Region

The type of and source for private equity capital that your company should seek depends in part upon its where its headquarters are located and upon its expected geographic reach. While some sources of private equity, especially angels and early stage investors, tend to focus their investments regionally, large venture funds and later-stage investors may be willing to invest outside of their region, and, at times, outside of their country.

The National Venture Capital Association a valued Springboard partner, uses the following criteria to define a company's region.

Alaska/Hawaii/Puerto Rico
Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico
Colorado
The state of Colorado
DC/Metroplex
Washington, D.C., Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland
LA/Orange County
Los Angeles, Ventura, Orange, and Riverside Counties (i.e., southern California, except San Diego)
Midwest
Illinois, Missouri, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Michigan, and western Pennsylvania
New England
Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and parts of Connecticut (excluding Fairfield county)
New York Metro
Metropolitan NY area, northern New Jersey, and Fairfield County, Connecticut
North Central
Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Nebraska
Northwest
Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming
Philadelphia Metro
Eastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey, and Delaware
Sacramento/Northern California
Northeastern California
San Diego
San Diego area
Silicon Valley
Northern California, bay area and coastline
South Central
Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana
Southeast
Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee, South Carolina, and North Carolina
Southwest
Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and Nevada
Texas
The state of Texas
Upstate New York
Northern New York state, except Metropolitan New York City area