Not an investor? Here’s how you can still work in venture

Hi! I’m glad you’re here. You’ve made it to issue #52 of VC Demystified🪄.

My name’s Nicole - I’m a Principal at an early stage venture fund, and I know firsthand that VC can often be a black box. Breaking into the industry may feel daunting and resources can seem scarce and inaccessible. I wanted to put together a newsletter to give others the playbook I wish I had when I first started.

Today’s deep dive: A guide to choosing the right platform role in VC based on how you want to support founders

^{My personal mission is to open as many doors as possible for other people and this newsletter is just one avenue to do that. As always, I will continue to post VC insights daily for free across my socials.}

Read time: 6 minutes

A guide to choosing the right platform role in VC based on how you want to support founders

How to pick the right fund based on your interests, skills, and goals.

Most people who say they want to work in venture mean they want to be on the investing side. But that’s only half the story.

The other half? Platform.

Platform teams are the operators inside VC firms. They support founders, scale internal systems, and help the fund win competitive deals.

And as venture continues to evolve, platform is becoming one of the most strategic parts of a VC firm, especially as capital gets more commoditized and firms compete on value-add.

If you’re considering a platform role in VC, here’s what you need to know before diving in: the pillars of platform, how different fund structures shape the role, and what to look for to find the right fit for you.

What is VC Platform?

Platform refers to everything a venture firm does to support founders beyond the check.

Most firms structure their platform work across six key pillars:

• Talent - Recruiting support, HR consulting, and executive search

• Business Development - Corporate partnerships, demo days, and BD for portfolio companies

• Marketing & Comms - Social, PR, original content, newsletters

• Community & Network - Peer groups, mentorship, external events, advisor networks

• Operations - Portfolio tools, CRMs, LP/fundraising support

• Events - CEO summits, founder workshops, LP meetings

Depending on the firm, you might own one pillar OR all of them.

What to Consider When Looking for a Platform Role

If you’re exploring platform opportunities in VC, the firm you choose will significantly shape your experience. Here's what to think about:

1. Size of the Platform Team

This is one of the biggest factors in what your day-to-day will look like.

• Large platform team (5+ people):
  You’ll likely specialize in one area (e.g., talent, content, community). There’s more structure, mentorship, and opportunity to go deep.

• Small platform team (1–2 people):
  You’ll be a generalist. You'll likely touch every part of the platform stack from writing newsletters to running events to managing job boards.

If you want to specialize, target funds with larger platform orgs like a16z, First Round, or M13.

If you like variety and building from scratch, early-stage firms or solo-GP platforms could be a better fit.

Ask yourself: Do I want to master one function or own multiple things end to end?

2. Emerging vs. Established Firms

Platform roles look very different depending on whether you’re joining an established fund or an emerging manager.

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