You wrote: "As such, one could argue that the startups have been acting completely rationally by taking advantage of the willingness in the private markets to invest at exorbitant valuations."
In the words of Clay Davis from The Wire: "You think I have time to ask a man, 'why he givin' me money?' Or 'where he gets his money from?' I'll take any motherfucker's money if they givin' it away."
Many VC's encouraged startups to raise as much money as they could while the getting was good. That is a good move for the VC's (raises the value of their shares) and the entrepreneurs (they get more money). But everyone should have known that interest rates were going to rise in the future, and that's the one trigger that will truly change the capital market.
In the words of Clay Davis from The Wire: "You think I have time to ask a man, 'why he givin' me money?' Or 'where he gets his money from?' I'll take any motherfucker's money if they givin' it away."
Many VC's encouraged startups to raise as much money as they could while the getting was good. That is a good move for the VC's (raises the value of their shares) and the entrepreneurs (they get more money). But everyone should have known that interest rates were going to rise in the future, and that's the one trigger that will truly change the capital market.