11.   But giant funds are a source of mounting stress for venture firms now.

12.   But pension funds generally are not the favorite clients of venture firms, because they can be political, fickle, and penny-pinching.

13.   But they also can include complex features that translate to more gains for the venture firm than immediately meet the eye.

14.   But the marketplace did not take to the concept as quickly as the venture firms.

15.   By contrast, Greylock Partners, an early-stage venture firm in Waltham, rarely loses young executives.

16.   Called Private Investments in Public Enterprises, or PIPES, these investmentes enable venture firms to get an equity stake in a promising company at a discount price.

17.   Chen already had two other venture firms ready to give him the million dollars he needed.

18.   Chris Mello was a fast-rising analyst at the same Boston venture firm.

19.   Cascade is one of a series of hot technology companies to be bankrolled in the last few years by Matrix Partners, the super-successful Waltham, Mass. venture firm.

20.   CMGI and Compaq have signed a memorandum of understanding with Shanghai Information Investment Inc., a venture firm funded by the Chinese government.