Ecosystem Thinking: Value in Plain Sight
Sarah stared at portfolio dashboards for hours looking at milestone misses by her portfolio companies. Behind each missed milestone was a common thread: critical positions sitting unfilled, so progress stalled. The pattern was subtle at first, then impossible to ignore.
The call that changed everything came on a rainy Tuesday. James, one of her most promising founders, was about to miss a critical milestone due to capacity. "We've interviewed twenty-three candidates," he said, voice tight with frustration. "They're either great engineers who don't understand blockchain, or blockchain experts who can't code at the level we need."
What caught Sarah's attention wasn't just James's problem – it was how familiar it sounded. She'd heard nearly identical complaints from five other founders that week alone. As she mapped it out, the pattern emerged: what appeared as a talent shortage was actually a more nuanced problem–a disconnection between the whole.
Sarah started thinking of her VC like an ecosystem.
An Ecosystem Vantage Point
With 150 portfolio companies operating independently, valuable connections were being missed. Promising candidates would get close to offers, only to disappear – not because they lacked skills, but because the fit wasn't quite right.
The solution was elegantly simple: introduce these near-misses into our portfolio-wide community. Every strong candidate who didn't land one role became available others. With this solution, time-to-hire shortened by 23%.
“Ecosystems succeed when they create “a network of players that work together to create mutual value far greater than what they could achieve independently.”
Power in Partnerships
With an internal engine running–strategic partnerships added more fuel. Relationships with hackathons, universities, and grassroots communities created constant flows of talent and blockchain natives.
The fund‘s brand enhanced from being an reputable investor to becoming a vital connection point and problem solver. Its reputation in the market was an ally with innovation communities, foundations, and inspired incoming tech talent.
The New Competitive Edge
This isn't about hiring anymore. What began as a talent solution revealed a fundamental truth: If your clients or community members are operating in isolation, you’re leaving value on the table.
Whether digital agencies creating client collaborations, consulting firms building solution marketplaces, or non-profits connecting donor networks – the ecosystem model transforms missed connections into exponential growth.
The question isn't whether you have an ecosystem; it's whether you're designing intentionally.
