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Unlocking Alpha: The Rise of Niche VC
The next wave of venture success is niche.
The venture capital industry is noisy, competitive, and often driven by hype. Yet the evolution of the industry points to one clear In the next era of venture, the way to generate alpha is to exemplify mastery, focus, and network. Unlocking The Rise of Niche VC explains why concentrating on niches rather than chasing trends is the strategy that will define the industry’s future.
Written by Omni Ventures cofounders Simon Lancaster and Sabrina Paseman, this book draws on more than twenty years of experience across venture capital, product innovation, and advanced technology. It offers a framework for becoming an effective GP in today’s market through fund specialization, investment discipline, and identifying overlooked opportunities.
You will see how niche funds have historically outperformed generalized ones and how to recognize and evaluate high-performing niche startups. The book traces the evolution of venture capital from the 1950s to today, showing why current conditions are primed for niche investing. It also provides practical insights into building the right fund strategy, assembling a complementary team, and scaling without bloat while avoiding the hype cycles, FOMO, and short-term thinking that dominate much of the industry.
Whether you are launching your first fund, refining your thesis, or looking to better understand the future of venture capital, Unlocking Alpha is your guide to thriving in a saturated market by focusing on the niches that others overlook.
The venture capital industry is noisy, competitive, and often driven by hype. Yet the evolution of the industry points to one clear In the next era of venture, the way to generate alpha is to exemplify mastery, focus, and network. Unlocking The Rise of Niche VC explains why concentrating on niches rather than chasing trends is the strategy that will define the industry’s future.
Written by Omni Ventures cofounders Simon Lancaster and Sabrina Paseman, this book draws on more than twenty years of experience across venture capital, product innovation, and advanced technology. It offers a framework for becoming an effective GP in today’s market through fund specialization, investment discipline, and identifying overlooked opportunities.
You will see how niche funds have historically outperformed generalized ones and how to recognize and evaluate high-performing niche startups. The book traces the evolution of venture capital from the 1950s to today, showing why current conditions are primed for niche investing. It also provides practical insights into building the right fund strategy, assembling a complementary team, and scaling without bloat while avoiding the hype cycles, FOMO, and short-term thinking that dominate much of the industry.
Whether you are launching your first fund, refining your thesis, or looking to better understand the future of venture capital, Unlocking Alpha is your guide to thriving in a saturated market by focusing on the niches that others overlook.
128 pages, Hardcover
Published August 20, 2025
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About the author
Simon Lancaster
19 books28 followersSpeechwriter, Author, TEDx Speaker.
Simon Lancaster is the author of ‘Speechwriting: The Expert Guide’, ‘Winning Minds: Secrets from the Language of Leadership’, 'You Are Not Human: How Words Kill' and the newly published ‘Connect! How to Inspire, Influence & Energise Anyone, Anywhere, Anytime’. Simon is the founder of Bespoke Speechwriting Services Ltd, a global speechwriting agency, and has written speeches for top politicians and the CEOs of some of the biggest companies in the world, including Unilever, HSBC and Intercontinental Hotels Group. He is an Executive Fellow of Henley Business School and lectures at Cambridge University. Simon regularly appears as a media pundit on oratory. His TEDx talks have had 4m plus views.
Simon Lancaster is the author of ‘Speechwriting: The Expert Guide’, ‘Winning Minds: Secrets from the Language of Leadership’, 'You Are Not Human: How Words Kill' and the newly published ‘Connect! How to Inspire, Influence & Energise Anyone, Anywhere, Anytime’. Simon is the founder of Bespoke Speechwriting Services Ltd, a global speechwriting agency, and has written speeches for top politicians and the CEOs of some of the biggest companies in the world, including Unilever, HSBC and Intercontinental Hotels Group. He is an Executive Fellow of Henley Business School and lectures at Cambridge University. Simon regularly appears as a media pundit on oratory. His TEDx talks have had 4m plus views.
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