VC Databases Compare

So you’re starting to work as an investor, analyst, or even as an entrepreneur who wants to learn more about the business game. One of the first decisions that you’ll have to face is choosing a database for helping you in your investigations.

Since databases store large amounts of content, this can be very helpful to anyone who needs to gather information in order to make investment decisions or capital deals. In this article, eight databases will be compared: CBInsights, Crunchbase, Oracle DataFox, Mattermark, Owler, Pitchbook, PrivCo and Tracxn. Comparison parameters will be taken from their approach, pricing, reliability and main tools to conclude which one is the best fit for each independent work case.

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Approach

CBInsights

‍ It is especially for companies engaged in private equity, venture capital, corporate development, investment banking and other similar businesses. It evaluates millions of data points to help make the best decisions at critical moments in a business or deal. It also allows companies to have a tool that helps them find the most promising and lucrative investments, and capitalize on them early on.

Crunchbase

Crunchbase is a platform that brings together business information on private and public companies. Crunchbase information on such companies includes: investments made and received, list of founding members or individuals in relevant positions, acquisitions, industry news and trends. Originally built to track startups, Crunchbase now contains information on public and private companies on a global scale.

Oracle Data Fox

It is an information portal where companies can access reliable, up-to-date and accurate data that they can use to move their business forward. With DataFox, users have a powerful prospecting engine they can use to discover the companies they want to investigate.

Mattermark

Their approach is prospecting of potential customers that helps companies to search for and discover information about other companies and key people, enabling them to draw up actionable lists of potential customers, quantify signals and identify and capitalise on possible business opportunities. This robust data platform makes it easy for users to identify the best prospects with the greatest potential to become paying customers and partners, based on high-quality, actionable data.

Owler

Owler is a business platform created to provide companies of any size in various industries with reliable and highly processable information in a regular and timely manner. Owler offers complete business profiles of more than 15 million companies. In addition, the system offers daily snapshots and news detailing the movements, updates and events in your industry. With Owler, it's easy to see how your company is doing against the competition and provides clear, easy-to-understand visualizations to help you determine areas of interest and more.

Pitchbook

It offers companies involved in venture capital, mergers and acquisitions and private equity a platform that helps them access the most reliable and meaningful business information and resources in the world. Companies are handled in a centralized location where all the information they need about venture capital, private equity and M&A, investors and funds is easily and quickly accessible.

PrivCo

PrivCo provides the latest news and updates as well as financial data on private companies. PrivCO targets a very varied audience, with a list of market researchers and business students studying private companies, large corporations looking for up-and-coming competitors, and start-up and expanding companies in need of investors.

Tracxn

It mainly helps venture capital, private equity and corporate development firms to identify, track and analyze new technology companies. With Tracxn, companies can scan the relevant business sectors and explore new companies that have enormous growth and development potential.

Features, data gathering and prices comparison

Features

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Data gathering

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Pricing per year

What database is best for you?

Not all databases fit all consumer profiles. Based on the characteristics and approaches of each one, it can be said that there will be some, which more adequately meet the needs of each profile.

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If you are an investor or a VC firm,

You will need to have an optimal analysis of a company's performance and be able to compare it with others to get a broader picture of what to invest in. Therefore, the price may vary, staying within a margin where 10,000 would be the maximum; so it will result in a convenient purchase. Pitchbook, PrivCo and Tracxn would be the best options since they count with all the features that an investor needs, for a considerable amount of money.

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For a student,

It is fundamental that the price of the database is low, but at the same time making sure that it has the necessary tools to do a complete and proper study. With this mindset the best option would be Crunchbase, since it is priced lower than most databases out there and contains an extensive data analysis, company profiles, and performance metrics.

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What a formal company needs,

Is to understand every part and function of the business: accounting, finance, marketing and data. For making major decisions and managing overall operations and resources. Then, the best options for this profile are Oracle DataFox and CBInsights. None of them are free, but they have different price ranges that can be adjusted to the budget of the different levels that businesses can have, making them the ideal choice for small or large companies.

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The needs of a startup,

We can compare its needs with those of a formal company but taking into account a more fundraising-focused research approach, and having the profiles of key people and events. For this profile Owler and Mattermark will fit better, as both have very low prices in exchange for full tracking of key information, performance analysis and company profiles.

We know that choosing is not an easy task, but it is clear that having a preview of how the different databases work and what their approach is for each user, will help you choose the most suitable one for you. We hope that by having a clearer picture, you will find and discover the advantages and disadvantages of each database.

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Credits: Sara Escamilla Enríquez, Luis Miguel Almanza Rueda, Itzel Pamela Becerril Tovar, Rodrigo Alejandro Ibarra Vizcarra, Gabriel García Nevárez, Ilian Murillo Palma, Marcos Abraham Rascón Corona, Priscila Elizabeth Terrazas Rico, Ivan Elias Castro Cordero.