We Need Your Help

"We Need Your Help" — Andre Retterath | March 29, 2026

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Editorial Note: This newsletter is primarily a survey solicitation with limited substantive analysis. The insights extractable are narrow in scope. Sections have been populated with what the article genuinely supports; where content is insufficient to fill a section meaningfully, that is noted transparently.

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1. Key Themes

AI and Data Adoption is Becoming a Standard VC Operating Expectation

The newsletter frames AI adoption not as a cutting-edge differentiator but as a baseline competency being benchmarked across the industry.

"Benchmark your status quo anonymously against your peers, and identify white spots and potential for improvement. What are the best tools for [fill in task]? How are investors leveraging LLMs and GenAI?"

Workflow Automation is Actively Reshaping Core VC Functions

The report specifically calls out deal sourcing and prioritization as functions being automated — signaling these are no longer theoretical use cases but live implementations at real firms.

"...concrete examples and use cases how investors automate workflows such as sourcing or deal flow prioritization with Claude, Codex, OpenClaw, n8n, and more."

Transparency and Benchmarking as a Competitive Tool

The survey positions collective data-sharing as a way for firms to identify operational gaps — suggesting that firms resistant to benchmarking may be flying blind relative to peers.

"Compare yourself to other firms in terms of internal vs external tech budgets, investment vs engineering headcount relative to fund size, percentage of traditional vs data-driven sourcing, motivations and roadblocks... Where is your firm compared to others?"

The Digitization of VC is Still Uneven and Incomplete

The framing of the report as uncovering "the true state of digitization" implies the industry is mid-transition, not mature — meaningful signal for investors and vendors serving the VC space.

"This report is a movement towards transparency and aims to cut through noise. See where you stand, uncover industry leaders, and let's collectively unveil the true state of digitization in venture capital."

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2. Contrarian Perspectives

The "Secret Sauce" Problem is Overstated for Most VC Tech

Retterath explicitly argues that the fear of revealing proprietary methods is a red herring for most of what VC firms actually do with technology — and that collective transparency creates more value than secrecy.

"Of course, nobody is willing to unveil the hidden secrets — that's not the intention at all — but there's a lot to win by creating collective transparency and comparing notes for the simple but painful stuff."

This pushes against the consensus that VC is an inherently secretive, relationship-guarded industry where operational benchmarking is impossible or undesirable.

Engineering Headcount Relative to Fund Size is a Meaningful Performance Signal

Most fund evaluations focus on AUM, returns, and deal count. The survey's inclusion of "investment vs engineering headcount relative to fund size" as a benchmarking dimension implies this ratio is becoming a proxy for operational sophistication — a non-obvious lens for evaluating VC firms.

"Compare yourself to other firms in terms of... investment vs engineering headcount relative to fund size..."

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3. Companies Identified

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4. People Identified

Note: No other individuals are named or profiled in this edition.

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5. Operating Insights

Track Engineering-to-Investment Headcount Ratio as a Firm Health Metric

The survey's inclusion of this ratio as a benchmarking dimension suggests it is emerging as a meaningful operational KPI. Firms — and founders evaluating VC partners — should understand where a given firm sits on this spectrum.

"Compare yourself to other firms in terms of... investment vs engineering headcount relative to fund size..."

Benchmark Sourcing Mix: Traditional vs. Data-Driven

The explicit measurement of "percentage of traditional vs data-driven sourcing" implies that leading firms are already tracking this internally. Firms not monitoring this split may be losing ground in deal discovery speed and quality.

"Compare yourself to other firms in terms of... percentage of traditional vs data-driven sourcing, motivations and roadblocks..."

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6. Overlooked Insights

The Survey Itself is a Signal of Market Maturity

The fact that this is the fourth consecutive annual edition (since 2023) with "hundreds of community submissions" and 10,000+ downloads suggests the data-driven VC category has moved past early-adopter status into mainstream adoption. The longitudinal dataset being built is itself a strategic asset.

"Since 2023, every annual edition received hundreds of community submissions, generated millions of social media impressions, got downloaded 10,000+ times..."

OpenClaw is an Unnamed But Noteworthy Tool

Unlike Claude, Codex, and n8n — all well-known platforms — OpenClaw is listed without explanation. It appears to be a VC-specific AI tool that has earned placement alongside major enterprise AI products. It warrants further investigation as a potential emerging player in the VC tech stack.

"...how investors automate workflows such as sourcing or deal flow prioritization with Claude, Codex, OpenClaw, n8n, and more."