Opportunities or risks? Venture capital investments and regional path creation: Evidence from China

Venture capital, as an expectation of investors, has become an important vehicle for regional financialization. From the perspective of evolutionary economic geography, we figure out that venture capital investments in China significantly contribute to regional product expansion. Such a positive effect is not only concentrated in the core cities in the investment network but also benefits the periphery counterparts. However, venture capital investments may not completely break the path lock-in of left-behind regions to enhance their economic resilience. In this sense, the uneven geographic development led by venture capital should raise the awareness of policymakers and planners.