Ron Conway has invested in more top startups than any other VC or angel, despite being genuinely good and benevolent.
His success is largely due to his benevolence, which leads to referrals and trust from founders like those at Google, Facebook, and Twitter.
In the startup world, transparency and unpredictability make it difficult to appear good without actually being good, so genuine integrity becomes an advantage.
The most successful startup investors tend to be the most upstanding, as both transparency and rapid change enforce consistent good behavior.
The startup world is trending toward greater transparency and unpredictability, meaning that being genuinely good is increasingly important for long-term success.