StrictlyVC Download Equity: Startups should rethink how they pursue sales and traction, according to VC Tim Chen
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Nov 25, 2025 Tim Chen, founder of Essence VC and a solo investor, shares his unique journey from engineer to impactful VC. He argues against the YC revenue-at-all-costs mantra for infrastructure startups, advocating a focus on strategic pivots and deep technical understanding instead. Chen reflects on his small exit experience, emphasizing the importance of genuine founder empathy in venture capital. He also discusses the value of community-building and the evolving landscape of multimodal applications, showcasing how thoughtful product vision can drive success.
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Accidental VC Origin Story
- Tim Chen became an accidental VC after a small exit and angel investing turned into fundraising for a focused fund.
- Jake Zeller at AngelList prompted him to raise a small, specialized fund and introduced his first LP at Bain Capital.
Pushing A High-Impact Pivot
- Chen convinced Comfy's founders to recruit the open-source creator and reposition from a hosted product to owning the Comfy UI ecosystem.
- That strategic pivot led to a major trajectory change and later Series A funding.
Hire A Technical Operator Who Knows Business
- Find an advisor or early hire who straddles deep technical skill and business sense to avoid piecemeal guidance.
- That combined perspective accelerates product strategy and hiring decisions for technical founders.