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The new tax law may or may not stem the flow of venture capital, but you shouldn't have much trouble figuring out where to look for it. One place to start is the Venture Capital Hotline (VCH), a nationwide information service in Carmel, Calif. For a fee of $55, the company will search its database for professional venture capitalists who may be receptive to your project. To plug into the hot line, you call (800) 237-2380, or in California, (800) 252-2380; describe your project by size, location, and type of business; and wait for a return call. A computer matches your needs with the interests of venture capitalists, according to information they have provided. Hot line founder Lance J. Strauss says a verbal report is guaranteed within two hours. For $10 more, VCH will also send you a printed list of 10 venture capitalists to approach.

If you want a more comprehensive list, you can always turn to Pratt's Guide to Venture Capital Sources, published by Venture Economics Inc., Wellesley Hills, Mass. This tome, the standard reference in the field, contains a more or less complete listing of venture capitalists in the United States and Canada. The 11th edition, costing about $100, is scheduled for publication in March.