Venture capital · Graduate VC
Affinity to Attio migration: default Deals, a custom LPs object, a Fund Commitments list, and Specter enrichment.
Graduate VC ran on Affinity. The team wanted Attio so the fund could be modelled the way they actually work: the investment pipeline on the default Deals object, LPs as a first-class custom object, commitments tracked on a list view of Deals, fund stages as lists, and outbound running inside the same tool.
Affinity
Migrated from
1
Custom objects
Specter
Integrations
1
Outbound sequences
The problem.
Affinity covers the standard CRM model for VC, but it does not let the team shape objects around their own thesis. Commitments lived inside deal notes. LP relationships were tracked as contacts with tags. Inbound startup applications came in through forms and sat in inboxes.
The partners also wanted a single tool for sourcing, enrichment, LP comms, and outbound. That meant Specter data had to flow into the same workspace, and outbound sequences had to run on the same records the partners were already working from.
Objectives.
- Move the fund off Affinity into Attio without losing deal history, LP relationships, or commitments.
- Model the work of a VC fund in Attio: deals, commitments, LPs, portfolio companies, founders, and partners.
- Give partners list views per fund stage and a separate flow for investor updates.
- Build a pipeline for inbound startup applications so nothing sits in an inbox.
- Enrich the database automatically through Specter so partners see growth signals without leaving Attio.
- Run outbound from inside Attio with a sequence, not a separate sales tool.
The data model.
One custom object (LPs) on top of the default Deals, Companies, and People. The investment pipeline runs on Deals, and the Fund Commitments list is just a filtered view of that same object. The fund can answer questions like “how much have we committed in this sector this year” and “which LPs are backing this deal” from the records themselves, not from a spreadsheet on the side.
Deals (default)
Attio's standard Deals object, used for the investment pipeline. One record per deal, from first conversation through to committed or passed. Linked to a Company, the partner who owns it, and any LPs backing it once it closes.
LPs
Custom object for limited partners. Keeps LP identity, capital commitments, and update cadence separate from operating contacts.
Companies
Portfolio and prospective companies. The standard object, extended with VC-specific attributes (round stage, sourcing channel, Specter enrichment).
People
Founders, co-investors, LPs, and operating contacts. One person record, multiple relationships.
Lists and pipelines.
Fund Commitments list
A list view of Deals filtered to stage Committed or Wired, with check size, linked Company, linked LPs, and partner. Every commitment the fund has made, without a separate custom object on top of Deals.
Fund stage lists
Separate lists of Deals per pipeline stage so partners see only what is at their stage. Sourced, screened, partner review, term sheet, due diligence, and committed.
Investor updates list
One list dedicated to LP communication. Tracks who has received the latest update, who has open questions, and what the next touch should be.
Startup application pipeline
Inbound applications land in a structured pipeline with screening, partner review, and pass or progress stages. Nothing sits in an inbox.
Integrations.
Specter enrichment
Specter pushes company and founder signals into Attio. Companies are matched on domain, and Specter fields populate on the Company record so partners see growth, headcount, and funding signals without leaving Attio.
Workflows we built.
Surface a Deal on the Fund Commitments list when it closes
When a Deal's stage moves to Committed, the linked LPs are required and the Deal automatically appears on the Fund Commitments list. No second record to maintain.
Route startup applications by stage and sector
New applications are tagged by stage and sector, then pushed to the right pipeline-stage list and assigned to the partner covering that sector.
LP update reminders
Scheduled workflow that flags LPs who have not received an update in the agreed cadence, and creates a task for the partner who owns the relationship.
Specter signal alerts
When Specter pushes a meaningful growth signal on a portfolio or prospect company, a notification fires in Slack and a task is created on the Company record.
Outbound sequence
An Attio sequence for founder outreach. Adds founders from the startup application pipeline or Specter-sourced companies, with stop conditions on reply or meeting booked, and a workflow that updates the Deal stage on reply.
Results.
- Full migration from Affinity to Attio with deal history, LP relationships, and commitments preserved.
- Default Deals carries the pipeline. One custom LPs object covers everything Affinity could not model.
- Fund commitments live on a single list view of Deals, with linked LPs visible from the same record.
- Partners work from fund-stage lists instead of a single flat pipeline.
- Inbound startup applications flow through a structured pipeline, not an inbox.
- Specter signals land in Attio automatically, so prospect and portfolio records stay fresh.
- Outbound runs inside Attio through a sequence tied to the same data model as the rest of the fund.
Ready when you are.
Two ways in. Pick the friction that fits.