Revisited: big VCs investing in seed rounds

2012-04-02

A few years ago, the trend of companies raising smaller seed rounds combined with the emergence of new seed funds caused many big VCs to create seed investment programs. This triggered a debate among entrepreneurs and investors about whether it was risky for seed-stage companies to take small investments from large VCs. (I blogged about the issue here, here, here).

Since then, enough founders have directly experienced the downside of taking seed money from big VCs that I think it’s safe to say there is no more room for debate. I can think of about 15 founders I’ve spoken to recently who tried or are trying to raise Series As but are seriously hampered by the fact that a big VC invested in the seed round but isn’t participating in the Series A. (I’d love to mention specific companies and firms but it wouldn’t be appropriate for me to do so – I guess I’ll just have to cite Jay Rosen’s “I’m there, let me tell you what I see” principle of reporting).

There are two important nuances to point out here. First, there are big VCs who invest in seed rounds the right way – with the genuine expectation to follow on and the intention to help out during the seed stage (some that I’ve invested with include USV, True, and Spark). One important sign of this is how much they want to invest. If a $300M fund wants to invest $100K, they are buying an option. If they want to invest $500K, they are more likely making an investment.

The second nuance can be counterintuitive: the danger of taking seed money is positively correlated with the reputation of the firm. If a top VC invests in the seed round and then passes on the A, other VCs will have difficulty overlooking that the smartest money that knows the company the best isn’t following on. If the VC isn’t well respected, it is easier for other VCs to second guess them.

I’m not revisiting this issue to criticize big VCs. A healthy startup environment requires smart, ethical investors at all stages. But I don’t think these big VC seed programs benefit anyone. And there are enough angry entrepreneurs out there that I expect the message will get through.

Next post: Facebook’s response to Yahoo’s patent lawsuit
Previous post: Give away the diagnostic, sell the remedy

Views expressed in “content” (including posts, podcasts, videos) linked on this website or posted in social media and other platforms (collectively, “content distribution outlets”) are my own and are not the views of AH Capital Management, L.L.C. (“a16z”) or its respective affiliates. AH Capital Management is an investment adviser registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Registration as an investment adviser does not imply any special skill or training. The posts are not directed to any investors or potential investors, and do not constitute an offer to sell -- or a solicitation of an offer to buy -- any securities, and may not be used or relied upon in evaluating the merits of any investment.

The content should not be construed as or relied upon in any manner as investment, legal, tax, or other advice. You should consult your own advisers as to legal, business, tax, and other related matters concerning any investment. Any projections, estimates, forecasts, targets, prospects and/or opinions expressed in these materials are subject to change without notice and may differ or be contrary to opinions expressed by others. Any charts provided here are for informational purposes only, and should not be relied upon when making any investment decision. Certain information contained in here has been obtained from third-party sources. While taken from sources believed to be reliable, I have not independently verified such information and makes no representations about the enduring accuracy of the information or its appropriateness for a given situation. The content speaks only as of the date indicated.

Under no circumstances should any posts or other information provided on this website -- or on associated content distribution outlets -- be construed as an offer soliciting the purchase or sale of any security or interest in any pooled investment vehicle sponsored, discussed, or mentioned by a16z personnel. Nor should it be construed as an offer to provide investment advisory services; an offer to invest in an a16z-managed pooled investment vehicle will be made separately and only by means of the confidential offering documents of the specific pooled investment vehicles -- which should be read in their entirety, and only to those who, among other requirements, meet certain qualifications under federal securities laws. Such investors, defined as accredited investors and qualified purchasers, are generally deemed capable of evaluating the merits and risks of prospective investments and financial matters. There can be no assurances that a16z’s investment objectives will be achieved or investment strategies will be successful. Any investment in a vehicle managed by a16z involves a high degree of risk including the risk that the entire amount invested is lost. Any investments or portfolio companies mentioned, referred to, or described are not representative of all investments in vehicles managed by a16z and there can be no assurance that the investments will be profitable or that other investments made in the future will have similar characteristics or results. A list of investments made by funds managed by a16z is available at https://a16z.com/investments/. Excluded from this list are investments for which the issuer has not provided permission for a16z to disclose publicly as well as unannounced investments in publicly traded digital assets. Past results of Andreessen Horowitz’s investments, pooled investment vehicles, or investment strategies are not necessarily indicative of future results. Please see https://a16z.com/disclosures for additional important information.