The Anti-Transactional Venture Capitalist: How You Get More By Giving First with Brad Feld
August 21, 2025
What if the smartest investment strategy is generosity?
Brad Feld, co-founder of Techstars and partner at Foundry Group, joins Bruce Temkin to unpack his “Give First” philosophy: why trust beats transactions, how to build founder relationships that last decades, and why self-awareness might be the most underrated leadership skill in venture capital.
What if the best ROI doesn’t come from transactions, but from trust?
In this episode of Humanity at Scale, host Bruce Temkin sits down with Brad Feld, co-founder of Techstars, Foundry Group partner, and pioneer of the “Give First” philosophy. Together, they explore how generosity, long-term relationships, and emotional self-awareness have shaped Brad’s decades-long impact in venture capital. From mentorship to mental health, Brad shares thought-provoking insights on why the most powerful tools in leadership, generosity, self-awareness, and long-term thinking aren’t just strategic advantages; they’re deeply human.
What You’ll Learn:
- Why “Give First” is not altruism, and why that matters
- How to build startup ecosystems that scale with trust, not control
- The 3-pillar framework Brad uses to evaluate investments
- How to balance generosity with healthy boundaries
- The real difference between “multi-turn” and “single-turn” leadership
- What mentorship really looks like, and why it flows both ways
- Why self-awareness is more strategic than ever in leadership
- How to stay grounded in a world of hype cycles and innovation overload
Brad Feld is a venture capital veteran with more than three decades of experience building and backing some of the most successful startups in the world. As a co-founder of Techstars and founding partner at Foundry Group, Brad helped shape the modern startup accelerator model while championing long-term investment practices rooted in trust and shared purpose. He’s the author of several influential books, including Startup Communities and Give First: The Power of Mentorship, and a rare voice in the VC world openly discussing emotional health, aging, and resilience. Through his “Give First” philosophy, Brad has become a steward of ecosystem thinking, changing how founders and funders engage across generations.
Episode Resources: