Fund Structure
Platform
In VC: a team or set of services provided by a fund to its portfolio companies — talent, marketing, BD, technical resources beyond just capital.
In the VC context, a 'platform' refers to the non-investment support services a fund provides to its portfolio companies. Large firms like a16z, Sequoia, and First Round Capital have dedicated platform teams offering: talent recruiting (helping hire executives, engineers, sales leaders), marketing support (PR, content, brand), business development (introductions to corporate partners and customers), technical resources, community (connecting portfolio companies with each other), and executive coaching. Platform capabilities have become a significant differentiator among VC firms competing for top deals — founders choose investors partly based on the value-add beyond capital. Smaller funds counter by offering more personalized attention and direct GP involvement.