Start with a different question
A polished story can make a company easy to understand. It cannot, on its own, make that company worth building. We prefer to begin with a more useful question: what does this founder understand that other people are overlooking?
An insight should change the product
Being contrarian is not the same as being right. The interesting insight has consequences. It changes who the customer is, what the product does, how it reaches the market, or why this is the moment to build it. It makes a concrete choice possible.
Let reality into the room
Conviction gets stronger when it meets evidence. Conversations with customers, a small working product, and a willingness to change your mind can tell you more than another month refining a presentation. We value founders who can separate what they know from what they are still trying to learn.
Partnership starts before certainty
The early stage is full of unanswered questions. That is part of the work. Our ambition is to be a useful partner while the questions are still open: curious about the insight, clear about the risks, and willing to think independently.