Definition
A VC who claims they'll actively help your company through connections, advice, and support, as opposed to just wiring money. Reality: they'll make three intros, attend two board meetings, then ghost you unless you're a unicorn.
Example Usage
They sold themselves as proactive investors who'd open doors, but after the wire cleared, their idea of 'proactive' is liking our LinkedIn posts.
Origin
VC marketing terminology from the 2010s value-add arms race
Fun Fact
Studies show most founders rate their lead investors as 'helpful' or 'very helpful,' but these ratings correlate almost perfectly with company performance, suggesting VCs are proactive mainly when things are going well.
Source: Venture capital value proposition terminology
Related Terms
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See “proactive investor” in Corporate Speak, Gen-Z Slang, Pirate Speak, and more.
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