Taber: There Are Only Three Viable Ways to Build a VC Firm
Igor Taber · Why Credible Investors Are Actually Killing Startups · May 5, 2026 · at 0:36
Venture capitalist Igor Taber breaks down fund positioning strategies and differentiation in early-stage venture capital.
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“In my opinion, I think there's only maybe three ways to build a venture firm. The first way is to have extremely strong brand and be a leader in the market. So thank Ponzo, Sequoia Andreessen, funds like that, where over decades they build a moat that is their brand and their track record, and that certainly attracts deal flow. And there may be, you know, dozens of firms that can claim to have that. Most firms do not have that. And certainly emerging managers like myself do not have that. The second way is to be what I call an influencer. Meaning you have some kind of social following, Twitter following, and you're able to use that to generate deal flow, help your portfolio companies to get exposure, do all the things that kind of having a, you know, almost like a media arm helps you do. And that's a really interesting strategy, and certainly a lot of people are successful doing that. And really, I think the only other way to build a venture firm is to actually be builders. And to really use the fact that you have built companies before building companies currently to help you a define the strategy, make better decisions, be attractive to founders and have a reason why founders should choose to work with you. And as far as I know, those are the only three ways I know to build a firm.”
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