Pitching Zynga to a Sleeping Partner: 'Weekend at Bernie's Meets Silicon Valley'

Mark Pincus @markpinc · Zynga Founder Posted June 3, 2026
“It was 'weekend at bernies' meets Silicon Valley.”
Mark Pincus (@markpinc), June 3, 2026. Short excerpt; the full thread belongs to its author.

What this teaches

Pincus recalls pitching Zynga in 2007, when no firm wanted to back the company, to a partner who fell asleep mid-pitch. Zynga went on to a multi-billion-dollar IPO.

Why it matters

A concise reminder from a famous outcome that consensus investor enthusiasm is a lagging indicator.

Key lessons

  • No firm wanting to back you is not a verdict on the outcome
  • Investor attention is not proportional to opportunity

This is an editorial summary. The full thread, and the credit, belongs to Mark Pincus.

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