How Top VCs Help Portfolio Companies Hire: A16z, Sequoia, and Beyond
Inside the talent programs at leading venture firms and how to maximize their value for your startup.
Roles Team
Talent Advisors · January 12, 2025
# How Top VCs Help Portfolio Companies Hire: A16z, Sequoia, and Beyond
The best venture capital firms do more than write checks—they help portfolio companies build world-class teams. Understanding how to leverage VC talent resources can accelerate your hiring significantly.
The VC Talent Landscape
### Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) A16z pioneered the platform model with dedicated talent partners for each portfolio company. Their services include: - Executive recruiting support - Candidate sourcing and pipeline building - Compensation benchmarking - Interview training
### Sequoia Capital Sequoia's talent team focuses on high-impact hires: - Executive search partnerships - Board member recruiting - Talent network access - Reference checking support
### Benchmark Capital Benchmark takes a more hands-off approach but provides: - Partner introductions to candidates - Network referrals - Strategic hiring advice
### Other Top Firms Firms like Accel, Greylock, Index, and Founders Fund all have talent resources, though the scope varies.
How to Maximize VC Talent Support
### Be Proactive Don't wait for your VC to offer help. Ask specifically for what you need: - "Can you introduce me to VP Engineering candidates?" - "Do you have compensation data for this role?" - "Can your talent partner help us build a recruiting process?"
### Come Prepared When engaging VC talent teams: - Have clear job descriptions - Know your compensation ranges - Understand your timeline - Be ready to move quickly on referrals
### Follow Up VC talent teams are busy serving many portfolio companies. Stay top of mind: - Provide feedback quickly on referrals - Update them on hiring progress - Share wins and challenges
What VCs Can't Do
Be realistic about limitations: - They can't hire for you - They won't find all your candidates - Their network has limits - They're supporting many companies simultaneously
The Bottom Line
VC talent support is a valuable resource, but it's not a replacement for building your own recruiting capability. Use it strategically for high-impact hires while developing your internal hiring muscle.