Most founders still chase logos. I don't think they should.

You didn’t raise from Sequoia. You raised from Mike — who happens to be at Sequoia, for now. That distinction matters more than most people admit.

The biggest lie in venture capital is that the fund matters more than the people. It doesn’t. Not anymore. And yet, pitch decks still open with "lead investor: [fancy logo]" as if that’s what closed the round.

Let’s be honest — we’re in a new era. The power in venture has unbundled. It’s not centralized in firms anymore. It’s distributed across people.

The Old Model: Logos Were the Brand

VCs used to operate like law firms: tight hierarchies, long careers, brand-first mentalities.

A partner’s credibility came from the logo on their email signature. LPs allocated to institutions and their past performance. Founders optimized for pedigree.

It worked in a world where access to capital and information was limited — where getting a meeting at a top-tier fund was an achievement in itself.

Back then, the firm was the gatekeeper. The logo signaled legitimacy. And no one questioned whether the person behind the check actually had conviction.

But that model is decaying.

The Shift: People Over Logos

Today, the best deals follow people. Not firms.

A16Z can write a check. So can the solo GP who replied first on Telegram — and wired in 48 hours. Founders opt to work with those who move like they do. They choose momentum. They choose energy.

Partners leave. Scout networks spin up. Angel syndicates and close groups fill rounds overnight. People who move fast win. 

That quote used to be a 'nice sentiment'. Now it’s the operating system.

VC Is Becoming a Social Graph

Capital allocation is no longer top-down. It moves sideways — across relationships, group chats, shared screenshots, and trust.

Deals aren’t decided in boardrooms. They’re shaped in DMs. Networks are the new ICs.

Being the person someone thinks of first when a hot deal is oversubscribed and there’s room for “just one more" — that's the real edge.

The most valuable investors aren’t sitting in meetings. They’re trading allocation with each other in real time. Your graph is the power.

Why Founders Should Ignore the Logo

Founders still optimize for the wrong signals.

“We got a top-tier firm” sounds good in a tweet, but does it actually help you close the round? Or recruit your next engineer? Or stay alive during a down quarter? Well, sometimes, probably..

Founders should be asking: Who’s actually leading the deal? Will they go to bat for you in the partner meeting? Will they text that operator you’ve been trying to hire?

If the answer is “We’ll get back to you,” it’s already a no.

Founders don’t need compliments. They need conviction.

We recently saw a deal where an established VC fund was invited in. They bombarded the founder with endless questions, pushed for multiple deadline extensions, and kept shifting the tone into something more suited for an M&A process than a startup round. In the end, the founder cut them out entirely, and gave allocation to the investors who moved fast and felt right.

We, as investors, need to operate in founder mode.

For Investors: Welcome to the Multiplayer Game

If you think your fund’s brand is what wins allocation, you’re already behind.

Firms used to be monoliths. Now they’re just wrappers for individuals with network leverage.

The best investors aren’t sitting still. They’re active, visible, responsive. They get allocation because they add value before they’re asked. Because they’re in motion.

Want better deal flow? Be the person everyone wants to include — because you bring energy, trust, and real distribution.

“Your social graph is your investment edge.” That’s not a metaphor. That’s strategy.

The Future: Networks > Firms

The VC firm of the future won’t look like a firm.

It’ll look like a multiplayer network. A high-trust, high-speed collection of individuals who share deals like they’re trading cards.

They’ll have group chats instead of Monday partner calls. AI-enabled comms instead of CRMs. Operator angels instead of advisors with vanity bios.

The infrastructure — fund admin, SPV wrappers, tax compliance — will fade into the background, as platforms like Uniborn turn it into a commodity. 

The real asset will be 'access'.

So here’s the punchline:

Founders — stop logo-chasing. Ask who’s actually in your corner.

Investors — your fund isn’t the value. You are.

Join the right group chat — or risk being left out of the next decade of venture.