As a YC founder now building a syndicate (Scalable Ventures), we’re intentionally building around this exact shift: high-agency, post-accelerator, solo or lean-team founders using AI to skip the old playbook. The traditional "pre-seed → seed → Series A" model doesn't apply the same way anymore — and you're absolutely right, many of these founders will choose profitability and independence over chasing unicorn status.
Our thesis is: fund the founder, not the form factor. We’re starting to explore creative models like revenue-sharing, early founder grants, and performance-based follow-ons — especially for bootstrapped, cashflow-positive companies that don’t want to raise in the traditional sense.
https://www.scalablevc.com/HackerNews
Would love to connect and explore ideas.