Slow Ventures doesn't promote from within, but it just made Yoni Rechtman a partner.

"In 2022, when Yoni Rechtman's boss asked where he wanted to be in five years, the newly hired venture capitalist told him, "Not here." What might have sounded like defiance was exactly what Kevin Colleran, managing director of Slow Ventures, wanted to hear. The firm doesn't promote from within. It keeps funds small - "easier to return many multiples of success," Colleran said - and so the firm needs fewer investors."

"It's a precarious time for junior venture capitalists. Many came of age during the frothy post-pandemic boom, when deal flow was brisk, valuations soared, and portfolio companies seemed to double in value every few months. Then the market cooled and funds pulled back. Suddenly, midlevel investors had fewer chances to prove themselves, and some of their once-glittering deals now looked painfully overpriced. The path to partnership, already murky, became even narrower. Some disillusioned investors left the industry altogether."

Slow Ventures operates small funds and typically avoids internal promotions to keep teams lean and maximize returns. The firm promoted Yoni Rechtman, 30, from principal to partner, an uncommon move and the first principal-to-partner elevation for its core seed funds in ten years. The firm is nearing $1 billion in investor capital and has four partners investing from its core seed funds; Megan Lightcap became partner in 2024 to co-lead a creator-focused fund. The early-stage market cooled after a post-pandemic boom, reducing opportunities for midlevel investors and slowing debut fund closings, with 68 closures through September versus 183 last year, per PitchBook.

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