Software, biotech companies still getting most venture cap money

Software and biotech companies dominated the venture capital landscape in 2010.

PriceWaterhouseCoopers’ MoneyTree Report found that VC firms spread $21.8 billion over 3,277 deals last year, up 19 percent from 2009. Last quarter alone, deals by VC investment firms totaled $5 billion across 765 deals, up two percent from the fourth quarter of 2009.

Software companies once again took the biggest piece of the VC pie in 2010, garnering $4 billion across 835 deals (including Rally Software, which took a $16 million cash infusion in January, 2010 and is currently mulling an initial public offering). That was up from $3.3 billion in 692 deals in 2009.

Biotech companies received the second most in VC assets out of the 17 categories tracked by PwC, with $3.68 billion in 460 deals, up from $3.57 billion in 426 deals in 2009.