TechCrunch recently put out a list of the top 100 ‘networked’ venture capitalists – following some interesting research. They defined ‘networked’ by the number of co-investors that they had in deals and rated firms by the number of exits they had achieved. The top 10 lists most of the usual suspects. Which got me thinking – is it just that the leading venture firms are bound to have a better network and more co-investors by the mere fact that they have powerful reputations and brands. In which case the research is a little flawed.

Interesting to see Reid Hoffman and Marc Andreessen pop up in the top 100 even though they are angel investors – Andreessen has announced that he is launching an early stage venture outfit on the back of his success as an angel. Networking is important in the venture game, but more critical is access. How will tomorrow’s investors get ‘access’ to the best deals? I can’t help feeling that the power will gradually shift to the entrepreneur. Those with the strongest propositions will be more efficiently streamlined and matched to best suited investors and deal terms in Web based marketplaces that match investors to entrepreneurs. Then the criteria for top ‘networked’ VC’s will be a measure of their connectedness to digital entrepreneur and venture newtorks – not just old world cosy, co-investing relationships.