Arc5 Ventures
@arc5ventures.com
go to revenue (gtr) isn’t a trend, it’s our playbook. a5v backs founders who make impact (and money) in the real world.
did the founder open their laptop today?
not to work.
to make sure nothing exploded.
every operator knows the rule:
christmas eve is quiet right up until it isn’t.
if you checked your metrics before your gifts,
you’re our kind of founder.
die hard energy.
not to work.
to make sure nothing exploded.
every operator knows the rule:
christmas eve is quiet right up until it isn’t.
if you checked your metrics before your gifts,
you’re our kind of founder.
die hard energy.
December 25, 2025 at 3:56 AM
did the founder open their laptop today?
not to work.
to make sure nothing exploded.
every operator knows the rule:
christmas eve is quiet right up until it isn’t.
if you checked your metrics before your gifts,
you’re our kind of founder.
die hard energy.
not to work.
to make sure nothing exploded.
every operator knows the rule:
christmas eve is quiet right up until it isn’t.
if you checked your metrics before your gifts,
you’re our kind of founder.
die hard energy.
revenue isn’t a milestone.
it’s a survival trait.
gtr flips the script:
sell before you scale
charge before you polish
ship before you pitch
you don’t need a better deck.
you need receipts.
it’s a survival trait.
gtr flips the script:
sell before you scale
charge before you polish
ship before you pitch
you don’t need a better deck.
you need receipts.
December 24, 2025 at 4:10 AM
revenue isn’t a milestone.
it’s a survival trait.
gtr flips the script:
sell before you scale
charge before you polish
ship before you pitch
you don’t need a better deck.
you need receipts.
it’s a survival trait.
gtr flips the script:
sell before you scale
charge before you polish
ship before you pitch
you don’t need a better deck.
you need receipts.
grit isn’t intensity.
it’s the moment you stop hiding from the real work.
caught myself this week in founder theater:
tuning decks,
reworking stories,
polishing nothing that drives revenue.
looked busy.
zero momentum.
it’s the moment you stop hiding from the real work.
caught myself this week in founder theater:
tuning decks,
reworking stories,
polishing nothing that drives revenue.
looked busy.
zero momentum.
December 23, 2025 at 5:20 AM
grit isn’t intensity.
it’s the moment you stop hiding from the real work.
caught myself this week in founder theater:
tuning decks,
reworking stories,
polishing nothing that drives revenue.
looked busy.
zero momentum.
it’s the moment you stop hiding from the real work.
caught myself this week in founder theater:
tuning decks,
reworking stories,
polishing nothing that drives revenue.
looked busy.
zero momentum.
most weeks don’t end with answers.
they end with better questions.
that’s still progress.
they end with better questions.
that’s still progress.
December 20, 2025 at 7:13 AM
most weeks don’t end with answers.
they end with better questions.
that’s still progress.
they end with better questions.
that’s still progress.
note to self on raising early rounds:
– investors don’t fund potential, they fund momentum
– your deck isn’t the story, your decisions are
– short cycles beat shiny metrics
– clear math beats loud vision
early money follows founders who make progress inevitable.
– investors don’t fund potential, they fund momentum
– your deck isn’t the story, your decisions are
– short cycles beat shiny metrics
– clear math beats loud vision
early money follows founders who make progress inevitable.
December 19, 2025 at 3:30 AM
note to self on raising early rounds:
– investors don’t fund potential, they fund momentum
– your deck isn’t the story, your decisions are
– short cycles beat shiny metrics
– clear math beats loud vision
early money follows founders who make progress inevitable.
– investors don’t fund potential, they fund momentum
– your deck isn’t the story, your decisions are
– short cycles beat shiny metrics
– clear math beats loud vision
early money follows founders who make progress inevitable.
most founders think they have a “fundraising problem.”
they usually have a math problem.
revenue too small
cycles too long
story too soft
capital doesn’t fix that.
focus does.
they usually have a math problem.
revenue too small
cycles too long
story too soft
capital doesn’t fix that.
focus does.
December 18, 2025 at 5:35 AM
most founders think they have a “fundraising problem.”
they usually have a math problem.
revenue too small
cycles too long
story too soft
capital doesn’t fix that.
focus does.
they usually have a math problem.
revenue too small
cycles too long
story too soft
capital doesn’t fix that.
focus does.
great demos don’t happen by accident.
did you build to wow investors,
or to close a customer?
we’ve seen the difference.
so have your users.
did you build to wow investors,
or to close a customer?
we’ve seen the difference.
so have your users.
December 17, 2025 at 5:51 AM
great demos don’t happen by accident.
did you build to wow investors,
or to close a customer?
we’ve seen the difference.
so have your users.
did you build to wow investors,
or to close a customer?
we’ve seen the difference.
so have your users.
revenue is the only signal that survives a pitch deck.
everything else spins.
everything else spins.
December 16, 2025 at 6:44 AM
revenue is the only signal that survives a pitch deck.
everything else spins.
everything else spins.
the best founders don’t pitch. they explain.
we met one this week who turned 3 spreadsheets into a working ai model.
no buzzwords.
just shipping.
we met one this week who turned 3 spreadsheets into a working ai model.
no buzzwords.
just shipping.
December 12, 2025 at 10:59 PM
the best founders don’t pitch. they explain.
we met one this week who turned 3 spreadsheets into a working ai model.
no buzzwords.
just shipping.
we met one this week who turned 3 spreadsheets into a working ai model.
no buzzwords.
just shipping.
the best founders aren’t louder,
they’re deeper.
• insiders who’ve lived the pain
• builders who sell before the deck
• founders who’d solve it with or without funding
ai is easy.
insight is rare.
depth wins.
they’re deeper.
• insiders who’ve lived the pain
• builders who sell before the deck
• founders who’d solve it with or without funding
ai is easy.
insight is rare.
depth wins.
December 11, 2025 at 7:58 PM
the best founders aren’t louder,
they’re deeper.
• insiders who’ve lived the pain
• builders who sell before the deck
• founders who’d solve it with or without funding
ai is easy.
insight is rare.
depth wins.
they’re deeper.
• insiders who’ve lived the pain
• builders who sell before the deck
• founders who’d solve it with or without funding
ai is easy.
insight is rare.
depth wins.
traction isn’t a line on a slide.
it’s a discipline.
look past polish for the quiet signals:
– repeat buyers
– short sales cycles
– low churn with no hand-holding
the best early products don’t impress.
they convert.
it’s a discipline.
look past polish for the quiet signals:
– repeat buyers
– short sales cycles
– low churn with no hand-holding
the best early products don’t impress.
they convert.
December 10, 2025 at 7:58 PM
traction isn’t a line on a slide.
it’s a discipline.
look past polish for the quiet signals:
– repeat buyers
– short sales cycles
– low churn with no hand-holding
the best early products don’t impress.
they convert.
it’s a discipline.
look past polish for the quiet signals:
– repeat buyers
– short sales cycles
– low churn with no hand-holding
the best early products don’t impress.
they convert.
the best due diligence isn’t data.
it’s silence.
founders fill it with either insight or excuses.
it’s silence.
founders fill it with either insight or excuses.
December 9, 2025 at 8:00 PM
the best due diligence isn’t data.
it’s silence.
founders fill it with either insight or excuses.
it’s silence.
founders fill it with either insight or excuses.
learn from @HustleFundVC
small checks move faster than big egos.
small checks move faster than big egos.
December 8, 2025 at 7:56 PM
learn from @HustleFundVC
small checks move faster than big egos.
small checks move faster than big egos.
ai isn’t the moat.
distribution is.
in this playbook, we don’t back tinkerers.
we back translators,
founders who can turn domain insight into dollars.
because the winners won’t be the ones who build the best model.
they’ll be the ones who sell it best.
distribution is.
in this playbook, we don’t back tinkerers.
we back translators,
founders who can turn domain insight into dollars.
because the winners won’t be the ones who build the best model.
they’ll be the ones who sell it best.
December 5, 2025 at 8:00 PM
ai isn’t the moat.
distribution is.
in this playbook, we don’t back tinkerers.
we back translators,
founders who can turn domain insight into dollars.
because the winners won’t be the ones who build the best model.
they’ll be the ones who sell it best.
distribution is.
in this playbook, we don’t back tinkerers.
we back translators,
founders who can turn domain insight into dollars.
because the winners won’t be the ones who build the best model.
they’ll be the ones who sell it best.
In an age drunk on pitch decks and pretense,
we invest in what dares to make cents.
Let others chase unicorns in dreams,
we prefer quiet companies that gleam.
we invest in what dares to make cents.
Let others chase unicorns in dreams,
we prefer quiet companies that gleam.
December 4, 2025 at 8:02 PM
In an age drunk on pitch decks and pretense,
we invest in what dares to make cents.
Let others chase unicorns in dreams,
we prefer quiet companies that gleam.
we invest in what dares to make cents.
Let others chase unicorns in dreams,
we prefer quiet companies that gleam.
backed a founder who treats ai like plumbing:
quiet,
efficient,
invisible.
that’s who wins.
not the ones holding microphones.
quiet,
efficient,
invisible.
that’s who wins.
not the ones holding microphones.
December 3, 2025 at 7:59 PM
backed a founder who treats ai like plumbing:
quiet,
efficient,
invisible.
that’s who wins.
not the ones holding microphones.
quiet,
efficient,
invisible.
that’s who wins.
not the ones holding microphones.
met a founder who spent 3 months chasing a pitch deck template.
we told him to build a customer instead.
we told him to build a customer instead.
December 2, 2025 at 8:04 PM
met a founder who spent 3 months chasing a pitch deck template.
we told him to build a customer instead.
we told him to build a customer instead.
revenue is the only traction that can’t be spun.
not vanity metrics. not slide decks.
if the model doesn’t work at $10k ARR,
it won’t magically work at $10M.
not vanity metrics. not slide decks.
if the model doesn’t work at $10k ARR,
it won’t magically work at $10M.
December 1, 2025 at 8:01 PM
revenue is the only traction that can’t be spun.
not vanity metrics. not slide decks.
if the model doesn’t work at $10k ARR,
it won’t magically work at $10M.
not vanity metrics. not slide decks.
if the model doesn’t work at $10k ARR,
it won’t magically work at $10M.
launching is theater.
revenue is war.
at arc5, we skip the dress rehearsal:
– ship early
– price by pain
– land real $$ before the deck drops
if you’re not charging, you’re not learning.
you’re just burning.
revenue is war.
at arc5, we skip the dress rehearsal:
– ship early
– price by pain
– land real $$ before the deck drops
if you’re not charging, you’re not learning.
you’re just burning.
November 21, 2025 at 4:49 AM
launching is theater.
revenue is war.
at arc5, we skip the dress rehearsal:
– ship early
– price by pain
– land real $$ before the deck drops
if you’re not charging, you’re not learning.
you’re just burning.
revenue is war.
at arc5, we skip the dress rehearsal:
– ship early
– price by pain
– land real $$ before the deck drops
if you’re not charging, you’re not learning.
you’re just burning.
every “impossible” startup we’ve backed started the same way,
with someone who didn’t wait for permission.
with someone who didn’t wait for permission.
November 20, 2025 at 5:17 AM
every “impossible” startup we’ve backed started the same way,
with someone who didn’t wait for permission.
with someone who didn’t wait for permission.
the dirty secret of pre seed?
nobody has a clue.
the winners just hide it better.
the whole point is simple:
you’re not betting on data, you’re betting on judgment.
the right people know exactly what that means.
funders who get this usually DM us.
founders too.
nobody has a clue.
the winners just hide it better.
the whole point is simple:
you’re not betting on data, you’re betting on judgment.
the right people know exactly what that means.
funders who get this usually DM us.
founders too.
November 15, 2025 at 12:07 AM
the dirty secret of pre seed?
nobody has a clue.
the winners just hide it better.
the whole point is simple:
you’re not betting on data, you’re betting on judgment.
the right people know exactly what that means.
funders who get this usually DM us.
founders too.
nobody has a clue.
the winners just hide it better.
the whole point is simple:
you’re not betting on data, you’re betting on judgment.
the right people know exactly what that means.
funders who get this usually DM us.
founders too.
everyone’s busy “raising rounds.”
few are raising standards.
few are raising standards.
November 13, 2025 at 2:56 PM
everyone’s busy “raising rounds.”
few are raising standards.
few are raising standards.
most “thought leadership” is just fear of irrelevance wearing a suit.
November 13, 2025 at 12:18 AM
most “thought leadership” is just fear of irrelevance wearing a suit.
sf isn’t a bubble.
it’s a pressure cooker.
weak ideas pop.
good ones crystallize.
we stay for the heat.
it’s a pressure cooker.
weak ideas pop.
good ones crystallize.
we stay for the heat.
November 12, 2025 at 3:05 AM
sf isn’t a bubble.
it’s a pressure cooker.
weak ideas pop.
good ones crystallize.
we stay for the heat.
it’s a pressure cooker.
weak ideas pop.
good ones crystallize.
we stay for the heat.
the unicorn era is ending.
the next wave of ai startups won’t be built on hype or headcount.
they’ll be built by operators
who’ve lived the problem,
and know how to solve it.
at arc5, we don’t chase moonshots.
we back the builders of the real economy.
the next wave of ai startups won’t be built on hype or headcount.
they’ll be built by operators
who’ve lived the problem,
and know how to solve it.
at arc5, we don’t chase moonshots.
we back the builders of the real economy.
November 10, 2025 at 5:58 PM
the unicorn era is ending.
the next wave of ai startups won’t be built on hype or headcount.
they’ll be built by operators
who’ve lived the problem,
and know how to solve it.
at arc5, we don’t chase moonshots.
we back the builders of the real economy.
the next wave of ai startups won’t be built on hype or headcount.
they’ll be built by operators
who’ve lived the problem,
and know how to solve it.
at arc5, we don’t chase moonshots.
we back the builders of the real economy.