Why only VC money? I don't understand, which person would invest their in your company so that the customer (rather than themselves) should get value from it?

From what I experienced (could be misrepresentative), larger banks don't tend to put that kind of pressure when they provide investment capital.

Could be that it's not that they don't care, just that they don't take that level of involvement with growth companies.

VCs tend to take a <5 y perspective, where banks and other investors can play more long-term games

VC also tends to be looking for big, long tail wins. If you blow up 9 companies, but the 10th is a huge success - you're gold. If 10 of your companies are middling successful? You're not going to have the returns your investors were looking for, and you're toast.