--- url: 'https://qubit.capital/blog/best-vc-blogs' title: Best VC Blogs author: name: Sagar Agrawal url: 'https://qubit.capital/blog/author/sagar' date: '2026-08-31T11:38:44+05:30' modified: '2026-09-11T11:52:08+05:30' type: post categories: - Investor Mapping and Discovery image: 'https://qubit.capital/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/best-vc-blogs.webp' published: true --- # Best VC Blogs Raise a $500K-$3M seed round and a partner will quote a framework you’ve never heard, then finish your sentence for you. You’ve skimmed viral posts on Twitter and LinkedIn, but that’s not a shortlist of the best VC blogs to follow. For a $500K-$3M B2B SaaS, fintech, or AI/ML seed raise, know which ones partners actually read, not which are marketing filler. This list ranks the best VC blogs worth subscribing to, tagged by who writes them and what each is good for. Skip to the ones written by partners who write checks, not content teams, before your next meeting. How we built this list We picked blogs by author, not brand: each entry had to be written mainly by a partner, not a content team, with a pace a founder can actually follow. We then checked whether the firm’s public thesis matched the deals it visibly does. This list only tells you what’s worth reading; it can’t tell you which partner to pitch or promise a meeting. * Figure published by the platform itself and not independently confirmed. | Blog | Starting price | Best for | Limitation | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) | Free, no paywall | Growth and infrastructure-stage founders | Blog tone reads early-stage; capital skews growth-heavy | | Sequoia Capital | Free, open blog and newsletter | Founders sizing up scale-stage ambition and AI thesis | AUM figures vary widely by source | | Bessemer Venture Partners | Free, no paywall | Public SaaS and cloud benchmarking data | Actual checks skew later-stage than the blog’s seed readers | | Mark Suster (Both Sides of the Table) | Free to read | Pre-meeting research on partner deal logic | Long, story-driven posts take time to skim | | Union Square Ventures (AVC) | Free to read | Studying USV’s thesis and the MBA Mondays archive | Recent posts skip deal mechanics; updates now sporadic | | 500 Startups | Free to read | Founders applying the AARRR framework | Firm-voice content, not single-partner posts | | NFX | Not published; invests pre-seed through Series A | Founders with a genuine network-effect product | Essays skew consumer; B2B fit needs its own read | | Tomasz Tunguz | Free | AI infrastructure market data and SaaS metrics benchmarking | Checks run Series A-sized, not seed | | First Round Review | Free, no signup gate | Enterprise and GTM-focused pre-seed to seed founders | Reflects one partner’s thesis, not the whole firm | | Point Nine | Free (Substack and Medium), no paywall | Seed and Series A SaaS/AI founders studying investor thinking | No public subscriber count, so reach is unclear | | SaaStr | Free to read | Founders wanting a named partner’s stated checks | Only 18 fund bets since inception; one partner’s voice | | A Smart Bear (Jason Cohen) | Free to read | Pricing and business-model thinking pre-raise | No fund, no partner meeting behind the posts | Table of Contents - [The 12 Best VC Blogs](#the-12-best-vc-blogs) - [What the list does not tell you](#what-the-list-does-not-tell-you) [How Do You Tell If a Partner Actually Writes the Blog?](#how-do-you-tell-if-a-partner-actually-writes-the-blog) - [How Do You Reference a Blog Post Without Sounding Like You Skimmed It Last Night?](#how-do-you-reference-a-blog-post-without-sounding-like-you-skimmed-it-last-night) - [Conclusion](#conclusion) ## The 12 Best VC Blogs ![Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) logo](data:image/png;base64,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)1. Andreessen Horowitz (a16z)Starting priceFree, no paywallBest forGrowth and infrastructure-stage foundersLimitationBlog tone reads early-stage; capital skews growth-heavy Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) fits founders who want partner-level thinking, like [Marc Andreessen’s author archive](https://a16z.com/author/marc-andreessen/), not anonymous content. The firm’s January 2026 raise of just over $15 billion captured [roughly a fifth of all US venture dollars](https://www.forbes.com/sites/iainmartin/2026/01/09/a16zs-15-billion-fund-vacuumed-up-a-fifth-of-venture-dollars-raised-last-year/) raised in 2025. Most of that new capital went to growth investing rather than early-stage venture, per [Crunchbase’s breakdown of the funds](https://news.crunchbase.com/venture/a16z-15b-new-funds-american-dynamism-ben-horowitz/). a16z laid out its own case for the raise in [Why Did We Raise $15B?](https://a16z.com/why-did-we-raise-15b/) Independent newsletter [Not Boring’s deep dive on a16z](https://www.notboring.co/p/a16z-the-power-brokers) ran a 16,000-word piece built on interviews with its own GPs, LPs, and founders. The blog itself stays free through a [Subscription Center](https://a16z.com/subscription-center/) with about nine topic newsletters, no paywall. What we seeFounders often pitch to the firm’s public thesis and expect an early-stage conversation. The partner in the room is frequently running a growth-stage or infrastructure playbook instead. Reading the blog is useful prep, not a stand-in for knowing which partner actually holds the check. ![Sequoia Capital logo](data:image/png;base64,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)2. Sequoia CapitalStarting priceFree, open blog and newsletterBest forFounders sizing up scale-stage ambition and AI thesisLimitationAUM figures vary widely by source Sequoia Capital runs one of venture’s most-read blogs, written directly by its own partners. Its January 2026 essay, [2026: This is AGI](https://sequoiacap.com/article/2026-this-is-agi/), argued AGI already works well enough to matter. It spread widely beyond sequoiacap.com, a sign of how closely founders track Sequoia’s public thinking. Pat Grady co-wrote it with partner Sonya Huang, and Grady became co-steward of the firm in November 2025. That puts the blog’s lead voice inside the room where real investment calls happen. But the firm’s [expansion-stage fund](https://thenextweb.com/news/sequoia-7-billion-expansion-fund-ai) now holds $7B, almost double its 2022 size. Seed-stage founders read the same essays as growth-stage ones, so the blog does not map cleanly to check size. Then-Senior Steward Roelof Botha spelled out how selective the process stays, telling [TechCrunch](https://techcrunch.com/2025/11/02/sequoias-roelof-botha-warns-founders-about-chasing-sky-high-valuations-as-the-firm-doubles-down-on-its-selective-approach/): “We don’t lay 100 eggs and see what happens. We have a small number of offspring, like mammals, and then you need to give them a lot of attention.” What we seeFounders who pitch Sequoia off the blog’s AI thesis alone often misjudge the room. Partners weigh the team and the number first, the same selectivity Botha describes. The essays show the firm’s public thinking, not the checklist a partner runs in diligence. ![Bessemer Venture Partners logo](data:image/png;base64,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)3. Bessemer Venture PartnersStarting priceFree, no paywallBest forPublic SaaS and cloud benchmarking dataLimitationActual checks skew later-stage than the blog’s seed readers Bessemer Venture Partners built its blog around named, partner-authored research instead of generic market takes. Partner Byron Deeter co-created the State of the Cloud report, the Cloud 100 list, and the Ten Laws of Cloud Computing. He also sits on [ServiceTitan’s board](https://investors.servicetitan.com/board-member/byron-deeter), after prior seats at Twilio and SendGrid. Its [Anti-Portfolio](https://www.newcomer.co/p/the-anti-portfolio) page lists deals the firm passed on, including Apple, eBay, Airbnb, and Coinbase, with the stated reasoning. [Crunchbase News](https://news.crunchbase.com/cloud/chatgpt-ai-public-private-cloud-bessemer/) wrote a dedicated piece on Bessemer’s Cloud Report findings on AI, proof the blog gets covered, not just shared. But its growth-buyout arm, [BVP Forge](https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251119347532/en/BVP-Forge-Closes-Second-Fund-at-$1-Billion), closed a $1 billion fund targeting $10M-$50M revenue companies, past pre-seed and seed stage. Its [India Fund II](https://www.forbesindia.com/article/news/global-vc-firm-bessemer-sharpens-india-focus-with-350-million-fund/95537/1) is deploying $350 million into early-stage AI, SaaS, and fintech bets closer to a first-time founder’s raise. What we seeFounders sometimes read the State of the Cloud numbers as a signal that Bessemer writes small seed checks. The partner in the room is often working off BVP Forge’s growth mandate, or a much later stage than the blog implies. Treat the content as market data, not a preview of the term sheet. ![Mark Suster (Both Sides of the Table) logo](data:image/png;base64,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)4. Mark Suster (Both Sides of the Table)Starting priceFree to readBest forPre-meeting research on partner deal logicLimitationLong, story-driven posts take time to skim Both Sides of the Table is Mark Suster’s blog, written from his seat as a partner at [Upfront Ventures](https://altss.com/profile/upfront-ventures) in Los Angeles. Suster builds posts around real deal stories, not general advice, often reading like post-mortems of actual term sheets and board fights. That gives a founder heading into a first partner meeting a rare look at how a partner actually reasons through a deal. The trade-off is length: posts run long, and a founder skimming the night before a meeting may only reach paragraph one. Forbes ran a dedicated feature on the blog in its [VC Blogs You Should Follow (and Why)](https://www.forbes.com/sites/truebridge/2013/01/30/vc-blogs-you-should-follow-and-why-mark-suster/) series. Practica separately keeps a curated index of his best posts, a sign the writing holds up over years. What we seeFounders who quote Suster’s frameworks back in a partner meeting sometimes assume Upfront invests the way the blog describes. In practice, individual partners at any firm apply general theses differently deal by deal. Treat the blog as a way to read how Suster thinks, not a guarantee of how the room decides. ![Union Square Ventures (AVC) logo](data:image/png;base64,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)5. Union Square Ventures (AVC)Starting priceFree to readBest forStudying USV’s thesis and the MBA Mondays archiveLimitationRecent posts skip deal mechanics; updates now sporadic Union Square Ventures runs AVC, written solo by co-founder [Fred Wilson since September 2003](https://avc.com/about/), one of the longest-running voices in venture. That solo voice covered USV bets in Twitter, Tumblr, Foursquare, Kickstarter, Etsy and Coinbase, drawing a dedicated [Forbes profile](https://www.forbes.com/sites/truebridge/2012/12/18/vc-blogs-you-should-follow-and-why-fred-wilson/) of Wilson’s writing. The one practical vein worth mining is [MBA Mondays](https://www.capitaly.vc/blog/fred-wilsons-avc-blog-building-a-brand-in-venture-capital), a named series that breaks down equity, burn rate and board dynamics. That practical run is old: the five most recent posts on the [USV Writing index](https://www.usv.com/writing/) cover market thesis only, not deal mechanics. Posting has dropped from daily weekday updates, a habit since 2003, to sporadic, last dated January 2026. USV kept investing through it, closing a deal in [Addi in July 2026](https://tracxn.com/d/venture-capital/unionsquareventures/__x1_IjjosyDMQVXNdiX58SZSNG3p0T6xlbLfxZ_zLyx4) after 27 new bets across 2025 and 14 funds. What we seeFounders who read AVC closely sometimes assume a partner meeting will mirror the essays. USV’s current writing runs on market thesis and infrastructure, not term sheets or process. A pitch built entirely around one blog post can miss what the partner in the room actually wants to hear. ![500 Startups logo](data:image/png;base64,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)6. 500 StartupsStarting priceFree to readBest forFounders applying the AARRR frameworkLimitationFirm-voice content, not single-partner posts 500 Startups built its name on Dave McClure’s AARRR framework, the pirate-metrics model for acquisition, activation, retention, referral, and revenue. Christine Tsai co-founded the firm with Dave McClure in 2010, and it’s since grown into a global seed platform. The framework traveled far enough that [Inc. published a standalone breakdown of it](https://www.inc.com/walter-chen/aarrr-dave-mcclure-s-pirate-metrics-and-the-only-five-numbers-that-matter.html), not just a mention on 500’s own blog. Its 2025 posts lean toward program news instead, like the [Creators HQ cohort announcement](https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251030282479/en/500-Global-and-Creators-HQ-Announce-Inaugural-Cohort-of-Creators-and-Founders-Supporting-Community-of-20M-Followers-and-Users), not deal-mechanics writing. The AUM figure used to rank 500 Startups here comes from [Tracxn’s investor profile](https://tracxn.com/d/venture-capital/500-global/__KvSRqz5MJ-zRzVj4qAFJ8p3cIoNcNKqeIIAB-bjbv_Y), though its own CEO cites $2.7 billion instead. Tracxn also counts 2,543 companies backed overall, with 34 new checks in the last 12 months, still active seed volume. What we see500’s content reads as firm marketing, not one partner’s voice. Founders who pitch to a thesis lifted from the blog often meet a partner with a narrower, personal read. Treat the blog as a signal of what the platform funds, not who you’ll actually sit across from. ![NFX logo](data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAEAAAABACAMAAACdt4HsAAAAclBMVEUSEygKCyP///8PECYAAB8AAAAAAA4AABAAABoAAB0AABMMDSMAAAjZ2dwAABcAABX5+fp3d4Cmp6xhYWuEhYyKipE5Okien6U+Pk3R0dSysrft7e+7u8Bvb3ne3+Ll5efIyMwZGjBNTlpGRlMkJTdYWWTyu5hIAAACOElEQVRYhd2X63KDIBCFxcVrNE00xuZibrbv/4pdTWOtnAXbTmc65SdwPpZlWRZP/bB5/x+wWHwbQOQNjeirgJF4gHwBAOR9mwmQ5NgKEyDLIWIKgMuTjuPkQbYDoDzV5aZqto9BsgCg55J65XftGRI8l570rpf7eTD0LQQA9Fq2Z/GhqI5NMrIKAqD/1HO3eBguQ/2pGwGgAWnR7V5PuwkAoN4LTr5/Dsx+EyDEX8YncMnQ3qYArKcr76CI0MgEIBigbwyoYjQ0AWC9F68ZUBo+HJngWQ3wnmoGtBj/CSDovejo+6uXHwBCjuNDjO2jEUDMIcsDxyE6xcEEO4CIw+A4AyAZoLbswzr9PkCXDNjAMJgD0GmwYcAtSGEg3L1oAeiyqLtksq+LRg6lHrCAgCD3H80FwLnsZdCvUpys7QDdnPLOhkOew+vo9oEKsy4MiiBcwnEngBGt7RRnAJJGvMw93xnKy4oBWzlOnYCQ34QViTfNfZ2zC6fkJ0lPbkB09v1daDXAmtJI8SnucQxMAfhd7i+ztAVyA/QrA9bWy2x/WPqcfpOenBmAPqdfhVNUUwAgZF1OFxIimQBzpYBT8g68zGMDpPpAJUoHlexDhQAjgtqu21tXWpwjOZWYgI/Mltbvqai1vasG4MMN6b2wO7VwA3KZ97CBrpv95VKUoXN9s9R9nxNHWWZ7DWSArVbv23Q+KPdtcrPeR58I0Qj0acFfHtfhOwEmQ/x12b99dG+2KX//5/r7gDfeixZr0WBcKwAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==)7. NFXStarting priceNot published; invests pre-seed through Series ABest forFounders with a genuine network-effect productLimitationEssays skew consumer; B2B fit needs its own read NFX built its reputation on network effects. First-time B2B SaaS and fintech founders should expect any pitch to get tested against that lens. The firm manages [approximately $1.5 billion](https://elev-x.com/news-insights/article-nfx-review/) in assets, according to a 2026 review. Its portfolio spans [304 companies](https://tracxn.com/d/venture-capital/nfx/__6V6UcYGwqq_nXCSVDCyXyDyfG46UkAhf0eaaGAdG4MI), with 17 unicorns, 10 IPOs, and 52 acquisitions. Its core essay, [The Network Effects Bible](https://www.nfx.com/post/network-effects-bible), argues network effects have driven 70% of all tech value created since 1994. James Currier, the partner who writes most of that thesis, is direct about who the firm backs. On [X](https://x.com/JamesCurrier/status/1892257502261366925), Currier described the founder type NFX screens for: “We are looking for very specific founder types that we’ve seen be successful in consumer. Sometimes we call them “savage.” They are obsessive, competitive, disagreeable, opinionated, insanely smart. Neuro-divergent.” A founder whose product has no network-effect story may find the essays don’t match the pitch process. What we seeNFX made 14 new investments in the last 12 months, a tight bar. Founders who match the thesis before the meeting do better than those hoping the fit shows up live. ![Tomasz Tunguz logo](data:image/png;base64,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)8. Tomasz TunguzStarting priceFreeBest forAI infrastructure market data and SaaS metrics benchmarkingLimitationChecks run Series A-sized, not seed Tomasz Tunguz founded [Theory Ventures](https://theoryvc.com/team-members/tomasz-tunguz) in 2023, after nine years as a partner at Redpoint Ventures. Some 2026 blog roundups still list him at Redpoint, which is now stale information. His blog runs daily, and Tunguz’s own [about page](https://tomtunguz.com/about/) claims a readership of more than 150,000 founders and operators. He also publishes a free [SaaS Startup Key Metrics Template](https://tomtunguz.com/saas-startup-metrics-template/) founders can fill in before a partner meeting. The firm closed a $450 million second fund in November 2024, per [Venture Capital Journal](https://www.venturecapitaljournal.com/redpoint-alum-tunguz-quickly-closes-on-450m-for-fund-ii/), after a $238 million debut fund. But [Tracxn’s portfolio data](https://tracxn.com/d/venture-capital/theory-ventures/__yUZGrJBx0XC9EERsIoptbQ0BOTOzyX5Qq-rDrciDkK8) shows checks skew toward Series A, averaging $19.4 million across eight deals. Recent bets like LanceDB, Dropzone AI, and Ollama match the blog’s AI infrastructure thesis on paper. Seven of eight [July archive](https://tomtunguz.com/archive/) posts covered market data, not deal mechanics or operating advice. What we seeFounders sometimes treat Tunguz’s market analysis as a signal of Theory’s deal thesis. The check-size data suggests otherwise: this is a Series A fund reading like a seed blog. A pitch built entirely around his AI infrastructure posts risks missing the room he actually funds. ![First Round Review logo](data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAIAAAACACAMAAAD04JH5AAAAElBMVEVHcEwABQMABQMABQMABQMABQOySgydAAAABXRSTlMAydh3kNrFv8AAAADUSURBVHic7dhLCoAwFENRv/vfsmNBsCQXCuW+BZiDhAy6bWO339ntg9//vWM2IMzHAOdswDUbkFYAA6T5ywDiClCAdIYwQNxBChDnQ4B4hihA3kEIkFcAAuT5iwCKDjKAfIYgQNFBBlDkI4CmAgigmCEG0FQAATT5SwCqDhKAZoYQQNVBAlDlA4CuAgCgmiEC0FWA+APnx42rsPeB9wkQIECAAAECBAgQIECAAAECBAgQIECAAAECBAgQIECAAAECBAgQIECAAAECBAgQIECAAAErAR5yHnOroxyscgAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==)9. First Round ReviewStarting priceFree, no signup gateBest forEnterprise and GTM-focused pre-seed to seed foundersLimitationReflects one partner’s thesis, not the whole firm First Round Review earns its place because a Partner runs it, not a marketing team. Brett Berson, an investing Partner who leads First Round’s Platform team, is the [architect of The Review](https://www.firstround.com/team/investing/brett-berson) and also invests directly in companies like Clay and Persona. That matters for a founder deciding what to reference before a partner meeting. The content comes from someone who sits in the deal flow, not someone translating it secondhand. First Round Capital’s latest vehicle, Fund X, targets $500 million with initial checks of $1 million to $10 million. The firm backs 8 to 10 new companies a year. The blog reflects a narrow, active thesis rather than a broad industry survey. What we seeFounders sometimes treat a Review post as a preview of what any First Round partner wants to hear. It isn’t. The content maps closely to Berson’s own investing focus. A pitch built around one article can land flat with a partner working a different sector. ![Point Nine logo](data:image/png;base64,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)10. Point NineStarting priceFree (Substack and Medium), no paywallBest forSeed and Series A SaaS/AI founders studying investor thinkingLimitationNo public subscriber count, so reach is unclear Point Nine runs Point Nine Land, a blog co-founder Christoph Janz writes himself instead of handing it to a content team. [Christoph Janz’s Crunchbase profile](https://www.crunchbase.com/person/christoph-janz) lists board seats at Zendesk, Clio, and other firms, so his posts trace to real deal work. [SaaStr’s video and podcast on his SaaS Funding Napkin](https://www.saastr.com/the-latest-2023-napkin-reveal-what-it-takes-to-raise-capital-with-christoph-janz-general-partner-of-point-nine-capitalvideo-podcast/) came directly from Point Nine Land’s ideas, and Daphni republished the same analysis. [Point Nine Land’s archive](https://writing.pointnine.com/archive) shows five posts between January and May 2026, including one on why Point Nine invested in Anthropic. Point Nine made 14 investments in 2025 and six more through July 2026, per [Tracxn’s investor profile](https://tracxn.com/d/venture-capital/point-nine/__HwIvZ7yem2M_Tsi7obyUPgpsM8aW_sEhk5eMMlkJ2Ao), backing its investor voice. The posts lean toward Janz’s own thesis on SaaS and AI-first services, so founders should confirm which partner they will actually pitch. What we seeFounders sometimes read Point Nine Land as a signal for what Point Nine funds next. The deal pace shows a fund still writing SaaS and AI-first checks, including one into Anthropic. That is useful signal, but it does not guarantee the partner in the room shares the same thesis. ![SaaStr logo](data:image/png;base64,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)11. SaaStrStarting priceFree to readBest forFounders wanting a named partner’s stated checksLimitationOnly 18 fund bets since inception; one partner’s voice SaaStr is the blog and fund built around [Jason Lemkin profile](https://www.crunchbase.com/person/jason-lemkin). He is founder and CEO of SaaStr, and Managing Director of its $90M fund, where he holds five board seats. Tracxn counts 18 companies backed by SaaStr Fund as of May 2025, adding four to five deals a year. Those checks run $100K to $2M in ARR, leading or co-leading seed and late-seed rounds. SaaStr’s own recap claims 1,000,000 readers reached and 250,000+ community members across 2025, plus a 6,000-subscriber AI Substack. Even so, 18 bets since inception is a thin sample, and the blog posts almost daily under one partner’s byline. What we seeFounders sometimes read SaaStr’s posts as SaaStr Fund’s actual investment committee view. Lemkin writes fast, pointed opinions on the whole SaaS market, not deal memos for his own fund’s check size. Read it for market color, and check the fund’s stated ARR range before pitching Lemkin directly. ![A Smart Bear (Jason Cohen) logo](data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAEAAAABACAMAAACdt4HsAAAATlBMVEVHcExYdUYMDwhXdkYqNiM6TS5Tb0JXdUZZd0ZWdEVFXDdIYTlZdkcAAAAzQykDAwJQbD9JYzsdJhdWdEUZIRQAAAAkMR08UC9WdUVXd0YfiPQrAAAAGHRSTlMAVBH2CppwkM+q5vY4RRwr/s1x64sDrMjh7n1gAAACJUlEQVRYhe1W2ZKDIBBEQVHwwCth/v9HNwooKiiYrX3arspDquy2e2YYQegff4mqyL/jg4SvFAYpJRRlSWnyiJ9IBZh/DyQSkBaisjRVQosdPVihocUAn9LJI30GvedTkE6qMYExHorKSyeFn7tqSOh8dHrxblsiO1GrKsnPRfNB1Ht2MjMBQukSxie2LT5vrZ6VsXQJdoDot89RrQABPTuyQbyIoU9lNJ29xnraih9L52O66x6O44tXu6OjPIou34fhQSiiAZ/wPTnyww3M4ZvT8IdXAPgxfFwLwElHKHQGgKdOfnAJfbuDfCtQBfJdy+d3BJrgCL1bILSI4BUInSM4HQENa5dcb1P3GNmDBJz7FYCdDpFGvvHblPoFPE2w+jhXKVUWHEa8JVj7CG9iKgLMVBaLziTwnARk+qiX/JJB1CYKdNTIe/m6DXrJ04W1jVeXbPl8UG0Q7VZSTJYr1aJV3ZVAuzYW1fMDMhm6SXkRjlW2c2AsTmqYBuM8U5MKbLoRkKX+l/P5swU9GIGlRNh3E5mhi2juXWndj1lPBiOgwtwLSKlvj8qr/lziTC1duLrX5YtnOMxqaRzoKq4ZHWgzxgU7fC/pSjOnDXsbMSHStMdJ1WcMp6jB+pgXfg+OHpnvzWeomowtGa9aecZ6SAcydyZ7M3YxzQ6QddXp6hHfQvGh1VsBhijnloV2WJKL8f5ZN6Y045y96ocGlESTujr0jz1+ACKQog9qw7YdAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC)12. A Smart Bear (Jason Cohen)Starting priceFree to readBest forPricing and business-model thinking pre-raiseLimitationNo fund, no partner meeting behind the posts Jason Cohen writes A Smart Bear as an operator, not a fund partner. He founded [Smart Bear Software](https://blog.asmartbear.com/jason-cohen/), sold it to Insight Venture Partners in 2007, then built WP Engine past $300M raised. That background is the catch: founders get operator judgment, not a seat on an investment committee. His most-cited post argues that price “fundamentally determines the nature of the product and the structure of the business that produces it.” Founders raising their first round tend to reference that framework before a pricing conversation with any investor. He says he has invested in dozens of startups himself, so the founder-facing lens is real, not theoretical. What we seeFounders sometimes treat Cohen’s frameworks as a proxy for how VCs think, then get surprised when a partner doesn’t reason the same way. The posts are operator advice, useful for sharpening a pitch, not a preview of any specific fund’s diligence process. Several of these blogs write for one stage while the firm behind them writes cheques at another, so it helps to know which of the [funding stages from seed to Series C](https://qubit.capital/blog/venture-capital-stages) your round actually sits in before taking the advice at face value. Reading partner-level posts tells you how a firm thinks, but turning that reading into a term sheet is a separate process, and our roadmap on [how to secure venture capital funding](https://qubit.capital/blog/securing-venture-capital) walks through the steps from first outreach to close. ## What the list does not tell you Founders often assume a firm’s blog previews exactly how the partners across the table will judge the pitch. In practice, a firm’s stated blog thesis and its actual deal record can diverge, and pitching straight to a post can backfire. Bessemer’s 2025 deal record spans 105 investments from seed through growth despite its published growth-stage roadmap. A16z’s January 2026 raise breakdown shows a gap between its written thesis and where the $15B actually went. Tomasz Tunguz’s actual check sizes diverge from the blog’s stated seed-and-Series-A focus. Across Qubit’s fundraising-advisory engagements, founders who pitched directly to a firm’s published blog thesis have walked into meetings where the partner in the room actually invested against that stated pattern. Use blog content to prep vocabulary and questions, not as a scorecard. Verify against the firm’s recent deals separately. ### How Do You Tell If a Partner Actually Writes the Blog? Check the byline first. If it says “Author: [Firm] Team,” a content marketer wrote it, not an investor. Look for deal specifics. A partner who writes checks references real portfolio companies, real term sheets, real objections they raised in a pitch. Content-team posts stay generic. They cover fundraising 101 topics that any founder could google, dressed up in the firm’s branding. ### How Do You Reference a Blog Post Without Sounding Like You Skimmed It Last Night? Don’t quote the headline framework back at the partner. Every founder in their pipeline already does that. Instead, apply the framework to your own numbers before the meeting. Show where your metrics fit their stated thesis, and where they don’t. Naming the gap builds more trust than pretending your startup fits perfectly. Partners notice when a founder has actually done the math. A blog post shows a firm’s public thinking, not the mechanics of the raise itself, so founders newer to the process should first get clear on [how venture capital funding works](https://qubit.capital/blog/venture-capital-explained-secure-funding) before reading any thesis post as a signal about their own round. Quoting a partner’s own post back at them in a pitch rarely lands on its own, and the more useful preparation is understanding [how to attract venture capitalists](https://qubit.capital/blog/tips-to-attract-venture-capitalists) through traction, timing, and a warm introduction. ## Conclusion The shortlist splits by what you need next. a16z and Sequoia cover market-wide thinking, First Round Review and NFX get into operator mechanics, Point Nine and SaaStr focus on SaaS-specific advice, Bessemer brings market data. USV and Suster offer judgment shaped by history. Together they cover how investors reason before a partner meeting. Pick two or three that match your upcoming meeting’s stage, then read each firm’s most-referenced post to ask sharper questions instead of echoing its thesis back. Get advisory support prepping for the specific partner meeting, not just the general reading list. Qubit Capital’s [fundraising advisory](https://qubit.capital/startup-services/fundraising-assistance) helps founders raising $500K-$3M rounds build the materials and questions that meeting needs. [Talk to Qubit about your raise](https://qubit.capital/startup-services/fundraising-assistance).