There are a few key differences between private equity (PE) firms and venture capital (VC) firms. For one, private equity firms tend to invest in more established companies that are looking for growth capital, whereas venture capital firms invest in early-stage companies that have high potential for growth. Private equity firms also tend to have a longer investment horizon than venture capitalists – they typically hold investments for 3-7 years before exiting, while VCs usually exit within 5 years. Finally, private equity firms typically raise larger funds than VCs and as such, can make larger investments per deal.