Despite a slowdown in venture capital investment in the final quarter of 2011, which is normally the most active, investment for the year rose 10 percent over 2010, according to Dow Jones VentureSource.
Investors put $7.4 billion into 803 deals during the fourth quarter, a nearly four percent drop that mirrored a fourth-quarter drop in exit activity.
For the year, investors put $32.6 billion into 3,209 venture deals, which represents a 10 percent increase in capital and a 6 percent increase in deals.
The median amount invested in a financing round rose 16 percent to $5 million during the year.
