Bradley Tusk says VC is dead. But the ‘fixer’ in him is just getting started

Tech Crunch - Mar 26th, 2025
Open on Tech Crunch

Venture capital veteran Bradley Tusk, co-founder and managing partner of Tusk Venture Partners, has announced a significant shift in his professional focus. Citing the stagnation of the venture capital landscape over the past four years, Tusk has chosen not to raise a fourth fund. Instead, he is launching an equity-for-services firm aimed at assisting early-stage startups with navigating tech policy and regulation. Tusk's transition was discussed in a recent episode of TechCrunch's podcast 'Equity,' where he shared insights into his new venture, the challenges of the current VC model, and his ambitious mobile voting project.

This move by Tusk highlights the growing challenges faced by traditional venture capital, exacerbated by political measures such as Trump's tariffs, which have unsettled markets. Tusk's experience as a regulatory advisor to startups, notably during Uber's formative years, positions him uniquely to aid emerging companies in understanding complex regulatory environments. His dedication to mobile voting aims to enhance voter turnout through secure, open-source technology, reflecting his broader goal to innovate political engagement. This pivot underscores a broader trend of evolving strategies within the venture investment community in response to market and political shifts.

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RATING

6.8
Fair Story
Consider it well-founded

The story provides an insightful look into Bradley Tusk's views on venture capital and his business initiatives. It effectively highlights his perspectives and experiences, particularly his pivot to an equity-for-services model and his mobile voting efforts. However, the story's reliance on a single perspective limits its balance and engagement potential. A more comprehensive exploration of the issues, incorporating diverse viewpoints and evidence, would enhance its credibility and impact. The story is well-written and timely, addressing topics of public interest, but could benefit from greater transparency and source variety to fully realize its potential.

RATING DETAILS

7
Accuracy

The story presents several factual claims, notably Bradley Tusk's assertion that venture capital has been 'effectively dead for the last four years.' This claim can be partially verified through market data on IPOs and M&A activities, which are crucial for liquidity in venture capital. However, the story does not provide specific evidence or data to support this assertion, making it somewhat speculative.

Additionally, the story claims that Tusk has decided not to raise a fourth fund and instead pivoted to an equity-for-services model. This is a verifiable fact based on Tusk's public statements and business announcements. His role in Uber's early growth is another claim that is well-documented in various sources, lending credibility to this part of the story.

The mention of Tusk's mobile voting initiative is another point that requires verification. While Tusk has publicly advocated for mobile voting, the story does not provide specific examples or evidence of its implementation or impact. Overall, the story's accuracy is moderate, with some claims verifiable and others needing further evidence.

6
Balance

The story primarily focuses on Bradley Tusk's perspective, offering insights into his views on venture capital and his business decisions. While it provides a detailed look into Tusk's opinions and initiatives, it lacks a diversity of perspectives.

For instance, the story does not include viewpoints from other venture capitalists or industry experts who might agree or disagree with Tusk's assessment of the venture capital landscape. This could lead to a somewhat one-sided presentation, as readers are not exposed to a broader range of opinions or counterarguments.

The story could be more balanced by incorporating insights from other stakeholders in the venture capital industry, such as startup founders, investors, or policy experts, to provide a more comprehensive view of the issues discussed. This would help readers understand the complexities of the topics addressed.

8
Clarity

The story is well-structured and easy to follow, with a clear focus on Bradley Tusk's views and business decisions. The language is straightforward, making it accessible to a general audience.

The story effectively outlines the main points of Tusk's perspective, including his assessment of the venture capital landscape and his pivot to an equity-for-services model. It also provides background information on Tusk's career, helping readers understand his expertise and motivations.

However, the story could benefit from more detailed explanations of certain terms and concepts, such as 'equity-for-services' and 'mobile voting,' to enhance reader understanding. Overall, the story's clarity is strong, with minor areas for improvement.

7
Source quality

The story cites Bradley Tusk, a credible figure in the venture capital and tech policy space, as its primary source. Tusk's background as a co-founder of Tusk Venture Partners and his role in advising companies like Uber lend authority to his statements.

However, the story relies heavily on Tusk's perspective without corroborating it with additional sources. While Tusk's expertise is undeniable, the lack of diverse sources limits the story's overall reliability. Including insights from other industry experts or data from financial reports would enhance the credibility of the claims made.

The story's reliance on a single source suggests a potential conflict of interest, as Tusk's views may be influenced by his business interests. A more varied source base would provide a more balanced and objective view of the issues discussed.

6
Transparency

The story provides a clear context for Bradley Tusk's statements, explaining his background and the rationale behind his business decisions. However, it lacks transparency in terms of the methodology or data supporting some of the claims made.

For example, the assertion that venture capital has been 'effectively dead' lacks specific data or examples to substantiate it. The story does not disclose the basis for this claim, leaving readers without a clear understanding of the evidence behind it.

Additionally, the story does not mention any potential conflicts of interest that might affect Tusk's views, such as his investments or business ventures. Greater disclosure of these factors would enhance the transparency and credibility of the story.

Sources

  1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_-1mDbxSKw
  2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_OEcx0eBeI
  3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bradley_Tusk
  4. https://techcrunch.com/2016/07/01/silicon-valleys-favorite-fixer-bradley-tusk/
  5. https://www.aleph.vc/content/bradley-tusk-episode-14