The National Venture Capital Association, Thomson Financial and PWC MoneyTree compiled data on venture capital investments in U.S. metros in 2006.
The wiki-definition: "Venture capital is a type of private equity capital typically provided by professional, institutionally-backed outside investors to new, growth businesses. Generally made as cash in exchange for shares in the investee company, venture capital investments are usually high risk, but offer the potential for above-average returns."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venture_capital
Ranking Metro Investment (in millions)
1 San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA CMSA $ 9,159.4
2 Boston-Worc.-Lawrence, MA-NH-ME-CT CMSA $ 2,666.8
3 New York-No. NJ-Long Is., NY-NJ-CT-PA CMSA $ 1,962.8
4 Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, CA CMSA $ 1,564.9
5 San Diego, CA MSA $ 1,231.1
6 Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV CMSA $ 1,111.7
7 Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton, WA CMSA $ 978.7
8 Denver-Boulder-Greeley, CO CMSA $ 616.5
9 Austin-San Marcos, TX MSA $ 604.5
10 Dallas-Fort Worth, TX CMSA $ 535.1
11 Philadelphia-Wilm.-Atl.City, PA-NJ-DE-MD, CMSA $ 503.2
12 Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI CMSA $ 386.4
13 Atlanta, GA MSA $ 356.1
14 Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, NC MSA $ 327.6
15 Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI MSA $ 309.2
16 Pittsburgh, PA MSA $ 229.8
17 Phoenix-Mesa, AZ MSA $ 225.2
18 Houston-Galveston-Brazoria, TX CMSA $ 212.4
19 Portland-Salem, OR-WA CMSA $ 145.0
20 Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill, NC-SC MSA $ 122.4
21 Salt Lake City-Ogden, UT MSA $ 121.3
22 Providence-Fall River-Warwick, RI-MA MSA $ 113.5
23 West Palm Beach-Boca Raton, FL MSA $ 75.3
24 Detroit-Ann Arbor-Flint, MI CMSA $ 68.2
25 Orlando, FL MSA $ 62.4
26 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL MSA $ 57.7
27 Kansas Cty, MO-KS MSA $ 56.0
28 Rochester, NY MSA $ 55.5
29 Nashville, TN MSA $ 45.8
30 Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY MSA $ 38.8
31 Miami-Fort Lauderdale, FL CMSA $ 37.8
32 Sacramento-Yolo, CA CMSA $ 34.1
33 St. Louis-St., MO-IL MSA $ 31.2
34 Indianapolis, IN MSA $ 27.2
35 San Antonio, TX MSA $ 26.1
36 Greensboro—Winst.-Salem--High Point, NC MSA $ 19.7
37 Cleveland-Akron, OH CMSA $ 19.4
38 Hartford, CT MSA $ 18.6
39 Las Vegas, NV-AZ MSA $ 18.4
40 Columbus, OH MSA $ 18.3
http://www.innovationworks.org/PghVe...mentLevels.pdf