At Venture Intelligence Day Conference in New York, a standout panel featuring leaders from Btomorrow Ventures, Pronghorn, and Tacoma Venture Fund in conversation with Vestberry’s Natalia Jamborova, tackled one of the most pressing questions in modern VC: What does real value creation look like post-investment?
Rather than generic advice or buzzwords, the conversation delivered grounded perspectives from investors who have helped founders scale, pivot, and survive unexpected turbulence. It became clear that successful value creation is less about hacks and more about structure, communication, and measured alignment.
Start with trust: high-impact VC-founder relationships
Connor McKenna of Pronghorn shared that the foundation of value creation begins with deeply understanding the founder’s mindset. His team integrates psychological profiling during due diligence, not as a judgment tool, but to map out where support is most needed. This insight helps them deliver targeted operational help with empathy and respect.
Firms like Pronghorn, who work hands-on in sectors like beverage alcohol, adopt consulting-style engagements post-investment. They involve internal subject-matter experts to help founders navigate supply chain, sales, and finance challenges based on projected roadblocks.
Accountability without micromanagement
Madin Akpo-Esambe from Tacoma Venture Fund emphasized setting shared expectations early. Founders know from the start that their team offers a hands-on partnership. Each investment is structured with monthly check-ins, strategic planning, and both qualitative (OKRs) and quantitative (KPIs) tracking.
This structured approach helps founders align internally and externally, and ensures VCs can measure what support actually moves the needle. Value creation is not about doing more; it is about doing the right things at the right time.
Helping founders prioritize and stay focused
Whether navigating tariffs, changing distribution channels, or launching new features, portfolio companies often juggle competing priorities. The panelists pointed out that early-stage teams in particular need help staying focused on core objectives.
This is where tools like VESTBERRY play a key role. They offer a shared view of portfolio progress, help identify early warning signals, and centralize data for more informed support across investment and platform teams.
Avoiding the “One-Size-Fits-All” trap
Real value creation depends on tailoring support based on founder needs and company stage. While some founders are self-starters, others benefit from frameworks and mentoring. Recognizing this early helps VCs avoid over-engineering or under-delivering.
Fiona Kinghorn of Btomorrow Ventures explained how her team blends founder empathy with clear operational mentorship, especially during critical growth inflection points like retail expansion or product-market fit pivots. Their goal is to guide calmly through chaos, offering structured support without taking over.
The hidden costs of fragmented help
The panel acknowledged that if one portfolio company receives a “supercharged” playbook or celebrity campaign, others will expect the same. This reinforces the need for transparency, expectation-setting, and internal alignment on what support can be offered and when.
Tools like VESTBERRY become crucial for coordinating across investment and platform teams. These systems ensure every stakeholder knows what is being delivered, why it matters, and how to assess its impact.
What should VCs stop doing?
Several panelists agreed: drip-feeding capital undermines focus and effectiveness. Instead of milestone-driven injections that leave founders in constant fundraising mode, more VCs should trust in financial models grounded in operational reality.
Others highlighted the need to drop the “VC as savior” mentality. Founders are the experts in their markets. Value creation should empower, not overshadow, their vision.
Conclusion: Measured support creates measurable outcomes
The Venture Intelligence Day panel reminded us that effective VC support is a craft. It is about knowing when to lean in, when to step back, and how to systematize help in ways that scale. Tools like VESTBERRY offer the infrastructure, but the real work comes from strong relationships and clear alignment.
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