The next top-tier venture capital firm will operate more like a modern media company
TechFlow Selected TechFlow Selected
The next top-tier venture capital firm will operate more like a modern media company
Founders don't just choose capital—they choose the story they want to be part of.
Navigating Web3 tides with focused insightsAuthor: Paul Smalera
Editor: Yang Fan
Today I’m sharing two articles. This one comes from a niche content creator, Paul Smalera, who works as a ghostwriter for some top-tier venture capital firms and has unique insights into how investment firms operate their media and content strategies. Just as compound interest applies in finance, content also benefits from compounding effects. Traditionally, venture capital was a business of access (channels and relationships); today it’s a business of attention (visibility and influence); but in the long run, it’s a business of attitude (mindset and belief)—and the latter two are precisely what modern media companies use to build brands and achieve commercial success.
Since emerging Silicon Valley VCs like A16Z quietly began learning from Hollywood powerhouse talent agency CAA, the investment industry has increasingly shifted toward sophisticated, media-driven strategies. It's no longer optional—it has become core to competitive advantage. While media voices today are more saturated than ever, unique insights and personal styles remain rare. Meanwhile, new tools—artificial intelligence, agents, personalized hardware devices, robotic arms—are maturing fast, enriching the media creator’s toolkit. With falling costs and lower barriers to media production, what does this mean for investment firms and financial institutions in this new era? Where should they begin experimenting and building?
Hope this article inspires you.
The next great VC firm will be built like a media company from day one.
Founders don’t just pick capital—they pick the stories they want to belong to.
Founders Don’t Just Pick Capital—They Pick the Stories They Want to Belong To
In the past, venture capital was a business built on access.
Today, venture capital is a business built on attention.
Over the next decade, the top VC firms won’t win simply due to better deal flow or broader networks.
They’ll win because they build belief—at scale, with precision—just as skillfully as a media company builds a global brand.
In short:
The next legendary VC firm will operate more like a modern media company than a traditional investment partnership.
The earliest firms to recognize this trend will dominate in the competition for founders, capital, and mindshare.
Below is why this shift is happening—and how it should shape smart firms’ content strategies today.
The Old Model: Whisper Networks and Reputation
The Old Model: Whisper Networks and Reputation
Traditionally, venture capital was a relationship business.
Deals were sourced through tight personal networks,
Reputation traveled through private conversations.
A firm’s brand existed only in evaluations shared among LPs, founders, and other investors behind closed doors.
In that era, public content was optional—a nice-to-have, a box to check.
The New Model: Always-On Distribution and Narrative Power
The New Model: Always-On Distribution and Narrative Power
Today, founders don’t wait for private referrals.
They search. They follow. They listen.
Before the first meeting, they already know:
How you view their industry
What kind of founders you admire
What kind of partner you’d be
Your public content is your reputation now.
It’s no longer an add-on to investing—it’s a core determinant of whether deals happen at all.
In an age of information overload, founders aren’t just choosing capital;
They’re picking the ideas they want to bet their careers on.
What a Media-Company VC Firm Actually Looks Like
What a Media-Company VC Firm Actually Looks Like
Building a firm like a media company goes far beyond launching a podcast or tweeting more.
It means thinking like a newsroom about your entire platform:
1. Sharp editorial perspective
You Develop a Sharp Editorial Perspective
Top media outlets have distinct points of view—so must top VCs.
Not vague claims like “we back great founders,” but a true editorial stance on how the world is changing—and why you’re betting your time and money accordingly.
Example:
Instead of saying “we invest in fintech,” make a specific argument:
“We believe embedded finance will reshape unit economics across all SaaS verticals by 2028—here’s the data supporting that view.”
2. Repeatable content machines
You Build Repeatable Content Machines
Great media companies aren’t guessing what to publish every week.
They have repeatable formats that build brand consistency.
Example:
Launch an “Insight Series” that regularly unpacks early PMF signals in core sectors—with a deep-dive analysis released each quarter.
Founders start looking forward to your analysis like clockwork.
3. Storytelling over announcements
You Prioritize Storytelling Over Announcements
Most VC content today reads like corporate press releases.
But humans remember stories, not bullet points.
Example:
An investment announcement shouldn’t just include templated quotes; it should tell the founder’s origin story, your market insight, and the overlooked detail only you noticed.
4. Treat founders as audience, not just deal flow
You Treat Founders Like Your Audience, Not Just Deal Flow
Media companies build loyalty by serving users exceptionally well. Top VCs must similarly center everything on founder needs.
Example:
Invest time in building sector-specific resource libraries, founder playbooks, and micro-communities—not because it’s marketing, but because it makes the right people want to work with you.
5. Multi-format, evergreen assets
You Think in Multi-Format, Evergreen Assets
Media companies don’t rely on single channels.
The best firms will create foundational content—research, frameworks, tools—that remains valuable for years.
Example:
Rather than chasing trends, publish an industry benchmark report or technical hiring guide that founders cite year after year.
Who’s already doing it?
Who’s Already Doing It
The most forward-looking investors aren’t just participating in media—they’re treating it as a foundational part of firm-building.
Before launching his fund, Harry Stebbings turned The Twenty Minute VC into the most influential media brand in venture.
Hunter Walk at Homebrew has long treated his blog as central to firm-building, attracting like-minded founders through public writing.
Tom Tunguz at Theory Ventures spent a decade publishing data-driven content that shaped how the entire SaaS industry understands growth.
Even before forming a firm, emerging voices like Molly O’Shea have built attention and trust through media-first personal branding.
Why This Approach Wins
Why This Approach Wins
Attention compounds
Attention compounds
Firms investing in media-grade content today are building advantages that will only widen over time:
In Deal Flow: Founders proactively reach out before fundraising.
In LP Relationships: Differentiated storytelling makes fundraising more efficient.
In Strategic Influence: You’ll shape how entire markets are understood, not just which startups get funded.
In an age where capital is commoditized, those who control the narrative control the future.
Looking Forward
Looking Forward
If you were starting a new VC firm today, how would you operate like a media company from day one?
What storytelling investments would you prioritize first?
Reply to this email—I’d love to hear your thoughts. Your insights might appear in a future issue.
Because in this new era, betting on the next great startup isn’t nearly enough.
You must tell a story great founders want to join.
Join TechFlow official community to stay tuned
Telegram:https://t.me/TechFlowDaily
X (Twitter):https://x.com/TechFlowPost
X (Twitter) EN:https://x.com/BlockFlow_News
@smalera
