Venture capital is an investment intended to finance high-risk companies, and particularly entrepreneurs such as those dedicated to the development of new and innovative technologies. Venture capitalists provide such investments because entrepreneurs may have difficulty obtaining loans from banks due to high interest rates, the risks involved in the technological arena, and the absence of a proven track record. However, the rate of success for venture capital investments has been unconvincing. Given this poor success rate, there is a need for comprehensive research to assist entrepreneurs and investors in understanding the opportunities and difficulties of start-up venture capital investments in green building technologies. This paper not only analyzes the current trends of venture capital investments in green building and construction technologies, but also outlines a potential course of action. The findings of the study show that the future of venture capital investment opportunities is very bright. Latin-American countries are not only interested in using green construction materials or technologies by themselves, but also see the United States as a market to which they can export such materials and technologies. However, considerable effort is required, especially from regulatory organizations, to achieve this cooperation and raise awareness in both investors and entrepreneurs. DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)ME.1943-5479.0000118. (C) 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers.
