Understanding the 2026 Emerging VC Limited Partner
Sam Huleatt co-founded The Side Letter, a research platform focused on how capital allocators actually think and decide. Prior to that, he built and ran the LP Institute, where he trained LPs who were interested in investing in Emerging VCs. He also created and led On Deck Angels, and is an LP himself in first-time funds including Notation and Incisive VC, alongside 35+ angel investments of his own.
In this session, Sam walks through who is actually allocating to emerging managers in 2026, why they are doing it, and what separates a fund that gets funded from one that gets a polite pass.
What we'll cover:
Who is currently allocating capital to first-time and emerging fund managers, and what has changed in 2026
The specific signals LPs look for before a first call ever turns into diligence
What separates a fundable fund from a forgettable one, in the LP's own language
What do LPs want to see in a GP's pitch and their data room
Insights on where LP appetite for emerging managers is heading
About the speaker
Sam Huleatt is Co-Founder of The Side Letter, a research platform providing proprietary intelligence and network-driven insight for LPs and institutional capital allocators. He previously created and ran the LP Institute at VC Lab and led On Deck Angels at On Deck, working directly with hundreds of emerging managers on how to raise from LPs. He is also an active allocator himself, an LP in first-time funds including Notation Capital, Orange Fund, and Incisive Ventures, and an angel investor in 35+ startups. He brings the rare combination of sitting on the allocator side of the table and having coached hundreds of GPs on how to get there.
About the host
Myrto Lalacos is the founder of The Emerging VC, an independent platform for the next generation of fund managers. After years inside VC and helping launch more than 1,900 emerging GPs at VC Lab, Myrto now writes, hosts, and convenes the conversations that shape how the new generation of fund managers and VC leaders think and build.
Presented by:
The Emerging VC An independent platform with curated resources for new and emerging VC managers.