To be clear, Sequoia didn’t make a case against scouts in the memo. Instead, it framed its decision as part of a broader need for more focus. But its goal of “putting more energy behind fewer people and things” is likely to resonate with others who’ve questioned the ‘spray and pray’ approach to scouting.

Under this new approach, Vasquez explained, scouts get more resources but are also expected to be more active, such as by co-hosting dinners with the firm. “They get more budget, but we have reduced the number,” he said.

This also seems to indicate that it is VC firms that have been driving an overhaul of the model. For founders, being a scout is attractive: it brings them closer to firms they may want checks from someday, or even a partner role with, and being seen as someone who can write a check can raise their standing among other founders.

Varza, a former Sequoia scout from 2020 to 2025, told TechCrunch that she had no information beyond what has been shared publicly, but observed that becoming a scout had often been a stepping stone for aspiring investment managers.

“I cannot name all of the incredible scouts that have gone on to join or build funds, but there are quite a few. And the scout programs may have helped them get there — allowed them to build an investment track record, allowed them to build relationships with various funds directly, and more,” she wrote to TechCrunch. 

According to Varza, the program’s impact went beyond the individual level, instead helping the entire ecosystem become more mature. “I believe they have helped to foster the investment culture and early-stage investment landscape that we now see in Europe, for example,” Varza said.