O.C. Firms on Top as Venture Funding Surges in Southland : Capital Explosion

Venture capital investment in Orange, Los Angeles and Ventura counties took a big jump in the last quarter of 1995, nearly doubling the amount from the final three months of 1994. Here’s the trend, with amounts in millions of dollars:

3rd qtr. 1994: $52.1

4th qtr. 1994: $62.2

1st qtr. 1995: $43.4

2nd qtr. 1995: $86.2

3rd qtr. 1995: $84.6

4th qtr. 1995: $123.0

Where It Went

Consumer and communications issues led the way in the three-county area in 1995’s last quarter, accounting for about 75% of the local investment. The breakdown, in thousands of dollars:

Consumer: $60,175

Communications: $32,387

Software/information: $8,950

Health care: $6,707

Pharmaceuticals: $6,500

Biotechnology: $3,974

Industrial: $3,000

Business services: $1,000

Electronics/instrumentation: $255

Source: Price Waterhouse LLP