Algorithmic or Artisan? Charles Hudson on the Future of Venture Capital | Alone Together | S1E6

"Algos scale. Artisans don't. But maybe that's the point." — Charles HudsonIn this episode of Alone Together, I sit down with Charles Hudson—the OG solo GP, the founder of Precursor Ventures, and one of the most thoughtful voices in venture capital today.Initially, I invited Charles to talk specifically about supporting solo GPs and to share his stories and practical advice. However, between our booking and recording date, Charles published a profound essay, "What Does It Mean to Be a Venture Capitalist Today?"—prompting our conversation to become deeper and more philosophical than anticipated. It felt like too important an opportunity to pass up, leading us into an expansive dialogue about the essence of venture capital itself.While we do dive into the critical debate around algorithmic vs. artisan investing, we also explore broader reflections on how venture capital is evolving and what it truly means to be an investor today.While we do dive into the critical debate around algorithmic vs. artisan investing, we also explore broader reflections on how venture capital is evolving and what it truly means to be an investor today.

We had a real honest conversation about a number of topics (Charles: "God, I don't know why I feel so free today). Just to name a few:
- The transformation and institutionalization of solo GPs, from early skepticism to acceptance and the current wave of "small and weird" funds.- The philosophical and practical implications of the shift toward algorithmic investing, and why Charles passionately advocates for preserving artisanal, human judgment.- Real-world tensions between scale, creativity, and differentiation, impacting fund construction, LP relationships, and deal processes.- Charles's personal reflections on the deeper motivations and responsibilities of being a venture capitalist.Key moments:(01:16) Charles Hudson’s career journey and founding Precursor Ventures(03:42) Evolution of solo GPs in venture capital(07:03) The philosophical debate on algorithmic vs. artisan investing(17:01) The challenge of differentiation in venture(29:44) The importance of "small and weird" in maintaining innovation(39:58) Charles’ approach to keeping Precursor Ventures intentionally artisanal(50:27) Personal reflections: What Charles hopes his son sees in his workStandout insights from Charles:"When everything feels spreadsheet-driven, we lose the ability to bet on truly innovative ideas that don't neatly fit existing heuristics.""The artisan fund can't scale infinitely—but maybe that's exactly why it matters.""What do you lose when the entire industry shifts toward algos? You lose the art, the insight, the judgment calls that defy simple metrics."Join us for this reflective exploration on not just the future of venture capital—but its very soul."