🟣 Seed Investing Is a People Business: The Most Important Bet You'll Make as an Early-Stage Investor

Our team has worked with some of the best seed investors in the industry (and we don’t say this lightly). One trend emerges time and time again among the most successful: their unwavering focus on founders.

Here’s 3 things we’ve observed:

• The best focus on founders.

• The good focus on markets.

• The worst focus on products.

This hierarchy isn’t arbitrary; it reflects a critical truth about the seed stage. Markets change. Products evolve. But founders—those with vision, resilience, and the capacity to adapt—are the constant driving force behind lasting success.

Read the full article here.

🟣 This Week in VC Marketing

Biweekly marketing lens for venture capital firms. 

How can you stand out as a VC?

VC firms have tripled over the last decade and it’s become increasingly harder for emerging fund managers to get LPs onboard. Just look at these stats:

Just 30 VC firms captured 74% of all LP dollars raised this year... 🤯

Here’s a few tips on how to consistency build your VC brand & stand out:

• Share data insights

• Real-time engagement

• Community-building

• Published articles

• Reports

• Whitepapers on industry trends and investment strategies

• LinkedIn posts

• Twitter/X posts

• Medium articles

And remember to always make these 3 things clear:

1. Your sector-specific expertise

2. Stage-focused branding

3. Value-add services like marketing, operations, recruiting, etc

🟣 VC Internships Galore

1. Internship Program - Growth Ventures
   Location: Remote
   Apply here
   
   

2. Partner Solutions Intern - Hayfin Capital Management LLP
   Location: New York
   Apply here
   
   

3. Business Development Internship - Noyack Wealth Club

   Location: New York
   Apply here
   
   

4. Intern, Strategy - NY Green Bank
   Location: New York
   Apply here
   
   

5. Venture Team Internship | Climate Tech Fund - Connecticut Innovations
   Location: New Haven
   Apply here

🟣 Programs for Emerging Fund Managers:

1. Ashton Global LLC | Global Investment Management

   Asset Classes: Private equity, litigation investments, special situations

   🔗 https://lnkd.in/d5X-Nz6n
   

2. CalPERS Emerging & Diverse Manager Program
   Asset Classes: Global equity, private equity, real estate
   🔗 https://lnkd.in/d-G7NViV
   

3. Certior Capital

   Asset Classes: Private equity, direct lending, private debt
   🔗 https://lnkd.in/dBXd_Pvh
   

4. DUMAC Emerging Manager Program 
   Asset Classes: Public and private classes
   🔗 https://lnkd.in/d74TBSzv
   

5. GCM Grosvenor Small, Emerging, and Diverse Manager Investing 
   Asset Classes: Private equity, real assets
   🔗 https://lnkd.in/de-EVtEY
   

6. HarbourVest Partners
   Asset Classes: Private equity, real assets
   🔗 https://lnkd.in/deTB8RGs
   

7. LACERS Emerging Manager Program 
   Asset Classes: Public markets, private equity
   🔗 https://lnkd.in/djJ-Ekg8
   

8. LAFPP Specialized Manager Program
   Asset Classes: Buyout, VC, special situations
   🔗 https://lnkd.in/dN8xjR2E
   

9. MassPRIM FUTURE Initiative
   Asset Classes: Fixed income, real estate, hedge funds
   🔗 https://lnkd.in/dj-pHcGh
   

10. Michigan Small Emerging Manager Program 
    Asset Classes: Venture capital, private equity, credit
    🔗 https://lnkd.in/d8-EiDSU

See the full list.

A brief overview of how Robinhood got its first customers

When I joined the early stage fintech startup I previously worked for as Head of Content, I was the second employee. As you can imagine, that meant there were zero systems in place. Never mind systems, there was no website other than a basic landing page, no social media presence, and exactly 10 tweets on our social media.

Desperate for answers In my first week, I had absolutely no idea where to start, there was so much to do and so little resources at the same time. There’s no marketing budget at new startups, so you have to be very scrappy and roll your sleeves up. Everything depends on getting really good content going.

In my desperate search for what to do, how to grow our audience, what to post, I started doing research on the side on the content marketing strategies that other early stage fintech startups had back in the day.

Read the full article here.

🟣 VC & Startup Favorites

Latest tidbits, resources, and social gems from the ecosystem.

Construction remains one of the world’s least digitized sectors

Founder advisor template

The reason YC doesn’t like solo founders

Alex Lieberman on the future of content marketing

Where VCs are looking to invest in 2025

What is happening to venture capital? 

Female Founders Fund returns its first fund

Speaking of co-founders…

What would you do if your cofounder stole $1million?

Connor Franta just filed a lawsuit against his cofounder at Heard Well, a music label they built over 10 years.

My friend Tim He runs a free newsletter Cherrytree on how to build trust with your cofounder, and these are his top tips:

• Trust but Verify: 
Don’t blindly assume your cofounder’s actions align with your values.

• Set Clear Boundaries: 
Define personal vs. business expenses early to avoid muddy waters down the line.

• Keep a Paper Trail: 
Paperwork isn’t just for lawyers. It’s your safety net if things go south.

• Know When to Walk Away: 
If you spot red flags, don’t ignore them. 

The People Behind EverythingStartups Newsletter:

Say hello here or at [email protected]

Wishing everyone a great holiday, see you all back here in 2025!

PS: We help VC firms and startups build their brands online.

Learn more about EverythingStartups.