Lighthouse or Landgrab? How to Pick Your AI Sales Strategy
a16z identifies two enterprise AI sales playbooks: Lighthouse (prestige logos) vs Land Grab (broad market)
“There's a moment right now to go sell big software again.”
A16z partner Joe Schmidt articulates two competing sales strategies he observes among enterprise AI startups: Lighthouse (chasing marquee SF-area logos for social proof) vs Land Grab (broad geographic outreach to buyers with real pain). Schmidt argues too many founders default to the Lighthouse motion because it feels prestigious, missing the larger land-grab opportunity. Relevant as a go-to-market signal for AI founders but not a product or research announcement.