Silicon Valley Bank - Summer Analyst

At Silicon Valley Bank, I supported the Venture Debt team during a period when SVB was the primary banking partner to nearly half of all U.S. venture-backed startups. SVB wasn’t just a lender – it sat at the intersection of banking, venture capital, and the innovation economy, offering a mix of credit, cash management, and capital connectivity that helped fuel the global expansion of VC.

Scope of Work

• Venture Debt Structuring: I assisted in structuring senior credit facilities – term loans, working capital lines, and equipment financing – tailored to the specific growth trajectories of VC-backed companies. These were often structured to extend runway, preserve equity, or de-risk timing between institutional rounds. Typical borrowers included Series B–D companies with predictable revenue and top-tier investors.

• Financial Analysis & Credit Process: I conducted detailed borrower diligence – modeling cash flows, analyzing burn multiple, growth efficiency, and enterprise value sensitivity under various funding scenarios. I also contributed to internal credit memos, helped assign credit risk ratings, and coordinated with portfolio management on covenant design.

• Client & Investor Interaction: I supported borrower and VC interactions, often preparing data summaries and analysis for calls with both founders and board-level investors. These relationships were core to SVB’s ability to stay ahead of the capital markets and anticipate future funding rounds or potential risk.

• Blue Sheet Reporting: I contributed to internal “Blue Sheet” correspondence – calls tracking sentiment, follow-on capacity, and macro posture across dozens of high-growth borrowers. These helped credit teams calibrate underwriting around shifting investor appetites and sector rotations.

Strategic Context

SVB’s vantage point – sitting between founders, VCs, and institutional LPs – provided a uniquely early look at market shifts. The bank played a key role in expanding venture capital’s global footprint, offering tailored credit in parallel with its cross-border banking and capital markets services. While based in the U.S., our team regularly supported borrowers with international operations and helped evaluate funding strategies that spanned U.S., EU, and Asian VC participation.

Outcome

During my time on the team, I contributed to over $100M+ in structured credit issuance across dozens of growth-stage companies. My work supported SVB’s core mission: reducing friction for scaling companies while providing venture investors with flexible, non-dilutive capital solutions. The tools I helped build – both in structuring and in tracking market sentiment –enabled smarter credit deployment during a phase of rapid global expansion in venture capital.