Private (Quasi-VC) Investing on the Side?

With the fear of sounding ignorant to the basic rules of IBD compliance policies, to what extent is it viable to invest in a startup fundraising round (if you were able to finagle some shares, that is), e.g. if my friend is working at a series B or C startup and offers me to join in for a fundraising round. I'm currently working in a coverage group for the same industry, so I'm thinking that might raise a potential conflict of interest if I were to work on a deal for a company that would be seen as a competitor... have you guys heard of investment bankers participating in startup fundraising rounds as minority investors?

4 Comments
 

Ut similique delectus veritatis minus necessitatibus ea. Qui ipsum veritatis consequuntur laborum. Dolorum blanditiis qui et rerum cumque ad sequi aperiam. Quis enim et voluptate voluptas qui dolores et. Omnis eos nihil ut sint. Velit minima odit doloribus nulla. Eveniet aliquid labore consequatur.

Voluptatem qui occaecati voluptatem nobis cum illo. Quidem impedit itaque voluptas.

Career Advancement Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.8%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.2%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 98.8%
  • Evercore 01 98.2%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.6%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.8%
  • Morgan Stanley 05 98.2%
  • JPMorgan No 97.7%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (14) $434
  • Associates (43) $259
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 1st Year Analyst (77) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (71) $101
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

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
3
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
4
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
5
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
6
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
7
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
8
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
9
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
10
Jamoldo's picture
Jamoldo
98.8
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...”