Katelin Holloway, founding partner at 776, argues that her background as a human resources executive provides the ideal skillset for early-stage venture capital, equating sourcing with recruiting and portfolio support with enabling human potential.
776 employs a founder-first, generalist, and high-conviction investment strategy, underwriting every deal with the potential to return the entire fund.
This is supported by a proprietary software platform, Cerebro, to scale their operations.
The firm's portfolio includes audacious, high-tech companies like StarCloud (data centers in space) and Lamb Division (manufacturing artificial retinas in zero gravity), reflecting their focus on backing exceptional founders solving massive problems.
Holloway draws heavily on her experiences at Pixar, where she learned the value of intentionally designed culture as a driver of outsized returns, and at Reddit, where she helped lead a significant cultural turnaround.
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Concerns Raised
Founders often wait too long to fire underperforming employees.
Founders can hire for roles prematurely before understanding the needs themselves ('hire when it hurts').
Executive hires placed by VCs often have a short tenure (<18 months) due to misalignment.
Confusing 'motion for progress' leads to low-frequency, ineffective work.
Opportunities Identified
Applying HR principles to venture capital offers a unique edge in sourcing and supporting founders.
Investing in ambitious, 'deep tech' areas like space-based data centers (StarCloud) and zero-gravity manufacturing (Lamb Division).
Utilizing proprietary technology (Cerebro) to scale a high-touch, high-conviction investment model.
Providing founders with unique support, such as the 'Growth and Caregiving Program', to foster long-term success and well-being.