<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE>                          6
<CIK>                              0000913570
<NAME>                             Venture Lending & Leasing, Inc.
<SERIES>
    <NUMBER>                       01
    <NAME>                         Venture Lending & Leasing, Inc.
<MULTIPLIER>                                       1,000
       
<S>                                               <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                       YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                 JUN-30-1997
<PERIOD-START>                                    JUL-01-1996
<PERIOD-END>                                      JUN-30-1997
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                             65,646
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                            67,819
<RECEIVABLES>                                          3
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                     4,027
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                                   0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                    71,849
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                               0
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                           30,000
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                          1,393
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                               31,393
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                        0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                          37,317
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                                 40
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                                 20
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                            460
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                                 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                              505
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                               0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                           2,173
<NET-ASSETS>                                      40,456
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                                      0
<INTEREST-INCOME>                                  7,583
<OTHER-INCOME>                                         0
<EXPENSES-NET>                                     3,581
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                            4,002
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                           1,464
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                            965
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                              6,431
<EQUALIZATION>                                         0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                          3,609
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                             958
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                  0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                           18,459
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                            0
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                                    0
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                            20,512
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                              (34)
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                              0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                                0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                             0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                              1,438
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                 1,701
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                                    3,581
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                              30,993
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                                968.37
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                      132.06
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                               80.16
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                                 127.81
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                             44.94
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                                   0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                                1,035.88
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                        6.07
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>                            21,083
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>                                 695.72
        


</TABLE>