---
title: "Alexander Kopylkov (@alexanderkopylkov) | Hashnode"
description: "Venture capital investor, entrepreneur, strategist. Read the latest articles by Alexander Kopylkov on Hashnode."
url: "https://hashnode.com/@alexanderkopylkov"
---

@alexanderkopylkov

# Alexander Kopylkov

@alexanderkopylkov · Lisbon, Portugal · Joined March 2026

Venture capital investor, entrepreneur, strategist.

[Website](https://kopylkov.com/)

### [AI Startups Are Paying Engineers With Pieces of the Company](https://alexanderkopylkov.hashnode.dev/ai-startups-are-paying-engineers-with-pieces-of-the-company?utm_source=hashnode&utm_medium=feed)

AI skills are expensive and startup cash is scarce, so young companies pay engineers with ownership, and founders should count every slice like cash.

4 min read · [alexanderkopylkov.hashnode.dev](https://alexanderkopylkov.hashnode.dev/ai-startups-are-paying-engineers-with-pieces-of-the-company?utm_source=hashnode&utm_medium=feed)

[Oct 19](https://hashnode.com/posts/ai-startups-are-paying-engineers-with-pieces-of-the-company/6ad680378a9817a036b303f2)

### [The Market I Used to Understand Doesn't Exist Anymore](https://alexanderkopylkov.hashnode.dev/the-market-i-used-to-understand-doesn-t-exist-anymore?utm_source=hashnode&utm_medium=feed)

When two companies can absorb almost half of all venture capital raised worldwide, the old rules of portfolio construction stop applying.

4 min read · [alexanderkopylkov.hashnode.dev](https://alexanderkopylkov.hashnode.dev/the-market-i-used-to-understand-doesn-t-exist-anymore?utm_source=hashnode&utm_medium=feed)

[Sep 7](https://hashnode.com/posts/the-market-i-used-to-understand-doesn-t-exist-anymore/6a9f3517b10a9734d5127000)

### [I Stopped Asking Founders What Model They Use](https://alexanderkopylkov.hashnode.dev/i-stopped-asking-founders-what-model-they-use?utm_source=hashnode&utm_medium=feed)

The question that actually predicts survival is what happens to the business the day that model gets cheaper or better somewhere else.

4 min read · [alexanderkopylkov.hashnode.dev](https://alexanderkopylkov.hashnode.dev/i-stopped-asking-founders-what-model-they-use?utm_source=hashnode&utm_medium=feed)

[Aug 17](https://hashnode.com/posts/i-stopped-asking-founders-what-model-they-use/6a8385eb4e28c02763b94d44)

### [Founders Lie to Investors. Investors Lie to Founders. Usually, Both Call It Optimism.](https://alexanderkopylkov.hashnode.dev/founders-lie-to-investors-investors-lie-to-founders-usually-both-call-it-optimism?utm_source=hashnode&utm_medium=feed)

Founders and investors often exaggerate in good faith. Here’s how optimism turns into broken promises, and why correcting early matters.

4 min read · [alexanderkopylkov.hashnode.dev](https://alexanderkopylkov.hashnode.dev/founders-lie-to-investors-investors-lie-to-founders-usually-both-call-it-optimism?utm_source=hashnode&utm_medium=feed)

[Jul 15](https://hashnode.com/posts/founders-lie-to-investors-investors-lie-to-founders-usually-both-call-it-optimism/6a57dd17da9fa386f5f74d30)

### [Why VCs in 2026 Fund Teams Before They Fund Ideas](https://alexanderkopylkov.hashnode.dev/why-vcs-in-2026-fund-teams-before-they-fund-ideas?utm_source=hashnode&utm_medium=feed)

With market risk compressed, investors are betting harder on execution than on opportunity.

5 min read · [alexanderkopylkov.hashnode.dev](https://alexanderkopylkov.hashnode.dev/why-vcs-in-2026-fund-teams-before-they-fund-ideas?utm_source=hashnode&utm_medium=feed)

[May 2](https://hashnode.com/posts/why-vcs-in-2026-fund-teams-before-they-fund-ideas/69f551e1ec32cba9e58ecfa8)