The Scale team returned to the office this week for the first time since we left it in March 2020. And while much has changed in the world, at its core, venture continues to be about building relationships. We are ready to build those relationships with entrepreneurs however and wherever works best, whether that’s in person or remote, in our offices or yours, or any combination in between.
Naturally COVID raised concerns about how remote meetings would impact the ways our firm conducts business. Our approach was straightforward: make the investments and mental adjustments necessary to connect with entrepreneurs in new ways.
Scale was extremely active during the last 18 months, so we’re already accustomed to this multi-channel world. Recent deals have been a mix of remote meetings, in-person, or a little of both.
Take Papaya Global or Archipelago Analytics or Flatfile. From the initial pitch to diligence to term sheets to Board meetings, we got to know these companies remotely on Zoom and through email. And only meeting in person later.
New portfolio companies AppOmni and Comet reflect the mix-and-match reality. In both cases, we first met company founders in person pre-COVID, then developed those relationships remotely during COVID, culminating in Scale investments earlier in 2021 before returning to the office.
These are just a few examples of many that show how the process looks different than it did before. That’s not surprising. The way business is conducted is always evolving, but the business of building lasting relationships with entrepreneurs is timeless. We look forward to meeting you in-person or in pixels soon. Our doors are open.