Fair value estimation risk
Most portfolio investments are private and lack observable market prices, so NAV depends on judgment and valuation models.
- Scope
- Illiquid equity and equity derivatives in private companies
- Materiality
- high
Firsthand Technology Value Fund, Inc.
Firsthand Technology Value Fund, Inc. is a business development company that invests primarily in illiquid equity and equity-related securities of venture-stage technology and cleantech companies. It seeks long-term capital appreciation through direct investments in private companies, micro-cap public companies, and a limited sleeve of opportunistic public-market and derivative investments.
| % | |
|---|---|
| Private technology equity investments | 55% Illiquid equity stakes in venture-stage technology companies, including common and preferred stock. |
| Equity derivatives and warrants | 10% Warrants and other equity-linked instruments used to gain upside exposure to portfolio companies. |
| Convertible and term notes | 10% Debt-like investments that can provide interest income and potential conversion upside. |
| Public micro-cap and opportunistic securities | 15% Smaller public-company positions, traded derivatives, and other opportunistic investments. |
| Cash and money market holdings | 10% Exchange-traded and money market fund positions used for liquidity and capital preservation. |
The fund does not sell products to end customers; its capital is deployed to portfolio companies and securities issuers...
- Venture-stage technology companiesprimary
Private technology issuers that receive direct equity or convertible capital to fund growth and commercialization.
- Cleantech companiesprimary
Companies in renewable energy, emissions reduction, and resource-efficiency themes that fit the fund's technology mandate.
- Micro-cap public companiessecondary
Small public issuers that may be underfollowed and offer asymmetric upside but higher volatility.
- Secondary-market sellerssecondary
Existing holders of private securities from whom the fund may buy positions in organized secondary transactions.
- Opportunistic public-market counterpartiesemerging
Issuers or market participants involved in public securities, options, or distressed instruments.
The fund is based in the United States and its portfolio is primarily managed from there...
- •United States is the fund's home market and operating base
- •Portfolio can include non-U.S. securities under the opportunistic sleeve
- •Primary exposure is to U.S.-based technology and cleantech issuers
- •Geographic risk comes through portfolio-company supply chains and customers
- •No country-level revenue disclosure is provided for this fund
The fund's core strategy is to seek long-term capital growth by concentrating at least 80% of net assets in technology...
01
Concentrate capital in technology and cleantechshort-term
The mandate is designed to capture upside from sectors with higher growth potential and innovation-driven value creation.
02
Preserve optionality through opportunistic investmentsmedium-term
A limited sleeve in public securities, derivatives, and distressed debt can add return sources and liquidity flexibility.
03
Source value through private-market accessmedium-term
Direct private investments and secondary purchases can provide exposure to companies before public-market re-rating.
The main risk is valuation uncertainty, because a large share of the portfolio is in illiquid private securities that...
Portfolio-company failure and write-downs
Venture-stage companies are fragile and can lose much or all of their value if product, funding, or market conditions deteriorate.
- Scope
- Private technology and cleantech investments
- Materiality
- high
Liquidity risk
Private securities and secondary positions may be difficult to sell quickly without discounting.
- Scope
- Private-company and micro-cap holdings
- Materiality
- high
Trade policy and tariff disruption
Tariffs and import/export restrictions can raise costs, reduce demand, and disrupt supply chains for portfolio companies.
- Scope
- Global portfolio-company operations and customers
- Materiality
- medium
Fair value of private investments
Can materially affect NAV, unrealized gains/losses, and per-share results
Interest income recognition
Affects reported investment income and timing of earnings
Realized vs. unrealized gains and losses
Can create large period-to-period swings in net assets from operations
: 28.4.2026