About GenZVC

GenZVC is a dynamic online community specifically designed for the next generation of entrepreneurs and investors.  They connect founders, venture capitalists, students, and operators, fostering a vibrant space for collaboration, learning, and growth.  With over 12,918 members, GenZVC is a powerful resource for anyone interested in the future of venture capital and the startup ecosystem.

• HQ Location: New York, NY
• Website: https://www.genzvcs.com/
• Industry: Professional Community

Challenges

Building and maintaining a thriving online community like GenZVC presents a unique set of challenges.  Ensuring constant monitoring and engagement can be time-consuming for community managers, potentially leading to work-life balance issues. Attracting new members is just the first step; keeping them actively participating requires ongoing strategies as the community grows.  Perhaps the most significant challenge lies in finding the right balance: prioritizing the needs of a diverse community while establishing a sustainable business model.  GenZVC, for example, strived to avoid membership fees that might limit accessibility.

Solution

GenZVC found a clever solution to address both community needs and business goals: a tiered sponsorship program.

• Free Tier: Provides basic benefits like marketplace placement for partner companies.
• Tier 1: Offers enhanced visibility through inclusion in a market map, launch articles, and social media promotion as a "trusted partner."
• Tier 2: Includes all Tier 1 benefits plus a featured spot on the marketplace for a quarter, making sponsored technology more accessible and affordable for GenZ founders.

How'd the tiered sponsorship program work?

‍Crafting Compelling Offers (1-2 Weeks): We collaborate with you to design attractive sponsorship packages tailored to your target audience.  These packages may include co-marketing activities like co-sponsored blogs, webinars, happy hours, or co-branded reports.  We can also explore the possibility of tiered sponsorships to cater to a wider range of partners.

‍Targeted Introductions (1-2 Days): Builtfirst leverages its network and expertise to make personalized email introductions to potential sponsors who align perfectly with your community's needs.

‍Seamless Deal Closing: Once connected, you take the lead in nurturing relationships and closing deals with the introduced sponsors.

‍Streamlined Payment Collection: Our platform simplifies the payment collection process, ensuring you receive payments efficiently and securely.

And finally a lot of promotion!

This approach allowed GenZVC to:

• Deliver Value to Members: GenZVC secured sponsorships that saved their community members over $1 million within the first 24 hours, with total savings exceeding $7 million in following months. Partnering with top companies like Mixpanel, Vanta, Intercom, and Brex further offer value over time. ‍
• Maintain Free Access: By offering a free tier, GenZVC ensured their community remained accessible to all, fostering inclusivity and growth.‍
• Streamlined Monetization: Builtfirst, a sponsorship management platform, facilitated sponsor connections, resulting in 21 closed partnerships from 50 introductions. Builtfirst also streamlined payment collection, aiding GenZVC in monetizing their efforts.

By prioritizing a member-centric approach, they've built a community that offers exceptional value to all participants.

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Builtfirst & GenZVC

GenZVC's online community for aspiring entrepreneurs and venture capitalist thrives by prioritizing members. Their active Slack community of over 15,000 members fosters constant engagement, with organic growth exceeding 1,000 new members monthly today! Their tiered sponsorship program, facilitated by Builtfirst, secures partnerships with leading companies, offering valuable tools and resources to members at discounted rates.  This win-win approach, coupled with a free tier for access, empowers future community leaders a model for success.