A landmark research initiative led by the Venture Studio Forum in collaboration with leading academic partners.
Help build the first global benchmark for the Venture Studio model. Venture Studios are growing rapidly across corporate, independent, and university environments, but the field still lacks shared benchmarks, consistent definitions, and an authoritative global view of how studios operate. This survey is the next step in establishing the Venture Studio model as a recognized and rigorously understood innovation discipline. Your participation ensures the data reflects the diversity and sophistication of real operators.
This Venture Studio Ecosystem survey is conducted in partnership with MIT, Harvard, and Stanford.
This study is designed and executed through a collaboration between venture studio experts, operators, and academic researchers. The research framework draws on established practices in organizational studies, innovation management, new venture creation, and ecosystem analysis, leveraging the frameworks and definitions established in the Venture Studio Index. This allows the survey to blend methodological rigor with practical insight, ensuring the questions are grounded in how studios actually function.
Our academic partners contribute to the research design, analytical approach, and publication standards, helping ensure that outputs meet the expectations of the scholarly community while remaining actionable for operators.
The Team
Matthew Burris, Director, Head of Research & Data at the Venture Studio Forum, Partner, Head of Insights the 9point8 Collective
Neal Ghosh, President of the Venture Studio Forum, General Partner, 9point8 Collective
Nina Teng, Director of Global Entrepreneurship Education, Martin Trust Center for MIT Entrepreneurship, Lecturer at MIT Sloan School of Management
Miaomiao Zhang, Harvard Business School
Lauro Remmler, Stanford University, Strategic Advisor Venture Studio Forum
Our Timeline
1
Survey Completion Q1 2026
Provide comprehensive data about your studio's structure, operations, capital model, and portfolio performance across six core areas.
2
Data Analysis Report Q2 2026
Academic partners conduct rigorous analysis to produce standardized benchmarks and frameworks.
3
Asset Class Report 2026
Building on the ecosystem survey, we are partnering with experts and organizations to build out and link portfolio level data to enable asset class level analysis.
4
Ecosystem Mapping 2026
Demographics driven ecosystem mapping of venture studios globally.
Why All Studios Should Participate
Even studios with proven track records and strong capital access benefit from ecosystem-wide data infrastructure:
Competitive Intelligence
Understand where you stand relative to other models, approaches, and operational structures—data you can't get anywhere else.
Model Validation
Demonstrate how your approach compares to the broader ecosystem, valuable when talking to LPs, corporate partners, or potential hires.
Talent & Partner Attraction
Increased visibility in the ecosystem database helps you attract better operators, advisors, and strategic partners who are specifically looking for studios with your profile.
Industry Standards Influence
Your data helps shape the standards and frameworks that will define how venture studios are evaluated—better to be at the table than subject to others' definitions.
Portfolio Company Benefits
As institutional capital flows to the asset class, the portfolio companies you're building benefit from increased ecosystem credibility and follow-on funding access.
Established studios are essential to this effort—your track records and operational sophistication provide the benchmarks that give the entire dataset credibility with institutional investors. We need your expertise to make this work.
Who Should Participate
This survey is designed for any organization that builds companies by serving as entrepreneur, operator, and investor in the ventures they create. We welcome participation from:
Independent venture studios and startup studios
Studios that build companies as their core business model
Venture builders and company builders
Organizations that take hands-on operational roles in company creation
Corporate venture studios and innovation arms
Organizations that build new businesses within or alongside parent organizations
University-affiliated studios
Studios that launch ventures from research or educational institutions
If your organization systematically creates new companies rather than just investing in or advising them, this survey is for you. We're intentionally inclusive of different models, structures, and approaches. Institutional investors need to understand the full spectrum of the asset class, and that diversity is what makes the dataset valuable.
What the Survey Covers
The survey includes approximately 120 questions across six core areas that institutional investors need to understand (approximately one hour to complete):
1
Legal Structures & Governance
How your studio is organized, ownership models, and decision-making frameworks—critical for investors evaluating governance risk and alignment.
2
Funding & Capital
Capital sources, fund structures, investment approach, and portfolio construction—the financial architecture that determines returns.
3
Operations & Model
Your company-building process, resource allocation, team structure, and operational approach—the operational mechanics that drive outcomes.
4
Geography & Focus
Where you operate, where you build companies, and your sector or technology focus areas—market positioning and specialization.
5
Portfolio & Performance
Number of companies built, stage distribution, and key outcomes—the track record that validates the model. Participation in detailed performance metrics is optional and will be handled separately for comprehensive asset class reporting.
6
Ecosystem Participation
How you engage with the broader startup and investment ecosystem—network effects and partnership potential.
The survey takes approximately one hour to complete. You can exit and return if needed, though once submitted, responses become part of the dataset as described in our data use policy. We recommend setting aside dedicated time to complete it in one session.
Data Privacy & Usage: Your Information Is Protected
Master Dataset Management
We maintain rigorous standards for data privacy and usage. VSF maintains a secure master dataset with full responses for authorized research purposes and longitudinal tracking. An anonymized version is shared with academic researchers and approved ecosystem stakeholders under strict data governance protocols.
All data is stored on secure servers with access limited exclusively to authorized VSF personnel and approved academic researchers. Only authorized VSF personnel and collaboration partners with a direct need to access identified data will be able to do so. The survey is conducted through MIT's Qualtrics instance.
Two-Tier Publication Approach
Public Basic Demographic Information: Studio name, location, studio type, website, y ear founded, focus areas, founder roles, return profile focus, whether you accept outside submissions, and categorization details and external partnership status will appear in VSF's public venture studio directory, ecosystem maps, and published reports to create ecosystem visibility.
Protected Detailed Data: All other identifying information requires your explicit approval for publication. Detailed operational data, financial information, and performance metrics will only appear in anonymized or aggregated form unless you expressly consent to attribution.
About the Venture Studio Forum
+1,500
Global Members
Studio founders, operators, investors, and ecosystem partners
+650
Companies Created
By venture studios represented by members
11
Unicorn Built
by venture studios represented by members
+$48B
Enterprise Value
created by venture studios represented by members
Mission & Impact
The Venture Studio Forum is the world's largest nonprofit trade association dedicated to elevating venture studios as an emerging asset class. We advance the ecosystem through standards development, rigorous research, community programming, and industry advocacy.
We've already established standards for venture studio operations and evaluation through the Venture Studio Index. Now we're building the comprehensive dataset that creates the benchmarks, credibility, and infrastructure for venture studios to achieve recognition as a mature asset class. This survey represents a cornerstone initiative in that mission to build the foundational data infrastructure that the entire ecosystem needs.
Take Action Now: Complete the Survey
Your Contribution Matters
Your participation provides essential data that helps clarify how Venture Studios operate globally. By sharing your studio’s perspective, you support the development of shared reference points and comparative insights that benefit operators across corporate, independent, and university environments. Your contribution ensures the dataset reflects the diversity of real studio models and helps advance the collective understanding of this emerging asset class.
Questions about the survey, data usage, or tis initiative? We're here to help. Contact Matt Burris, Director Head of Research & Data, at matt@venturestudioforum.org or visit venturestudioforum.org for more information about VSF's research and standards initiatives.