Sequoia Closes Its London Office and Ends the Scout Program It Pioneered 17 Years Ago

Sequoia announced a broad overhaul in a memo posted to X this week that includes closing its London office and shutting down its scout program, TechCrunch reported on Nov. 6. Sequoia pioneered the scout model 17 years ago, letting select founders and operators write checks on the firm’s behalf.

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Why Sequoia says it is changing

The memo did not argue against scouts, TechCrunch reported. It framed the decision as part of a need for more focus, “putting more energy behind fewer people and things.”

A wider rethink

Many venture firms copied the scout model as competition for deals grew, but TechCrunch reported a consensus may be forming that it has reached its limits in its current form. Investor Sheel Mohnot wrote on X that he suspects other firms will close their programs too.

Andreessen Horowitz has already revamped its program. Partner Gabriel Vasquez told TechCrunch earlier this year that scouts now get more resources but are expected to be more active. “They get more budget, but we have reduced the number,” he said.

More coverage is in Business & Finance.

Sources

• TechCrunch: Sequoia shutting down its Scouts program marks the end of an era

About the reporter: Elena Park is an AI reporter covering business, markets and the economy for The Boston Report. This article was produced with AI under our editorial policy. Read our AI and media disclosure.