We're Adding a New GTMfund Partner. Here's Why It Changes Everything.
Why It Matters
The addition of a seasoned network leader strengthens GTM Fund’s ability to differentiate emerging managers, improving founder outcomes and enhancing LP confidence in a market dominated by mega‑funds.
Key Takeaways
- •Jason Damont joins GTM Fund as partner and head of networks.
- •Emerging managers face sub‑50% graduation from fund one to two.
- •Media, community, and operator networks create a powerful flywheel.
- •Founders value tangible support: talent, customer, and fundraising intros.
- •GTM Fund aims to differentiate via durable media and network assets.
Summary
The episode announces the appointment of Jason Damont as a partner and head of networks at GTM Fund, marking the first formal staffing of its platform and network function. Damont brings a decade‑long track record at Foundation Capital, where he ran an accelerator, invested in over a hundred emerging managers, and built a robust founder‑to‑operator ecosystem.
During the conversation, the hosts highlight the brutal attrition rates for emerging managers—fewer than 50% make it from a first to a second fund, and under 10% survive to a third. They argue that success hinges on two levers: differentiated sourcing (often amplified by media presence) and deep, actionable support for portfolio founders, such as talent introductions, customer connections, and fundraising guidance.
Damont emphasizes the “flywheel” effect of GTM’s three pillars—media, community, and capital. He cites a recent Thanksgiving‑day diligence on a hardware startup, where the fund leveraged its network to secure a CEO intro that both validated the investment and later became a strategic customer for the portfolio company. His personal mantra—“Would I want this firm on my cap table if I were a founder?”—underscores the founder‑centric ethos driving the new role.
By formalizing the network function, GTM Fund positions itself to compete with mega‑funds raising tens of billions, offering emerging managers a defensible advantage through durable media assets and a genuine community. For LPs, the move promises stronger deal flow and higher odds of fund longevity; for founders, it translates into a richer support engine that can accelerate growth beyond capital alone.
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