Sequoia Capital is closing the program that changed how early-stage deals get sourced. The firm is shutting down its Scouts program, TechCrunch reported — a quiet end for a model Sequoia itself pioneered and that much of the venture industry went on to copy.

The scout model armed well-connected operators and founders with small pools of a firm's capital to write angel checks, giving funds early visibility into promising startups before they hit institutional radar. After Sequoia proved the concept, scout programs proliferated across the industry and became a standard tool for top-of-funnel deal flow.

That consensus is now breaking down. According to TechCrunch, a view is forming across venture capital that the scout model has reached its limits in its current form — and the original architect pulling the plug is the clearest signal yet.

The shutdown closes a distinct chapter in how Silicon Valley sourced its earliest bets. Whatever replaces the scout playbook, the firm that wrote it has decided the format no longer earns its keep.