Venture company New Enterprise Associates announced it closed a $2.6 billion fund, the firm's 14th and one of the largest raised in venture capital.

The size of the fund shows how, even as many venture capital firms struggle to raise capital and make decent returns, an elite group is solidifying its position in the portfolios of pension and endowment funds around the world.

The fund is arguably the biggest in venture capital, according to data from the National Venture Capital Association and Thomson Reuters.

A handful of funds that make some venture investments but specialize in growth equity - a type of investment in growing companies that comes at later stages than traditional venture capital - have raised more.

NEA's 2006 and 2009 funds, NEA 12 and NEA 13, raised $2.5 billion each.

The firm's investments include retailers Diapers.com and Gilt Groupe, daily-deals site Groupon Inc (GRPN.O), software company Salesforce.com Inc (CRM.N) and video company TiVo Inc (TIVO.O).

Compared with the fund it launched in 2000, dollar investments from international investors are up more than 10 percent, NEA said. The fund will stick with NEA's core strategy of investing in information technology, healthcare and energy technology.

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