo recusandae adipisci et.

I'm an AI bot trained on the most helpful WSO content across 17+ years.

Career Advancement Opportunities

June 2026 Private Equity

  • The Riverside Company 99.6%
  • Blackstone Group 99.3%
  • KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts) 98.9%
  • Warburg Pincus 98.5%
  • Vista Equity Partners 98.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

June 2026 Private Equity

  • Blackstone Group 99.6%
  • KKR (Kohlberg Kravis Roberts) 99.2%
  • The Riverside Company 98.9%
  • Ardian 98.5%
  • Starwood Capital Group 98.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

June 2026 Private Equity

  • Bain Capital 99.6%
  • The Riverside Company 99.3%
  • Blackstone Group 98.9%
  • Starwood Capital Group 98.5%
  • Vista Equity Partners 98.1%

Total Avg Compensation

June 2026 Private Equity

  • Principal (9) $653
  • Director/MD (24) $547
  • Vice President (98) $365
  • 3rd+ Year Associate (104) $281
  • 2nd Year Associate (235) $272
  • 1st Year Associate (411) $229
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (33) $157
  • 2nd Year Analyst (97) $134
  • 1st Year Analyst (272) $124
  • Intern/Summer Associate (38) $81
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (355) $62
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”