How I Raised It - The podcast where we interview startup founders who raised capital. Ep. 316 How I Raised It with Sam Lessin of Slow Ventures
Jan 16, 2026
Sam Lessin, co-founder of Slow Ventures and former Facebook executive, dives into the world of venture capital. He shares insights on why Slow adopts a generalist investment strategy, highlighting the ability to pattern-match across various sectors. Sam also discusses the creation of a dedicated fund for the creator economy, emphasizing the importance of community and entrepreneurship. He offers advice for emerging VC managers and differentiates between using AI creatively and investing in AI-driven startups, all while stressing the significance of founder alignment.
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Discipline Defines Investment Strategy
- Slow Ventures focuses on disciplined seed deals: $1–3M for ~10% ownership.
- That buy-box shapes what they fund and enforces consistent investment behavior.
Seasonality Favors Generalists
- Markets cycle; sticking to one narrow sector can force bad investments in the wrong season.
- Generalist funds can pattern-match across verticals and often outperform deep specialists.
Publish Thesis To Prove Sourcing Ability
- Show intellectual receipts: write and publish thoughtful theses to prove you spot trends early.
- Demonstrate being first and right rather than relying on pedigree alone.
