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In focus
For this edition, we cover:
- The VCs that are building, not just funding
- A rough patch ahead of Coda’s brand refresh
- New unicorns emerge from SEA’s cooling startup scene.
Hello reader,
When you imagine a VC in their natural environment, what comes to mind? Perhaps in a boardroom, planning the next big move with founders; in a cafe, closing a high-stakes deal; or in a cocktail bar, schmoozing with their peers.
You may not picture them hunched over their desk furiously coding a machine learning algorithm. These days, though, that’s looking more and more like the right answer.
Today’s first top story dives into the skills VCs need to provide added value to founders building AI startups. I suspect part of why these investors are rolling up their sleeves is that the top AI startups have no shortage of capital. They, however, have a shortage of partners who can truly keep up.
The writer of the piece even argues that funds will start tracking new metrics to evaluate managers. Think “technical interventions” rather than just IRR or boardroom bravado.
Meanwhile, our second top story looks at another kind of evolution.
Singapore-based Coda’s rebrand and pivot into digital commerce show how challenging it can be to evolve beyond your origins.
Fortune, it seems, favors those who can build – and rebuild – fast.
Peter Cowan, engagement editor
Top Stories
1️⃣ Code over cash: How builder VCs are forging AI’s future
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