There’s a familiar libertarian story about Europe: too much bureaucracy, too many regulations, too many worker protections, too much privacy law, and too many rules about what companies can and can’t do. This, we’re told, is why Europe doesn’t produce as many world-beating technology companies as the US.
Coming from an agency background, I’ve always had a soft spot for the idea of the venture studio. At its simplest, it’s a pretty seductive model. Instead of using your design, engineering, marketing and commercial skills to help clients build their businesses in exchange for fees, you use those same capabilities to build companies of your own in exchange for equity.
Artificial intelligence is quietly reshaping the relationship between founders and venture capital. On the surface, the AI boom still looks familiar: huge rounds, soaring valuations, and a sense that you need billions just to stay in the race. But beneath that headline narrative, a very different kind of startup is emerging—what Anu Atluru calls the Silicon Valley Small Business.
There was a time when the journey from Pre-Seed to Series A felt almost linear. Raise a small pre-seed round, build a great product. Develop some momentum. Raise $2–5M Seed. Hone your GTM. Hit $1M ARR. Tell a good story. Raise again.
Every week, my inbox fills with cold outreach from founders. Some are thoughtful, sharp, and immediately spark curiosity. Others—most, if I’m honest—read like product brochures.
One of the things I find curious about the startup world is how often people talk about value — and how rarely they actually know how to find it.