To get a sense of what’s happening in the IT market, sometimes you have to look elsewhere. So, when the latest private equity fund-raising results were published (by Dow Jones LP Source, via VentureBeat), I checked on the venture capital data. Why? Venture capital trends hold some clues as to where the IT industry is headed.

Venture capital funds raised $13 billion last year, off a bit more than half from $28.7 billion in 2008. To an IT reseller, that may not seem terribly relevant, but the implications are profound. VC money reshapes the competitive landscape, at once offering new products for resellers to include in their portfolios and creating competition to the solutions you already represent.

The drop in VC fundraising last year made 2009 the domain of established IT manufacturers, with little disruptive influence coming from new market entrants. But, this could change in 2010. Dow Jones LP Source anticipates that market conditions could favor early-stage startups in the race for investment capital. These are the companies that could cause market dynamics to shift, as they currently represent an unknown. Later-stage companies, which are looking to grow toward a major acquisition or an IPO, are known quantities at this point — from a competitive perspective, at least. They are expected to struggle to secure VC financing this year, which could alleviate some competitive pressures on large IT manufacturers and their channel partners.

In 2010, it looks like we may see newer, smaller companies benefit, which could have implications for the IT industry — and the business community as a whole — for years to come. Keep an eye open for the new ideas that you may want to fold into the services you offer your clients.