Strategic decertification in venture capital

An early-round investment delivers information about the quality of a project before more funds are needed. To obtain the best early-round financing offer, the entrepreneur should then approach a venture capitalist with highest screening ability. Going for the most accurate venture capitalist can however backfire in a follow-on round of financing. He could extract advantageous terms by threatening not to reinvest: the more accurate the incumbent, the more the signal sent by his non-participation to alternative financiers would be negative. Then, the most attractive early-round venture capitalist has only intermediate screening ability. The threat of strategic decertification enhances credit rationing.