AI agents, IRL socializing, and vibe coding: Where top consumer investors are placing bets0

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• August 10, 2026

Investors are hunting for social media startups that can spark new connections and nurture existing ones. “Social media companies started based on connection,” Shawn Carolan, a partner at Menlo Ventures, said of the previous wave of giants like Facebook and Instagram. Carolan said these companies “evolved into media companies” and abandoned that connection. That leaves