Bonus Structures: VC Holds Steady While PE Drifts Toward Discretion
What’s driving VC and PE bonus structures in 2026? New data from the Thelander x PitchBook Investment Firm Compensation Survey shows that bonus structures across VC and PE firms remain tilted toward discretionary pay — but the similarity ends there. The Wall Street Journal reported this morning that Wall Street’s 2025 bonuses reflect a “gangbusters” year – […]
VC Associate Compensation by Region: Why AUM Matters More Than Geography
VC associate compensation by region varies widely across the U.S., but the biggest driver of total cash might not be what you’d expect. While associates in Tier 1 regions do earn more, the most significant step-up in total cash occurs once firms cross the $1 billion AUM threshold. Using the interactive compensation maps from the […]
Carry Dollars at Work: What Every VC Needs to Know
What are carry dollars at work? Thelander data shows how carry dollars at work — the potential dollar value of carried interest at a 2x gross multiple — has shifted across firm sizes and levels since 2023.
Carried Interest Vesting: How VC and PE Firms Are Moving in Opposite Directions
Carried interest vesting is diverging — and the gap between VC and PE is widening. Using carried interest data from the Thelander platform, we’re seeing a clear split in how both VC and PE firms are structuring vesting times. At Venture Capital firms, vesting is getting longer. At Private Equity firms, vesting is getting shorter. […]
How Managing General Partner Compensation Changes as AUM Grows at VC Firms
You’re a Managing General Partner of a venture firm and your AUM grows from $50 – $99 million to $1 – $1.9 billion…How do you expect the mix of cash and carry to change? The Thelander Comp Planning tool has the answer. Using real-time data from the Thelander platform: Thousands of firms rely on the Thelander […]
How CVC Unit Leader Compensation Has Changed Since 2022
CVC Unit Leader compensation has grown meaningfully over the past five years, with the sharpest gains showing up in carried interest. Using data from the Thelander platform, this data drop tracks how total cash and carried interest for CVC Unit Leaders—senior corporate-level executives running corporate venture units—have shifted from 2022 through 2026, at both the […]
How Long Until You Get Promoted? Career Progression at Investment Firms
The promotion timeline at investment firms varies by level, but the data reveals a clear pattern: the higher you climb, the longer it takes to move up. Using data from the Thelander platform across 500+ investment firms, here’s how long professionals typically spend in each role before their next promotion. Using data from the Thelander […]
Committing Capital For Your Carry: What Every VC Needs to Know
How much capital are GPs expected to commit for their carry? Thelander data shows VC fund commitment requirements are rising — see 2023–2025 benchmarks by partner level.
What Are Director of Investor Relations Making at Investment Firms?
Investor relations has become a strategic role at investment firms, and Director of Investor Relations compensation is starting to reflect it. As fundraising and exits take longer, Directors of IR sit at the intersection of capital raising, LP communication and firm reputation. So, does the compensation data reflect that growing responsibility? At firms with less […]
Family Office vs. Venture Capital Firms: Who Pays More?
When it comes to family office vs venture capital compensation, there’s no single answer to who pays more, it depends entirely on the role, the percentile you’re using and the total AUM. This week’s investment firm data drop analyzes total cash and carried interest compensation for Managing General Partners and Director / Principal level roles at family offices and […]