a16z@a16z9h ago

Announcing Cosign. Silicon Valley knows people by watching other people know them. One person's visible belief becomes a signal to someone else, and the network updates its priors. Ascendancy is a game of two moves: self-made wins and high-status vouches. The earlier someone is in their trajectory, the less proof there is to go on, and the more meaningful the vouch. Belief compounds. People used to earn status through rites of passage like graduating college and landing prestigious jobs. People collect status in bits now, 24/7, often outside any formal system. Showing your work in public has become the new warm intro. Vouches take many forms. A tweet, an invite, an introduction, an angel check. Being undeniable and getting credible people to say so is how you become somebody in Silicon Valley. The game only works if new people can win. Everyone benefits when good people get pulled into the game faster. If you believe in someone early, say so. http://cosign.co