I had the pleasure of speaking with Seth Levine, co-founder of Foundry Group, on my podcast this week. Foundry made headlines recently when they announced their 2022 fund would be their last - closing up shop after 16 very successful years in VC.
After Foundry Group's noteworthy announcement, I prioritized releasing this timely interview with Seth Levine to discuss the context behind their decision.
In our conversation, he sheds light on Foundry's intentional approach to build a limited life partnership, avoiding the "treadmill" of endless fundraising. Seth reflects on the unique culture and key lessons from Foundry's journey, while also looking ahead to what's next for him and the industry.
I gained so many fascinating insights about the VC model and evolution of the startup ecosystem from our discussion. I will be dedicating a more detailed blog post to capturing all the highlights soon.
For now, have a listen to gain an inside perspective on Foundry Group's origins and impact straight from Seth Levine. You can find the episode on my podcast on Spotify here.
Some key insights:
Why Foundry decided early on not to create a generational firm, instead staying small and focused entirely on their portfolio
How they created space to invest in emerging VC managers, gaining access to new deal flow and opportunities
Seth's perspective on luck vs skill, the role of psychology, and avoiding FOMO as a VC
His excitement for more flexibility in the next phase while staying involved with founders and startups
Inside Foundry Group's Decision to Shut Down After 16 Years in VC
The Final Foundry Fund