While answering the question "VC investment vs. stacking BTC", I'd say it's certainly a function of how much net worth you have.

However, once there's more market proof demonstrating that BTC infrastructure & lightning companies can actually have profitable business models, we'll see more traditional VCs entering the space.

Their LPs are often large insurance funds, pension funds, & other systematic long-term capital that diversify into VCs for better risk-adjusted returns.

Most of those might indirectly invest in bitcoin infrastructure companies years before investing in bitcoin itself.

To recap; the chances of "old/systematic money" investing in Bitcoin startups first (instead of bitcoin), are much higher than you'd think.