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Scott Belsky understands something most investors miss: design isn't just how something looks. It's a competitive moat. Studying Scott Belsky investments reveals a unique approach to backing companies where creativity, design, and user experience drive defensible advantages.

From Behance to Adobe to A24

In 2012, Adobe announced the launch of CreativeCloud and by the end of that year acquired Belsky's company Behance for $150M. Belsky served as Adobe's chief product officer and EVP of Creative Cloud for more than five years. As of March 2023, he takes responsibility for company-wide strategy, corporate development, design, and emerging products.

In January 2025, Belsky joined A24's leadership team as a partner, overseeing the studio's technology and innovation initiatives.

This diverse experience gives Belsky pattern recognition most investors lack. He's been a founder, operator, VC partner, executive, and now entertainment tech leader.

The Portfolio That Validates The Thesis

Belsky has been an advisor and investor to companies including Pinterest, Uber, sweetgreen, Carta, Flexport, Airtable, OpenSea, Ramp, Ro, and Periscope.

Notice the pattern? These aren't just successful companies. They're companies where design created competitive advantages.

Pinterest: Visual discovery platform for creative inspiration.

Warby Parker: Design-led brand disrupting an outdated industry.

Sweetgreen: Built a beloved brand through design, storytelling, and experience.

The Belsky Investment Criteria

Design as competitive moat

It's not enough to have good design. Belsky looks for companies where superior design creates defensible advantages that are difficult to replicate.

Platforms empowering creators

From Behance to Pinterest to Airtable, Belsky gravitates toward products that help people do creative work more effectively.

Founder storytelling ability

Belsky wrote "The Messy Middle," which deals with the long, often bewildering period when struggling startups strive to make an impact. He looks for founders who can articulate their vision clearly and inspire others to join them.

Long time horizons

Portfolio companies like Uber and Warby Parker took years to reach their full potential. Belsky understands that building meaningful companies requires patience.

How Belsky Actually Adds Value

Belsky manages a portfolio of over 150 private companies from his early investments and product advisory roles.

He focuses on helping teams with product (crafting the first mile, structuring design-driven product teams), go-to-market (determining beta audiences, optimizing growth initiatives), narrative (positioning for both internal and external audiences), and building teams.

This is where Belsky's operating experience shines. He's actually built products, scaled teams, and navigated the messy middle of company building.

The "Messy Middle" Philosophy

One of Belsky's key insights: Investors should stop giving entrepreneurs advice in their hours of need. Instead, they should craft questions to help guide them.

This approach differentiates Belsky from typical investors who love to tell founders what to do. He understands that founders need to discover their own answers. His job is to ask the right questions that help them think more clearly.

Building Behance: Lessons In Product Building

Behance started with a line of notebooks called the "Action Method" to help creative people get organized. This product also helped bootstrap the company, so they could wait to raise venture capital.

They started out helping creative professionals get their portfolio set up on the platform. Nobody wanted to set things up themselves on a platform without traffic, so they did a lot of it manually, writing blog posts about great designers and offering to set up portfolios.

This strategy was incredibly helpful. The network looked "full" of great work quickly, because an average portfolio had 5-10 projects. They got hundreds of amazing projects set up that served as examples for visitors.

Recent Evolution: A24 and Entertainment Technology

Belsky's move to A24 signals where he sees the next wave of creative opportunities. A24 has become synonymous with high-quality, distinctive films and shows. Belsky's involvement suggests he believes there are significant technology opportunities in entertainment production, distribution, and audience engagement.

Lessons For Early-Stage Investors

Invest in industries you understand deeply

Belsky's entire career focused on empowering creative professionals. His investments reflect this expertise. Don't invest outside your circle of competence.

Product quality matters more than most investors think

In competitive markets, superior design and user experience create lasting advantages. Look for founders who obsess over product details.

Ask questions instead of giving advice

When portfolio companies face challenges, resist the urge to tell them what to do. Help them think through problems by asking clarifying questions.

Value storytelling ability in founders

Founders who can articulate a compelling vision attract better talent, customers, and investors. This skill compounds over time.

Build concentrated expertise in specific industries

Belsky's deep knowledge of creative tools and platforms made him a more valuable investor than generalists. Focus on sectors where you have unique insights.

Be patient with category-defining products

The most valuable companies often take longer to build than investors expect. If you believe in the vision, give founders time to execute.

The Bottom Line

Scott Belsky investments reflect a disciplined approach to backing companies at the intersection of creativity, design, and technology. He brings genuine expertise from building and scaling Behance, operating as an executive at Adobe, and now leading innovation at A24.

His value-add goes beyond capital. He helps founders think through product strategy, narrative, and team building based on real experience navigating the messy middle of startup life.

Want to invest alongside operators who understand what it takes to build and scale products? Angel Squad is a community of experienced investors sharing tactical insights on evaluating deals, adding value to portfolio companies, and accessing top-performing early-stage startups.