Over the past twenty-five years, there has been a tremendous increase in raising of private equity in the venture capital industry.   The pool of lare U.S. private equity funds—partnerships specializing in venture capital, leveraged buyouts, mezzanine investments, build-ups, and distressed debt— and the development of small private equity firms providing venture capital has grown from $5 billion in 1980, $125 billion in 1995, to $1.2 Trillion in 2005. Private equity's recent growth has grown significantly and now represents a normal launch mode for new business ventures of all sizes.