Scott Stanford taught himself to code at 13 and later spent 12 years co-leading Goldman Sachs's Global Internet Investment Banking group, where he advised on more than $80 billion in financings and deals, before co-founding Silicon Foundry to help large companies work with and acquire startups. He also writes publicly that venture investors should actively drive liquidity—building relationships with acquirers and private equity firms and even helping consolidate portfolio companies—rather than just sourcing deals and waiting for an exit.