<ul data-eligibleForWebStory="true">The venture and growth landscape is shifting towards the 'agent-first' economy, where AI agents, not humans, will drive commerce.This change creates a 'Crisis of Verifiability' that will render traditional business models obsolete.In the new economy, AI agents prioritize provable, machine-readable trust over networks or marketing campaigns.Startups' integrity is now their most crucial asset in this evolving ecosystem.Venture Partners need to adapt to this new reality by developing new skills and behaviors.Mentorship in this context requires a shift toward ensuring integrity and trust.Venture Partners are expected to become the portfolio's Chief Integrity Officers in a trust-centric economy.Deep industry knowledge is essential to evaluate market trends and technological risks.Effective communication skills are needed to convey complex risks to investment committees.Success in this new era hinges on building generational companies based on verifiable trust.The most valuable Venture Partners will be those who can identify, nurture, and build such trustworthy companies.