Why Lightspeed is going all-in on creator-led venture capital

Lightspeed Venture Partners has hired Claire Zau, a well-known seed investor with a large Instagram following, as part of its efforts to build trust with the next generation of founders. Venture firms are increasingly turning to creators to establish relationships with potential investees before investing. This trend is also seen in other firms, such as a16z's acquisition of Erik Torenberg's Turpentine podcast and OpenAI's acquisition of TBPN. By bringing on creators like Zau, Lightspeed aims to tap into their networks and influence to identify and support promising startups.

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