Systematism over Personalization
November 5th, 2024
TL;DR
If you’re reading this because you received an auto-pass email from me, I’ve chosen to automate this process to ensure I respond to every company I meet, even if the reply is generic. That said, I’m happy to hop on a quick 5 minute call if you’d like to understand why we passed.
As a former founder turned VC, I’ve been in your shoes. I know the grind, the obsession, and the feeling that nothing matters more than your company’s success. I also know how painful rejection can be—or worse, being ghosted. Those experiences have shaped how I approach venture capital today.
The paragraphs below explain my perspective on the VC role and why I decided to automate pass emails.
> Investment Process
When it comes to the investment process, I believe it should be:
• Respectful: Every startup represents someone’s dream and hard work. Invest in the team and the project for what they can become, not what you want them to be.
• Efficient: A founder’s time is their most valuable resource. Be mindful, efficient, and decisive.
• Transparent: Be honest and direct. We all have different experiences and objectives—communicate yours clearly.
• Fast: Don’t keep founders waiting, especially if you already know your decision.
> The VC Game
Venture is a numbers game. Investment decisions are snapshots in time that I like to see as local optimizations for what we believe could lead to a successful 10+ year journey, all based on limited information.
Finding the right investment requires meeting many startups: I’ve met around 500 companies to make just 3 investments with Runa over the past 18 months...
But as the pace of meetings increases, so does the volume of rejections. And for me, rejection has always been the hardest part. I feel bad about saying no and want to provide value when I do. The result? I often take too long to respond, leading to a backlog and a vicious cycle I’ve struggled to break.
> Systematism over Personalization
After much thought, I’ve decided to prioritize speed and consistency over depth and personalization by automating pass emails.
It’s not a perfect solution, but here’s why I believe it’s the right approach:
• No human error: A few time, I’ve realized weeks later that I’d simply lost track of a company. That’s unacceptable, and automation ensures it won’t happen again.
• Answer asap: A quick “no” is better than a delayed response, even if the latter is more detailed.
• Accessible feedback: I’ll always be available for a 5 minute debrief for any founder who wants more context.
This isn’t about taking the easy way out, but rather creating the best experience I can for founders who generously share their time and trust, while still dedicating enough time to sourcing, evaluating, and supporting the startups I invest in - Automation feels like a necessary compromise to balance these priorities.
Will it work? Time will tell! But I’m committed to refining this process and remain open to feedback.
This journey, like yours, is a work in progress :)